Connecticut western news., 1885-09-23
LATEST NEWS NOTES.
Happenings of Interest to All,
 At Home and Abroad.
THE OCEAN YACHT RACE.


 The Puritan Leads the Genesta from the
 start and Beats Her Over sixteen Min-
 utcs, Corrected Time.
 The first of the yacht races for the Americas Cup was sailed Monday and was won by the Puritan with ease. The course was from Buoy No. l8 of Owls Head at Bay Ridge, through the Narrows, across the Lower Bay to and around Buoys Nos. 10 and 916, and out by Sandy Hook to the Sandy Hook Iightship, aud return over the same course, finishing at Buoy No. l5, just below Fort Wadsworth. h dis ia ce the course was 38 statute miles.
 Tho start was capital one, the Puritan starting at 10;32:02 Q. m.. and the denesta four seconds later. At the hghtsh1p, where they turned On their homeward coucse, the Puritan was four minutes and twenty-two sec onds ahead, her time being 2:14:s4. At the finish the Puritan was sixteen minutes and forty-seven seconds in the lead. Ihrougnout the race tho Puritan led.
 The wind was good outside and there was moderate sea, with plenty of white-caps The race was viewed by thousands on shore as well as by throngs on tho numerous pleasure craft aud excursion boats that covered the waters Of the Bay.
 In every point where wind and tide were equal the Yankee sloop outsailed the British cutter; indeed, at times she acted as though she were triAing with the cutter. It was contest in wind that was brisk at one minute and mild at another, and on smooth sea conditions that are supposed to favor the Puritan. It was fair race, honestly sailed by both shippers, and won by the Puritan be- cause of her superiority over the Genesta.
 The tima was as follows:
 Puritan 10 s9 % 4 ss O5 6 os O5 Gents 10 32 co 54 52 6 % 2I
 The time given above is the corrected time, the allowance given the Genesta being de- ducted, the actual time made was Puritan hours and seconds; Genesta, 6 hours 22m. 52s. a....
 So baftiing were the winds that up to late hour in the race it was not believed by many that the race would be made in the allotted seven hours, but that Mondays, like the four previous attempts, would be failure. When it was learned that the affair was 6 success, and still further that the Yankee boat would be the victor, the joy of the great crowd was intense. THE FINISH
 of the race is thus described:
 The scene from Fort Wadsworth was pie l turesque in the extreme. Along came the | Puritan, quite quarter of mile ahead of | the Genesta. Her crew were lying fiat on the decks, the only head above the grnwale being that of the man at the wheel She darted | along through tue smooth sea with the small est possible heel to port, the light breeze that l blew having no power to disturb her upright position. She went through the water as though the impereeptible towline of an invisi- ble steamer of many horsepower was fastened to her stem. In her wake followed the doughty Genesta. Her sails did not seem to set 30 well as the sloop's, the mainsail being baggy and the after leech continually shaking. But she scooted along right merrily, leaving foam | hecked furrow i1 her rear. And so the two rivals passed from view quickly, and were soon ost to sight amid the big fleet of attendant | boats that conveyed them from beginning to l aud ha mn rE al f0r their size, their speed and their beauty was | the English cutter Clara. She wore 6 suit of sails the superior of which for cut and get has never been seen in these waters. Her ''mus- lin" attracted universal admiration. Every | inch pulled.
 Toward evening the crowd was recruited by car loads of people, and every eye was strained | in the direction of Sandy Hook. Presently | the cry arose, 'Here they come!' (Which is 1 frst?" was the anxious demand. It was rather difficult at first to distinguish between the two | racers, but the knowing ones levelled their telescopes on the incoming fleet and gratified the majority that the Puritan WAS by long I odds the leader. And as the handsome sloop, with all her flying canvas spread, passed the mark boat far in the front of the cutter there was 8 prolonged cheer that re-echoed amid | the fortified heights and was waited along the | island until 1t reached the various landing | places, and conveyed tidings of great joy to the people waiting at the ferries. The Second Days Race. | The Puri an started at Il :05:30 8. m., and the Gen sta at 11:0l32, both heading E. S. E. | At :25 both yachts were off Sandy Hook. Al this tine the Genesta could be seen to be l gaining on the Puritan, and at 12:05 she was half mile ahead of the Yankee sloop. At 1;5:20 the Gepesta rounded the stake | boat, fo lowed by the Puritan at 1:7:32. At :29 the wind was blowing twenty-five | miles an hour, and had changed more to tbe | north. It was very squally.
 | At 1:38 the wind had raised until it wal | blowing at the rate of thirty-six miles from the north, northwest. Shortly after tho weather set in thick and hay. At this time the Puritan was slowly gaining on the enter. l 3:05 D. m.-The Genesta has every sail set | but for reasons unknown, the Puritan fails tt set her topsails, the crew on the latter appeal | to be engaged making efforts to that end. 3:10 p. m.-Yachts are on last tack and abou even.
 The Puritan finally crossed the line ct 4:09
 The Genesta crossed at 4:10:15.
 The Puritan wins the race.