The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-09-14
NAVAHOE CLAIMS IT.
The Remarkable Race for the
Brenton's Reef Cup.
so CLOSE AS TO BE IN DOUBT.

Although the Distance was a Hundred
Eavnhoe Crossed the Finish Line within
Few Seconds of Each Other.
LONDON Sept. 14.-The yacht race be-
tween the Prince of Wales Britannia and
Mr.. Royal Phelps Carrolls Navahoe, for
the Brenton's reef cup. which started
Tuesday ON Il course extending from the
Needles to the breakwater at Cherbourg
France, round the breakwater and back To
the Needless a distance of about120 miles,
ended in an rs yet indefinite manner. The
starting gun was fired at ll:l5 Il. IN. The
britannia was the first across the line, fol-
lowed min. y sec, later by the Navahoe.
The regatta committee, wishing that
bnth boats should start on equal terms,
had arranged before the race that either of
the yachts crossing the line first would
allow the other the difference in the time
between her getting away and the start of
the other boat.
Both the racers went over the line car
rying single reefed mainsails and jib
headed tUpsails. The wind was blowing a
strong breeze from the east, and the yachts
started with steamer speed on their long
reach to the southwark. The Britannia
for II time retained her lead. The Navahoe,
however soon began to get through the
water faster than the Britannia, and when
they were hull down the Nayahoe was
leading
Both headed for the western end of the
Chcrbourg breakwater and not a line was
eased on either boat until they reached tho
brelkwater. Going up through Cher
bourg roadstcad it was almost dead beat
to windwaH, and both boats made two
legs of it, refusing to split tacks On the
EnrurlI Tnt biph la oIn half
way up the road@tead, the Britannia went
TO the windwstrd OF the Nayahoe, thus en-
abling the inter TO pass out first into the
chaluel The britannia being to the
: wiDdward, went in rather closer to the lie
Pelee, opposite the east cud of the break
water, thaH did the Nayahoe The latter
hauled UP on the wind at 3:12:i0, and at
b:22s30 the britannia shaped her course for
home
BoUms were hauled well inside the port
rails, and almost Immediately afterward
the britannia took slight lead, still hay
ing the weather position. As they got
we'll out i'll the channel, returning, they
found II lumpy sea and made rather bad
weather or Of it, Very often heavy seas
went aboard them. They rolled consider
ably and tEe topmasts were sent down,
there being danger that they would be
whipped ONT. Small jibs were set. and the
yachts raced for the Needles neck and
neck.
The yachts crossed the finish line almost
simultaneously at lose AT night Ii had
been arranged that the Naynhoe was to
show rod lsht ana the Britannia blue
light after dark. Both yacats displayed
blue lights, NH consequently the night
being Intensely dark, il was impossible for
outsiders to distinguish by hull or rig one
yacht from tic other.
1t was announced that the Britannia had
won by two aeeonds and a half, aud this
wus accepted us the fact, all the news
papers announcing the English yachts
victory as being the official decision.
fhe representative OF the United Press
saw Mr.. Carroll and questioned him re-
gardlng the outcome OF the race. Mr.
Carroll said that the committee had not
definitely settled which boat would take
the cup. He declined to say anything fur
ther on the subject. The captain Of the
Navahoe said thar the American yacht
was only half II length astern Of the
Britannia al the iai'h. TIfis, he added,
was equal to not i..seo thuu three seconds
in time. He CLAIM that the Natnhoe won
the race By a H..uute on the allowance.
There is 10 question but that Mr. Carroll
believes his boat Won the race 1t is
everywhere conceded i'll British yachting
circles that tine race was the best ever
seen in European waters. and one of the
closest cn record. The long course was
covered quicker than it ever had been COW
cred before.
1t was expected that the race for tho
Cape Muy cup, another of tile trophies the
fNglish cutter Genes u brought from
America, would be sailed again yesterday,
but il hls been postponed until next week
The Times describes the race as an un-
raraleled performance. Nothing in the
annals of yacht racing it says, can com
pare with the extraordinary close sailing
in the race. Neither yacht was at any
time over II minute ahead of the other
and for fully half The distance were not
separated more than couple of lengths.
Altogether it WAS race beating far away
in every particular, anything recorded in
the history OF yachting.