The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-06
First of the Series of Yacht Races for
the Americas Cup Fizzle for
Lack of Wind.
THE VIGILANT OUTSAILED
Lord Dunraven's Valkyrie First to
Round the Stake Boat.
Uncle Sans Champion Lost Valuable
Time Trying to Find the Wind
Another Trial Saturday.


winds the yachts Vigilant and valkyrie,
which started to-day the first of the in
ternational races for the American cup,
Were compelled to abandon the contest
1t was just $40 o'clock I'm the afternoon
when a tug took the Valkyrie in tow, and
the dismal footing of whistles announced
the failure of the days sport The En-
glish cutter was then mile i'm advance OF
the Vigilant and the points from which
they had started almost six hours before,
was yet miles away. 1t was a keen disap-
pointment 10 the thousands who had stood
by the rails and clung to the vantage
grounds on board the steamers all day.
The overpowering attraction of the big
race between the English and American
prize winners drew the biggest f1otilla that
ever sailed to Sandy Hook to see a yacht
race. And every boat was crowded, too.
Not one aboard had thought for other than
the outcome of the first contest OF the
SERIES for in that result they felt that they
could foreshadow the remaining contests.
The fair god who looks out for landsmen.
however, made material change in the
programme. From a dull, misty, threat
ening day it changed towards noon to all
brightness and balminess. The little
wind that promised something in the
morning almost died away in the after
neon, and just before sunset, when the
huge ball glowed through bank Of mist,
there was scarcely a ripple on the water
and not more than q breath of air STIR
ring. Even the tail of a cyclone, which
a few of the weather bureaus, at least,
had promised, would have been preferable
to the tantalizing catspaws that merely
touched the tapping sales of the yachts.
Of tha sxyaf
and the flowing sea, and a wind that fol-
lows fast about the race Of to-day. II
was aggravating, but it was landsmen and
not yachtsmen that had the first call. They
were both there. landsmen and yachtsmen
alike, wearing the same stamp Of blue
peaked cap and the gorgeous coloring OF
badges, and both pretty nearly in every
instance swearing by the stanch cup de-
fender. They were filled with enthusiasm,
and hope, and expectation early in the
day, and when the night came they simply
did not know what to think. The feet
and that there were still several miles
Of the course to traverse, made the crowds
more uncertain at nightfall to-day than
prospect of an additional race failed to
turn the disappointment into joy.
THE PLEASURE FLEET.
A long stream of craft, from iron steamer
to tow boat, swept past the Battery and
down through the Narrows, almost from
daybreak They went in singles at first.
and then in couples and small punches.
until they gathered round the gracefully
swinging yachts near to where the old
weather-beaten lightship is forever rolling.
off the Hook Private yachts gave way to
the bigger boats, Just as though yacht own
ers were not millionaires, and then the
latter took short cut right under their
very paddle wheels. and up close to where
the police had placed a guard line All the
way down the course TO the stake boat the
big fiotilla followed the cracks, and when
they drew up like hollow square OF
guardsmen they rcSembled a miniature
marine worlds exposition more than any
thing else. Once around the stake boat,
ney, the favorites of two nations had still
the faithful following. What little
breeze had sprung up was fair for the
racers, and screw paddles and wheel pad
dies were kept in motion for the few miles
run on the return. But it had taken four
hours to reach the stake boat, and II was
rounded the turn that, unless a veritable
gale sprung up, 1t would be practically i'm
possible to finish the race inside the six
hours time limit. And so it proved. F'if-
teen minutes before the limit the yachts
gave up the contest
On board the steamship Republic, over
which Mr. Charles Chamberlain had spe-
cial supervision, many newspaper men
viewed the race From her deck the Asso-
pigeons with the earliest news Of the start,
finish and progress of the contest. A num-
were used. Just moment after the start
pigeon, known to fame as Vera Bellete,
flung over the rail. She went up high
in the air. circling over the wreaths OF
smoke from the steamers and, pointing
in the direction of her home, shot like a
bullet toward land. Then a second pigeon.
and a third with the same unerring in
stinct, bore in the Associated Press dis
patches to their cote, where special agents
of all C6arIie Woershoffer. with a BODY % of
blue and gold, and record like the wind,
brought in the news of the abandonment Of
the race and. incidentally, the disappoint-
ment of the day.
1t was day of thorough disappointment
to the lovers Of the sport for its own sake,
as well as the patriotic spectators who did
not know a keel from a center board, but
who went out i'm the many excursion boats
that accompanied the racers. There was. as
a matter of fact, no test between the
yachts. Allowing that the cutter is the bet
ter model at reaching and running, as all
naval architects do, it has TO be admitted
that the Nalkyrie had everything her own
way. When the yachts got under way.
they had a wind after them and before
they reached the outer mark the wind had
shifted TO the very opposite point of the
compass, and they came home, or rather
power as clearly over the stern as at the
very beginning. There were occasions
and Min nrine tbe after nart OF the @ race he
wind was fairly abeaTn, and the air was so
light at all times that Ii Is not competent
testimony as the ability OF either
boat. The wind was close TO due northeast
and .he regatta comrnIttee Of the New York
Yacht Club. who hsd charge OF the race.
decided that the poats should start away
TO leeward for the first iifteeE mics and
return to windward.
START OF THE RACE.
The Valkyrie had been lying about the
starting station with only her mainsail
and club topsail spread. while the vigilant
had, in addition to those sails. her fore
stay sail and jib run up. They fused
around in a friendly sort OF way, while
the excursion boats ran between and
around them, much to their annoyance
until well on to IL o'clock, when the VAL
kyrie loosened her forestry sail and set IL
Her balloon jib topsail was freed directly
after, and as the latter was sheeted homo
there was a general remark that the En-
glishman's outer sail was by no means a
big one, and there was no wonder that the
Vigilants sail area was greater than that
OF her opponent. The valkyrie was then
heading to the westward, with the
Vigilant pointing In a directly oppo-
site direction. and within one min
ute the American boat had spread her
balloon jib topsail. AS this sail
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