Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-10-12
A GREAT SAILING BREEZE
Plenty Of Wind to Keep Both the
Yachts in Lively Motion.
THE VALKYRIE TOOK THE LEAD
But Was Soon Overhauled by
the American.
A SPLENDID DAY FOR THE GREAT RACE

The Second Event OF the International
Yacht Race for the Americas Cup
Opens Under Splendid Conditions-An
Ideal Day and Famous Breeze, Ris-
ing 30 Miles an Hour--Tha Valkyrie
Started Amend, But Was soon Over
hauled and Passed by the Vigilant--
Details of the Race.
NEW YoRK, Oct. 5.-The first of the
series of five races for the Americas
cup was declared off to-day, the wind
not being sufficient to enable either the
American yacht Vigilant or the English
cutter Valkyrie, to sail over the 30-milc
course in the six hours prescribed in
the rules agreed on by the participants
& for the government Of the contest. At
4 the time the race was given up the
Yachts were on the return from the
outer mark and the Valkyrie led the
American yacht by a mile and half,
including her time allowance of one
minute and AS seconds.
The Englishmen outgeneralled the
Americans at every point. When the
wind held steadily, the Vigilant held
her own, but when it became drifting
match the Valkyrie gained the advan-
tage. Throughout the contest it was
more of drifting match than race.
The wind at no time reached the dignity
of a sailing breeze.
The next race will be on Saturday.
II will be over the same course as to.
day, and will be the first race postponed
from to-day.
THE START.
By II o'clock the variable wind had
settled down to an apparently steady
fhn Orth nd
fog bank slowly drifted away to leeward
Both yachts were sailing around th'
lightship maneuvring for a position o
vantage, under mainsails and club anc
jib topsails.
The Vigilant also had her forestaysai
and the Valkyrie her jib run up il
stops, ready 10 be broken out at mo
ment's notice.
At lilo the signal D. F, B., steer {
south course, fluttered from the fore
masthead of the flagship May. This toll
the yachtsmen that the first leg OF tn
course was to be a 15-mile run befor
the wind and beat back to the light
ship.
Promptly at Ills gun doomed from
the May and red ball was hoisted q
the triatic stay. 1t was the preparator
signal, and the yachts had just 10 mir
utes to cross the line, for the start wa
to be single gun one
At 11.25, when the gun again sounded
the Vigilant was leading the Valkyrl
about two lengths. Before the echo ha
died away both boats broke out the
spinnakers and the Yigilant her balloo
jib topsail, hauling down the other I
the same time. Booms were broad o
to port to spinnakers to starboard whe
the yachts crossed, and it looked then I
if they would make speedy run to IL
first mark.
THE WIND DIED AWAY.
The wind, however, had scarce
started them ON their tifteen-mile jou
n ney before it died away almost to
y calm. Now il became mere driftil
match, for the sails of both boats hur
limp and lifeless, and the great sno
white spinnaker of the Englishman {
most dragged in the water. Whatev
air there was could not reach either vac
owing to the numberless excursion boa
which crowded in upon the racers. II
Vakyrie was the first to hang out
sign "Keep further astern," followed
the Vigilant with a more emphatic d
mand to keep Off" These reque;
had the desired effect, and as the atten
ant craft stood off the racers seemed
forge ahead tritle faster.
vALKYRIE AHEAD.
For the first hour of the race the
was scarcely any perceptible change
the relative positions of the two yach
At 1.15 o'clock the wind began to ha
10 tho southwark and westward, a
f the Vigilant took in her spinnaker a
lib tobsail and seemed TO lay to right
the winds eye. The Valkyrie hung
to her spinnaker, however, and raplc
overlook the Vigilant, passing her
1875, just two hours after the start.
While the Vigilant seemed to be dc
on the water, the Valkyrie, hauled
the wind on the starboard tack, set
q jib and staysail and shot ahead, steeri
! TO the southwark and westward.
1 The Vigilant, for some unkno
II reason, made no effort to haul by
wind, but retained all of her head sa
while she eased off her main sheet III
every one believed she had met with
accident and had decided to give up
race. There was evidently strong
under her weather bow, for it threw
head off TO the eastward and she drlt
bodily to leeward. After losing am
mile the American came up in
wind and headed after her Eng
rival.
BAD AMERICAN sEAMANsHIP.
This gain Of the Valkyrie's was pr
ably the turning point of the race,
the seamanship displayed on the Am
can boat was lamentably poor. AS
stranger approached the turning m
+ it was impossible for him to distingt
it, so closely clustered were the eXt
sion craft. Perhaps it was owing
this that the Valkyrie displayed 7
judgment in going on the port tack
hours 81 minutes, before she was abb
weather the mark. Though the "
was then very light, the English
was remarkably quick in stays, g
about in Just 20 seconds. At 3.35
N went about again, going on the
board tack, which was in turn char
for the port one minute later. The
kyrie now stood for the mark, c
~ hauled on the port tack, easing u
NJ her sheets as she rounded, lowering