The morning call., 1893-10-05
READY TO RACE.
VigiIant Goes Down to
See Valkyrie.
THE WIND WILL BE LIGHT.
Prospect That There Will Be Smooth
Sailing in the First Great
Contest.

NEW YORK. Oct. 4-The final prepara-
tions for the great international races have
been made and the dawn grows bright
for battle" Tomorrow, for the ninth
time. the great trophy. the possession of
which signifies the sovereignty of the
yachting seas, will be sailed for. 1t will
be sailed for by two of the fastest boats of
their size ever built. and the contest will
probably be the closest which has ever
taken place for the America cup.
The Vigilant and Valkyrie lay peace
fully side by side at anchor tonight off Bay
Ridge. Both were in their best sailing
condition, as all of human skill and energy
which could be brought into play had been
expended on them. So, tomorrow. ac-
cOmpanied by a great fleet of steamers and
yachts. the TWO boats will go out to Sandy
Hook lightship. and from, there will sail
the first race OF the series which is to deter
mine the possession of the cup.
The Weather Bureau predicts that to-
morrow will be clear and bright with var
liable winds. The threatened rainst0rm
has blown out to sea leaving no successor
along the Atlantic Coast. There will be
therefore no rain or fog. The winds will
be light, not heavier than fifteen. They
will vary but few miles an hour. keeping
at the maximum more or less. but will most
likely be easterly during the greater part
of the day.
The finishing touches were given to the
Valkyrie to-day. She was measured in
the dock before she was fioated out, and
then the Vigilant came down to see her.
The Vlgilant was towed down from New
n Tt.
after the Valkyrie was put out of the
dock. The two boats laid within few
yards Of each other, and as the Vigilant
appeared the sailors on board the Valkyrie
cheered her.
The utmost care was used in taking the
Valkyrie's measurements. An inch in an
International contest counts for a great
deal, as all excesses on the load water
line over eighty-fve feet count for double
in computing measurement for time
allowance according to the agreement
made with Lord Dunraven.
The American champion was also meas
ured, and the result Of the measurements
showed an alarming amount of time allow
ance in favor of the Valkyrie To beat
her the VIgilant has got 60 sail like whirl-
wind. The excess of sail area and of load
waterline in the Vlgilant over the Valkyrie
was more than any one counted upon. and
it must be remembered that the Vigilant
pays double for any excess of load water
line over S6 feet. Thus, while the racing
length of the Vigllant under ordinary cir
cumstances would be sc. IS feet, under the
terms of the agreement entered into with
Lord Dunraven it is 96.7S feet. The meas
urements of the yachts showed among
other results the following:
Waterline. Valkyrie $3.50, VigiIant S6.19; /;
racing length, Valkyrie 93.11. Vigilant
96.7S. The time which the Vigilant will
have TO allow to the Valkyrie will be l
minute and 4S seconds. This. together
with the advantages of one gun start, will
make the winning OF the race by the Vigl-
liant an exceedingly problematical affair.
All that has been asked by the Englis h
has been accorded to them. If they do not
win it is most certainly because they have
poorer boat. The Valkyrie is regarded
by yachtsmen much as the Thistle was
before her races with the Volunteer.
She is held to be too formidable an
antagonist to treat lightly or bet against
rashly. What betting there was to-day
was in favor of the Vigilant. and coIsid-
erable money was not covered. The pre-
vailing odds were to in favor of the
RiellRnt