Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-09-17
The international Yacht Race.

The Puritan yesterday beat the Genesta
over the forty mile course-trom Scotland
Ligbtship twenty miles to leeward and re-
turn-two minutes nine seconds actual time.
The Genesta, Just before the start, sailed
around the Scotland Lightship and took
run to windward just to show how much at
home she was in the water. The Puritan
beat about the starting point, and her skip.
per showed how often his famous sloop could
tack in given number of minutes. The
breeze was freshening every moment, and
the prospect of q grand race to leeWard,
where the yachts could carry their spin
makers, was sufficient to create the utmost
excitement
One minute before the starting whistle
was blown the Genesta came tearing across
the Puritan's bow on the port tack, head
| ing parallel with the line. Just then the
Puritan's main sheet was paid out, Captain
Croker put her helm down, and she came
for the line. The cutter shot across, her
crew running her immense spinuaser aloft
as she went over. Away she flew, leading
the Puritan forty-fve seconds. The latter
broke out her big balloon jb IS she crossed,
and set her spinnaker. A grand picture
these two clippers presented as they dashed
i
canvas towering above their narrow hulls !!
All the steam yachts kept we'll to leeward
of the racers, and the smaller ones were puz
zled to keep pace with them. The Puritan
soon began to close the gap made at the
start. She kept directly in her antagonists
wake until nearly up with her, when she
hauled out to the eastward, so that the &c.
nesta could not prevent her passing without
gybing She took in her balloon jib topsail
and staysail, and at 11:45 had passed ahead
of the Genesta halfa length. Her spinnakcr
was not drawing well, neither was her main
sail. The Genesta took in her spiunaker at
twelve o'clock, gybed her main boom, and
set the spinnaker on the port side. She i'm
mediately drew ahead, and in half an hour
had passed the Puritan.
Fifteen minutes later the cutter was a
quarter ola mile in the lend, with her great
spinnaker bellying out in the stffening
breeze. The Puritan's captain would not
gybe, although the spinnaker was not draw
ing, and she was steadily dropping astern
Down came the Genesta's club .topsail, the
Puritan's coming in moment later. The
cutter set working topsail but the sloop
set no others. at p. m. the Genesta'sspin-
maker was taken in and every thing made
snug fol the beat TO windward. All eyes
were upon the two boats as they came
bounding along. All thought then the Ge
nesta was O winner. The official time Of
rounding the stake boat was: Genesta
Los 80, Puritan 1:073 Sc. The latter, with
her mainsheet hauled flat aft, gybed as she
rounded, and in minute after she was
close hauled on the starboard tack, standing
to the southwark.
The Puritan made wide turn, which
placed her father to leeward, and now com.
menced q struggle for the Gnish, twenty
miles to windward. Black, threatening clouds
appeared in the northwest, and q spitelul
squall of wind whistled through the shrouds
of the boats, flashing the green waves into
foam, and sending the spray in sheets high
over the yachts to Windward. Those on the
tugs were drenched with the heavy seas that
boarded them. Down went the cutter, heel.
ing over as she felt the force of the squall,
till her lee rail was lost to sight in the gilt
tering foam over yet till the water was
washing up to her skylights amidships, then
she seemed to spring through the choppy
seas which were topped with seethrg
''white caps" as far as the eye could reach.
The Puritan was making excellent weather
of it, and was steadily eating" up through
the Genestas lee. Just before she tackled
at 217 she was fall half mile on Genesta's
lee bow. Instead oftacking when she could
have crossed the Gencsta's bow, she kept
on, thereby losing much valuable ground.
The Genesta went about at 2:lS. This
stretch to the westward proved to be the
last one. When Captain Urocker, of the
Puritan, found he could fetch the lightship
he started the sloop's sheets and gave her
"good full" She was then about half
mile on the Englishman's weather quarter
At 1886 the Puritan kept orand came ''hoil-
ing" down for the Genests's weather There
was "luffing" match for few moments, IN
til the Puritan got ahead. She increased
her lead and crossed the finish line at 4;09, Is,
while the fleet of steamboats, gave her
rousing reception. The Genesta crossed the
line at 4:1039, only Two minutes and TWEEN
ty four seconds behind her. The race was
over, and the Americas cup will be retained
on this side Of the Atlantic.
| The Puritan having won two straight
races third will not BIO sailed
In these races the Puritan has proved her.
| self to be a stanch, seaworty boat, fit to take
her chances with any vessel afoat in light
breezes or in gale of wind. For cruising
and for racing, for comfort and for speed she
has no superior. Al