The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-10-12

Sandy Hook, N. j., October ia
steady breeze from the northwest blew
early this morning and the day promised
WE'LL The yachting sharps, after a
glance at the flags along the water front
swapping in the wind, said there.sswould
be plentyssof wind outside There was a
haze over the water early, but sun and
wind rapidly cleared it away. The big
| fleet of excursion boats took on their loads
of enthusiastic passengers, and all the
steam yachts and tugs with private
| parties aboard joined the procession down
through the Narrows and out to the scene
! of the days battle.
The racing yachts left their anchor
age at Bay Ridge in tow shortly before
o'clock and headed toward the lower
bay. Bustle and activity reigned aboard
each of the boats, and every stick, spar
and rope was critically examined. When
the racers reached the Narrows everything
| was in ship shape order for the contest.
The tugs towing the Vigilant and
Valkyrie brought them inside the Horse
shoe in the lower bay, where the process
of setting sail was begun. The Valkyrle's s
method of setting her mainsail was crlt1-
cally watched by old sailors on vessels
near at hand, who seemed much pleased
thereby. The method is for number of
men to go aloft, take hold of the halliards
and run off. As fast as one man goes
down another takes hold, and in this
| way the sail is rapidly placed in position.
| The Vigilant, looking, as she undou bted-
| ly is, the swiftest sailing craft af1oat,
was the first to leave her anchorage. Her
| new bowsprit was in place, and looked,
| if anything, a better spar than her pre-
vious one. After it was put in position
| yesterday Capt. Hansen took the boat
out for short spin, when the stick was
thoroughly tested. 1t gave entire salts
| faction. Only mainsails were set in the
Horseshoe, and then the boaJs proceeded
out to the Lightship, the Vigilant lead
ing the way.
The press tugs closely followed the
racers out to the Sandy Hook Lightship.
The Vigilant cast off her towing lines
soon after leaving the point and sailed
out. A good breeze was blowing and she
the lightship the English yacht also
dropped from her tug, and soon both
| yachts were sailing about trying the
wind on all points and their sails at the
same time
| At 10.3 80 the fleet of excursion boats
| from the city were observed in the dis
tance. The st. John, as usual, was far in
the lead. She carried the members and
guests of the New York Yacht club. Be-
| hind her was the usual big feet of boats
of all classes and descriptions, freighted
with an immense throng of humanity.
| At II o'clock the feet had reached the
scene. They grouped themselves about
on the outer side of the May, the flagship,
which was already in position, and along
side of the Lightship The craft were
about the same that have been at the
previous races, and carried just as big
crowds as ever. There seemed to sbe a dis
position ON the part of the commanders
of the excursion steamers to give the
racers as wide berth as possible So
they ranged themselves well off from the
starting line, the majority at the same
time going to leeward
AS the time for the race to begin ap-
preached the wind, which had been
gradually failing, died away almost al
| together. 1t was certain that if the race
was started on time it would be drift
| ing match for a time at least, ,so the flag
| ship May sent up to her masthead a
| square flag, half red AID half white,
which in th club code stands for the
| letter "h,r and means, "Do you assent to
/ postponing start until later in the day."
BoUh the Vigilant and Valkyrie set the
affirmative signal, letter "c,n white
pennant with red bail in the centre.
At noon the wind had freshened con-
| siderably, and the May at ~. 50 hoisted a
| signal asking if both yachts assented to
| the calling of the race off for the day.
| The Vigilant answered yes but the
| Valkyrie desired a race. At 25 the pre-
| liminary signal sounded. The course was
south by west. Both yachts were under
rnainsails, jibs, clubtopsails and staysails
when the preparatory gun flashed. The
wind was light from south by west
Both yachts were to the northward and
westward of the line. The Valkyrie was
heading east on the starboard tack and
/ the Vigilant west on the por\ The
| American soon went about and they
both stood to the eastward, the English
man to windward, a trifie, in the lead
| AS the starting gun doomed, both went
OH the port tack, the Vallyrie having
the weather gauge of the Vigiiant. The
Englishman seemed to be moving
! through the water much faster and went
over the line fully minute ahead of the
American. The wind seemed TO freshen
| for brief interval. When the Valkyrie
put down the helm, the Vigilant was
nearly head to the wind, yet the English
man was around and had his head sails
full while the Americans jibtopsail was
still happing. This quickness in stays is
the Valkyrie's only point of superiority
Even this was of little avail to the
Valkyrie for the Vigilant outfooted and
outpointed her at every turn. For the
| first half hour after the start the
Valkyrie gained rapidly. She was soon
| four or five lengths ahead and 200 yards
| to windward. AT about 2.45 large
coasting steamer loomed up directly in
the path of the yachts. TheValkyrie was
forced to go OH the starboard tack at 2. SIS
to avoid the steamers wash aud soon
went about again and headed in for
S..abright, crossing the Vigilant's bow for
the first time since she has been in
American waters At IL. Is the Valkyrie,
then within half mile of Normandy
hole, Seabright, went on the starboard
tack. The Vigilant went on the star
board tack at g. IA. At 8. Is the Valkyrie
tackled, inshore, heading out again on
the starboard tack at 3.30. The Vigilant
followed her on the port tack at 3.21,
going on the starboard five minutes
| later. On this tack both yachts stood
on long leg, standing off shore for near
ly an hour. 1t was nip and tuck between
the racers ON this leg The Vigilant out
| footed and outpointed the Valkyrie as
soon as the wind would freshen, falling
astern again when the breeze became
| lighter AS the yachts approached each
other it was plain that they were very
close and the Valkyrie having right of
| way would probably force the Vioilant