Daily Kennebec journal., 1885-09-17
SPORTING.
HURRAH FOR THE PURITAN.
side of the Water-1 he Boston Sl"op
Beats the English Cutter-rhe English.
men Get Their Back Up and Claim
'sShaTp Practlce."
NEW YoRK. Sent. l6.

NEW YORK, Sept. 10.
The cup stays in America" These words
were spoken by ex Commodore James ID.
Smith, as the Puritan's main boom passed the
finish line of Scotland lightship TODAY. after
the closest contest ever sailed over 40 mile
course. The Genesta was beaten min., IS
secs. corrected time, and min. Q secs.
actual time.
The course was 20 miles to leeward and
return, from Scotland lightship. The wind
being W., NV, the yachts were sent away
on E., Sc. course, dead before the wind
10 this run the cutter beat the sloop min. 81
secs, from there 10 the tnish they made one
short tack of mile, and two long legs of
and 10 miles respectively. in half gale of
wind, which changed to N. NV. soon after
the outer mark was turned. In this work the
| Puritan gained min. so secs from point TO
point.
Leaving pier 3, East River, at o'clock,
the committee boat, Luchenbach, with flags
| flying of the New York, Eastern and ROYAL
Thames Yacht Clubs, steamed down the bay
| to Staten Island. The sky overhead vas
| clear as bell, but out over the jersey hills
| in the westward heecy white clouds could be
seen rising, giving promise of an increase in
force of the moderate breeze from the w. NV.
then blowing There was one solitary spec
tator on the bluffs of Fl. Wadsworth as the
boat passed through the Narrows, where
there had been thousands Monday to see
the finish of the first race. There was no
time lost in preparations today. When the
judges boat arrived of Sandy Hook the Ge-
nesta and Puritan ere both seen under way
close up to the Scotland lightship. the start
ing point. As soon as Mr. X. Schuyler, rep
ftnsv
the Puritan, Capt. Robert Carter boarded
the Genesta to do similar duty for the Puri.
tan's people.
The tug Scandinavian was sent to lay out
a twenty mile course to the leeward and at
10. 40 the committee boat anchored with the
lightship, bearing southwest ten yards This
formed an imaginary line over which the
yachts were to pass. Many steam and sail
yachts and excursion steamers laden with
spectators had gathered near the judges boat.
The breeze was freshening every moment
and the prospect of grand race to the lee
ward, where the yachts could carry their
spinnakers, was enough to create the utmost
excitement.
When the preparatory whistle was given
at exactly II o'clock the Puritan lay about
quarter of a mile astern OF the judges boat,
heading to the southeast, with her spinnaker
hauled aft and the Jib sheet to the windward.
One minute before the starting whistle was
blown, the Genesta came tearing across the
tugs stern and the Puritan's bow, on the
port tack, heading parallel with the line.
Those who were watching the movements OF
both were positive that she would cross the
line before the signal was given and breath
lessly awaited the result. just then the
Puritan's main sheet paid out. Capt. Crocker
put the helm down and she came for the line.
SO nicely had the cutters skippar calculated
the time that while the starting signal was
blowing she shot across, her crew running
her Immense spinnaker as she went over and
breaking it out in just 80 seconds away she
flew to the wiDdward leading the Boston
sloop by As seconds. The latter broke out
her big balloon jib as she crossed and set her
spinnaker in minute after. What grand
picture these two clipper yachts presented as
they dashed away with their pyramids of
snow white canvas towering above their mar
row huls. All the steam yachts kept well to
the leeward of the twin racers and the
smaller ones were puzzle d to keep pace with
them.
The official time Of the start was Genesta,
L ,05 06; Puritan, ll,06,0l. 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 to
to the eastward so the Genesta couldn't keep
of and prevent he passing without jbing
At III. 35 she took in the balloon Jib to the
port and staysail, and at II As she had passed
out ahead of the Genesta by about half
length. Her spinnaker was not drawing well
at this time, neither was the mainsail for
the wind, as an old sailor remarked, was at
the main boom end. Capt. Carter, recogniz
ina for tha s,,,r %
jibbed the main boom, dipped his spinnaker
boom AMI set sail on the port side, all in 5
minutes. She Immediately drew ahead of
the sloop and in a halt an hour had passed
her. This was surprise, but what was
coming was a greater one. Fifteen min
utes later the cutter was good quarter of
mile in the lead with her great white spinna-
ker bellying out in the stiffining breeze. The
Puritan people would not jibe at the thought
her spinnaker was not drawing and she
steadily dropped sstern. Down came the
Genesta's club topsail at IL so, the Puritan's
coming 10 a moment later. The cutter set
her working topsail, but the sloop set no
other. At the Genestas spinnaker boom
was lowered on deck and everything made
snug fer the long beat to the windward. The
large passenger boats and steam yachts had
gathered off the outer mark and all eyes were
along. All thought then that the Genesta
was the winner. The official time of round-
ing was Genests, l,05, 80; Puritan, I,07, SO.
the latter beat with main sheet close hauled
aft. She jibed she rounded and in a min
ute after was on the stsrboard tack. The
Puritan made long turn thus placing her
farther to the leeward and nov commenced a
grand struggle for the finish GO miles to the
wiDdward). Black threatening clouds APP
peared in the NV. pressging more wind for
the boats.
The Puritan went about first at 90, and
the Genesia a minute later. Capt. CrocKer
thought it prudent to house the Puritan's
topma.t at %. as the wind was coming fast
and heavy, while ugly sea was fast rising
into which the yachts plum ed. Light leech
lines on the Puritsn's jib we're hauled aft,
and when hauled taught by Gen. Paine, much
improved the set of the sail. Out from the
northwest at Las came a spi.eful squall OF
wiud, whisting through the shrouds of the
bosts, lsshing the green waves into foam, and
sending the spray in sheets high over the
yachts to windward. Those on the
small tugs were drebched with
the heavy seas that boarded them
Every one thought the cutters top sail must
come in cure. She went heeling over as she
felt the force of the squall till her lee rail
was inst To siQnt in a smnther of oiIftavino