The sun., 1893-10-06
ENDED TN A FLUKE
The First Cup Race Failed
for Lack of Wind.
TIE VALKYRIE WAS LEADING.
The Two Yachts to Have Another
Race Tomorrow.

The viriiaut seemed to Gain at First. hut the
wind SHIFTED aud She was snught In the
DoIdrums - The British Yacht shot
Ahead. md Led BIZ P~rhap. n Mticnt the
eboat - Tho American Bont was
aninius on the Run II n, The Race De-
c,rrei or Bscnusc Not Completed within
III, Izour--Thc Contest Watched by 3S.-
900 spectators n BIg Fleet o orStcnmrrs-
At Times the Excursion Boats Intertered
with the Racers-SpIendid Seam 'nship
Displayed on the VniSyrle-Thc Perform
unces cr the Two Boats Yesterday Not
Valuable tor Purposes OF Comparison.
To tho great disappointment OF every sports
man among the tens of thousands OF specta-
tors who went out to sea yesterday looking
for great race for the Americas cup between
the Yankee soop Vigilant and the British cut
ter valkyrie. tho attempt to make the race re-
suited in "A failure. for lack of wind. The
yachts and the flagship and the excursonists
reached tho red lights of Sandy Hook long
before time There was light but
hopeful wind from the north. Tho course
was promptly laid out due south and the
staketoat sent scurrying away to mark tho
turn. A halt hour earlier than tho original
time agreed on-that Is to say. at l:15 in
steud OF at IL .45-the preliminary signal was
given. and ten minutes later the yachts got a
fair start. with the honors logged up to the
credit OF the Nalkyrie. The boats hold their
way. as will be told further on. until the Val-
Ryrie WAS enabled to take advantage OF n
fuke that hung up the Vieilant and thereafter
to lead the way around the turn. But the
whole was labor lost. They held on until
within Is minutes of tho limit OF time-six
hours-and then. with. perhaps. eight miles
yet to cover, they gave 1t up.
But 1t was an encouraging day from the
moment the sun began to tighten UP the
smoky haze that shrouded the m etropolis. Tho
smartest yachtsmen who were up with tho
dawn saw that instead Of the rain and storm
which the presence OF a cyclone on the South
ern coast seemed to promise. there were dry
walks in the streets. and II iainthaze overhead
was breaking away. and better than all else.
there was breeze that drfted along from the
north bearing with 1t the smoke and steam
from every chimney in sight.
Some Of the tougher old salts-those to
whom the swish OF flying spray is as tho breath
Of life on day Ike this-would have reIoiced
In sheets OF rain driving along on thirty knot
gale The visions of housed topmasts and
Seeied canvas and tumbling waters and a
smoking dash out into the smother OF It would
have stirred their barnncled old souls as moth
ting else could do. but even they were content.
There WAS a breeze ami the sun would wiring
tho heart out Of the foc. The prospect OF a
race worth any journey to sse was all that
could be asked for then.
ASSEMBLING OF THE FLEET.
Down at the water front. where the yachts
men began to gather rs early as o'clock Just
to see that everything was shipshape and
Bristol fashion. the appearance OF sky and
water and shipping was more cheering still
The log wn> broken into so that patches OF
b'u- SKY couli he seen hore and there. The
steam from tho eShausts Of the gathering eX-
%uTsion feet srouted into the air and then
hoated away at il ratio that was not too slow.
1t would blow higher outside they said. and
unless the fog were found very much thicker
there than over the harbor. then no trouble in
hndiag the turning points In the courses need
De expected.
Moreover there was good cheer In the dress
oi the steam craft OF every sort. Pennants..
private signals burgess. and Old Glory hung
from every spar and POLE and hung Tapping.
too. which was OF moro importance.
And then. little later. when the mothers
and sisters and sweethcarts Of the yachtsmen
began to arrive. their delight In the prospect
OF smooth wnter was plain enough to make
even the most barnaclsd OF the old salts
ashamed OF himself for having wished that a
hoSiinG gale would DO found outside instead.
To the o!d-timers who had seen the preced-
Ing races the day was 1T to renew their youth
IL was a return OF the days whom Mayfiower
arited up the Jorsey beach. leaving Gaatea
helpessly yawiDg about In search OF q breath.
or when Thistle luffed up under the counter OF
commodore Gsrry's stea mship with Volunteer
N at-as
70 an anchor. cir"
In the upper bay sundry unusual objects OF
interest were found. A magnificent new steel
skysall ship British built. flying the Hawaiian
nag and commanded by o Yankee skipper OK
eled curiosity and favorable comment. Two
rugs dying the New York Yacht Clubs flag
steamed down tho bay with man on each
using the wigwag haRs to carry ON n conversa-
uoh. They were bound for stations where
tney would serve to mark turning points in
the course over which the yachts were to race
w Bay Ridge was curious new red buoy-a
aoubIe buoy that shows an electric light by
night and grunts and Rroans In seeming mis-
cry Rt all hours
NJ the Bay Ridge anchorage the yacht smen
saw with somo little disappointment that the
racers had gotten away before them. They
uah let the anchorage by 8 o'clock in tow OF
4,
.eadlng the way and tho yalkyrie coming
h'.een minutes later with the Pulver ahead OF
.h nsf' There was cheering consideration In
S a.s however. for an early start for the racers
ss"u the pay meant that everything would be
''Au' lor start sharp on the minute.
OUTSIDE THE HOOK.
but the excursion fleet came hard on the |
Aee's OF the racers. While most of the big |
oueS were scheduled to start ut o'clock. there |
wa. wac regular host OF tugs chartered by down
WWn merchants and other substantial and |
'e or iess nautical citizens who had sport |
NY us blood in their veins and did not want to be |
SSsupered by any crowd OF seasick land lub- |
ss's when seeing such an important event as |
International yacht race They had there
,o. ,a formed congenial little cliuues with a
.," "t Tug TO each clique. and they got away at
.H' pels sharp Along with them was to be
nIo mere and there tidy little stsam yacht
-, inc Ibis OF the Eustera Yacht Club
Ia boston and the Viva Inoro were also a
,s' sailing yachts under tul canvas. but tho
An M T' good breeze. even though they had
:. "OD tluo to lgln than ,no1a