The herald., 1893-10-10
The Latter Is the Better Type
of Yacht.
That Fact Has Been Amply
Demonstrated.
The Valkyrie Disastronsly Beaten by
the Vigilant.
The American Boat Proved Her Superb
ority in windward Work, Running
aud Racing-The British
ers Feel Blue.
By the Asrociated Press.

New YORK, Oct. 9.-For the second
time, and that more easily than the
first, the Americas cup defender, the
Vigilant, defeated the English repre-
sentative. the Valkyrie. The second
race was sailed today on triangular
course from Sandy Hook under con-
ditions that could not have been more
gratifying. While the victory today
was amagnifcent one, only the strong
est words Of praiee can be said of the
gallant but ineffective struggle which
the Valkyrie made. She was beaten
three miles at the finish, and when
the plaudits of the thousands rang out
to speed the conquerer, the hull OF
the conquered was yet far astern.
The yachts got down to the start
over half an hour ahead of the time ap-
pointed for the firingof the preparatory
gun, which was 1l:15. and cavorted
around to the northward Of the line un.
til the first gun was given. Then they be-
gan business. 1t was very pretty play on
the part of both captains. The Valkyrie
was on the line when the gun to send
her over was sounded. At that time
the wind was blowing about 13 miles an
hour from the southwest by south-half-
SOUTH. 1t was OF course dead beat to
windward from Sandy Hook lightship
into Long Branch on the Jersey shore.
The Vigflant got quickly into the wind,
and followed the Valkyrie over the line
about two lengths behind. The handler
OF the Vigilant evidently felt he must
gain in the windward work, and very
quickly, what he lost in lateral distance.
He began to pinch his boat high up in
to the wind. Her head sails shook as
though there was not enough wind to
fill them, and she dropped behind. The
Valkyrie went ahead through the water
with great speed. 1t looked as though
she was skipping right away from the
Vigilant, and so she was in q way, but
the Vigilant's center-board prevented
that boat from sagging to leeward,
whereas the keel Of The enter had only
| q small part OF the eame effect.
Presently the sails Of the Vigilant
were seen to belly out, and from that
moment the American yacht began to
win the race. She passed the Valkyrie
at IL :05, 40 minutes after tho start, and
never afterwards was headed or touched
under'any conditions or circumstances.
When the Vsikyrie saw her opponent
going ahead, she hauled down her big
topsail with the intention of putting up
small one like the Vigilant's, but while
the changing was going on Captain
Cranfield decided to 90 about. No
sooner had the Englishman gone around
than the American followed suit. As
the boats stood off on the port tack, it
as seen the Vigilant was over quarter
of mile ahead and Just abont as much
to windward. They tried hard on the
Valkyrie to send her head up into the
wind, but she could not better herself q
single inch.
When the Vigilant got around the
first leg she was over mile in the lead,
but the Valkyrie stuck to her work.
The wind was almost directly over the
starboard quarter as they started ON the
second leg. The Valkyrie now had a
chance to show what she could do in
running before real Wholesale breeze.
1t had been the steody claim Of the
cutter men that the model of their
choice was sure to beat the centerboard
in that sort of work. Instead of doing
go, the centerboard increased her lead
to an extent that made everybody,
friends and enemies, astounded.
1t was q fair and square open sea race,
both boats finding every breath that
was astir. When the Vigilant turned
the flag at the end OF the second leg,
she was good two miles in advance.
Having rounded that mark, then came
another leg on which the cutter was
supposed to be much the better boat.
The wind was pretty nearly abeam. and
the sheets were hauled ait. 1t was a
pretty good specimen of reach, and yet
the light-draughted boat knocked the
spols out of the deep craft. There was
but one thing to say about it. The
Vfgilant continued to increase her lead
from the time she began the leg until
she crossed the finish line. She had
made on the average at the end Just
about an actual gain of q mile on each
of the three legs. 1t was an ample
test, as has been told, on each of the
three points, windward work, running
and reaching.
1t is generally admitted that the VAL
kyrie 10 the best boat England has ever
sent over to win the Americas emp.
She met, however, yacht that is 80 far
her superior that her hitherto admirers
all say there can be no doubt the Vigil
liant will win three straight races, and
therefore the match. There remains,
however, a question as to which OF the
boats is the more worthy in half q gale
and very rough sea.
The official time was: Vigilant--
Start, IL 20; finish, 2:50:01; elapsed
time. 5 :25 :Ul; corrected time, 1926 :0l.
Valkyrie--Start, IL rs; finish, 3:O2:24
elapsed time, 1887 "a; correcsed time,
1886 SO.
Thus the Vigilant beat the Valkyrie
by IL minutes. 23 seconds, on lapsed
time, and, alter taking of minute 48
seconds, time allowance, 10 minutes, 80
seconds.
The regatta committee say the Vigi-
liant crossed the starting line two sec
onds ahead OF the Valkyrie. This would
reduce the victory of the Vigilant by
twe seconds, in actual time, but = does
not count as the yachts had equal
chances to start at one gun signal.
The gains of the Vigilant are officially
ranovtod IN ha rninufee AZ aee0ntia on