Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-19
A RACE WITHOUT HONORS
DOUBTS AS TO WHO WINS AFTER
AN ALII-DAY'S DRIFT.

NEWPORT, r. L., Sept. 1S-The great
yacht race was the event here to-day.
The course was triangular and about 45
miles long. When morning dawned upon
The yachtmen in the harbor a northwest
wind, blowing 80 miles or more an hour,
piped right merry tune among the rig
ging of the fleet. 1t was just the wind
and just the weather which every loyal
yachtman, and landsman too. had for a
week past longed for. What was at 8
O'Clock almost gale by 10 o'clock, the
hour for the start, had died away to 10
or II mile breeze and at noon there was
hardly breath of air stirring.
Otherwise the day was well
nigh perfect. The sky was clear with
scarce cloud above the horizon. just
before the start it looked as II the sow
and pigs course must be chosen for the
race. Indeed this course was at one
time announced officially from the Elec-
ira and the judges boat, but at almost
the last moment, owing to the wind. it
was decided to take the Block Island
course.
THE ACCOMPANYING FLEET.
Pleasure craft and excursion boats
were everywhere to be seen. No less than
six large sidewheel steamers were seen.
including the monster Pilgrim, with
/ every deck packed with sightseeing hu-
manity. The Canonicus, Empire State,
Day Star, Nantucket and Frances each
had her full complement of pleasure seek
ers. The coasting schooner James Nj.
Bales also took out large crowd, while
nearly dozen steam tugs, of all sizes,
and as many more steam yachts, with a
large number OF sailing yachts not en-
tered In the race, helped to enliven the
| scene. The racing fleet meanwhile was
lying to off Beaver Tail light, awaiting
the signal to start.
THE START.
When at 1920 O'Clock the starting gun
! was fired, the Puritan, as usual, was ly-
ing close into the line and came rushing
across first at 10:27:19 O'Clock. The Gal
atea and Miranda, the English sloop and
schooner, were not far behind, and crossed
we'll together, the Galatea being slightly
In the lead and the Miranda following at
| 10:2S :35 O'clock. Then came three third
class sloOps close together, the Clara at
| 10:2S:44, the Bertie at 10 0:20:27 and the Gin
derella at 10:30:39 O'Clock, Then followed
In order the Stranger at 10: :32 IA, the Gitaua
at ] :32 "a, the Thetis at 1888 :63 and the
Sachem at 10:33:31. The time OF the re-
naming three yachts, which all failed to
GROSS the line within the time limit, was
/ =
Mayfiower and Bedouin, each Of which
suffered considerable handicap, the Mon
tauk losing thereby 2m. 35s., the May
flower Am. 49s. and the BedOuin I'm. 9s.
THE RUN OUT.
The run out 10 Block Island was un-
| eventful. The wind, which at the start
was blowing "A fair breeze, little by little
died away until when two miles or so
from the buoy it became practically a
dead calm. The yachts started generally
under the main sails and Jib, but soon
after crossing the line set sail after sail in
succession until most Of them were run
ming under club topsails, jib tOpsails,
| balloon jib and spinnakers. The Puritan
| on the rnn out more than held
| her own, adding considerably to her lead
| over the rest of the feet. The Mayflower
ard Bedouin were, however, rapidly COM
ing up on the rest of the fleet, and had
soon made up their handicaps and were
running even with the others. AS they
neared the buoy they came we'll to the
| front and held their own. When the
press boat reached the Block Island buoy
there was long wait, while she lay roll
ing Idly In the long swell for the Puritan
to round the buoy.
DRIFTS AROUND.
This the light breeze hardly helped her
| to do, and she finally dritted around at
| 12:3S:07 O'Clock. She Immediately stood
off on the second leg OF the course to
West Island, running close hauled, but
soon was Obliged to tack to the starboard.
At 1880, as she rounded the buoy, she
was greeted with the tumultous greeting
of dozen steam whistles and the sharp
crack OF hOwitzers. Then followed an
exceedingly tedious but withal an inter-
esting struggle among the rest of the fleet
for precedence In reaching and rounding
the buoy. The yachts were all we'll to-
gether, all nearly becalmed and each
striving earnestly to Keep TO the wind
ward and clear the buoy without tack.
ing. For a long time they scarcely
seemed TO gain an Inch and now one
Yacht and then another apparently gained
an advantage only to lose it again few
minutes later.
TURNING IN A STRING.
Nearly an hour passed before another
yacht rounded the buoy, and then they
followed each other pretty closely for
while. The second yacht around was the
Stranger, at 1:03:l0 O'Clock, and the
others followed in this order: Bedouin at
:30:42, Clara at 1:36:02, Mayflower at
1852, Miranda at 1882, Montauk al
:3S:4S Tnetes at 1:4l:lO, Cinderella at
I:47:2O, Galatea at :47 20, Bertie at / :5l,
Gitana at :52:lS. In rounding the buoy
several accidents occurred. The Miranda,
drawing about 10 feet OF water, unfortu-
nately grounded just as she was about TO
make the turn, aud was delayed some
minutes until pulled of by the tug George
A. Dean. OF Taunton.
FOULS AT THE TURN.
The Stranger on the other Land, IN try
ing to run too close to the buoy, was
forced by the strong tide upon the buoy
and fouled IL in passing. The Galatea
and Cinderella came up TO the buoy very
close together, and in attempting TO tack
inside the Cinderella and the Galatea
fouled the buoy, as did the BERTHE also "a
few minutes later. This put each Of these
yachts out OF the race should fouls be
claimed. The run from Block Island TO
West Island was even more tedious and
uninteresting than that TO the first
buoy, being essentially a drifting
race the entire distance. The Puritan.
though having so long a lead at the buoy,
failed 10 hold IL thereafter and was short
ly oVerhauled by the Galatea. the Gitana
and several Of the smaller soops. These
latter kept well In towards Beaver Tail
and thence ran along shore.
FAVORED BY zEPHYRs.
By this course they seemed TO get more
wind than the Puritan and the others.
which held their course further out,
where there was hardly any wind at all.
A fairly good northwest breeze, however,
helped the craft nearer IN shore and ena-