The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-09-08
VICTORIOUS COLONIA.
She Wins by Six Seconds Over the
Vigilant.
THE BOSTON BOATS ARE DISABLED.



America Cup Defender Candidates.
SANDY HOOK, N. j.. Sept. s.-The first
of tho trial races between the cup defend
ers was sailed In u stiff wind and heavy
sea off Sandy Hook yesterday, and TO-
suited In victory for the Colonia by six
seconds over the Vigilant, the Pilgrim and
Jubilee both having been disabled and
withdrawn at the start
The day was an ideal one for yachting,
and no better conditions could be asked
than these which were presented when
the four boats which had been built to
contest with each other for the privilege
of meeting Lord Dunraven's Valkyrie and
defending the Americas cup, and Incl
dentally reasserting Americas supremacy
on the water, had been put in readiness.
Each had contingent of enthusiastic ad-
mirers, and aboard of each boat were vet
eran sailors, confident of success.
The two New York boats, the Vigilant,
built by the Morgan Iselin syndicate and
the Colonia, built by u syndicate headed
by Archibald Rogers, lay at anchor off
Bay Ridge over night A few cable
lengths away General Paine's boat, the
Jubilee, was anchored, and the other
Boston boat, the Pilgrim, was anchored
in the horseshoe, inside of Sandy Hook q
On the Vigilant was Nat Herresch, g
her builder: j. Rogers Maxwell, one OF he.
owners; Captain Hansen. who sailed her.
and Captain Terry, Of the Graylug, who
acted rs advisor. General Paine and his
son, John Paine, were on the Jubilee.
Captain Jack Barr was skipper and
Charles Barr, who sailed the Navahoe in
England, was aboard. On the Pilgrim
were Skipper Sherlock, George Stewart,
her designer, and Stuyvesant Palmer.
Captain Hank Half sailed the Colonia, and
Archibald Rogers was aboard.
A score of largo steam yachts, including
William H. Vanderbilt's new boat the
Valiant, the Conqueror, the Slander and
the Clerment and several schooner yachts
accompanied the big sloops down the bay,
and followed them through the race
There was also fleet OF exclusion steam
ers, headed by the Grand Republic, and a
number Of ocean going tugs with yachts
mon and reporters aboard. Tho whole
fiotilla made pretty sight. The wind
was blowing at 10-knot pace and there
was a sea on which washed the decks of
the yachts and gave the passengers Of the
smaller steamboats, wetting
The four cup defenders bent their sails
just before II o'clock, while they lay in
side of Sandy Hook. The Colonia put up
her mainsail, jib, jib-topsail, and biz
club top all. The Vigilant and Jubilee
were satisfied with lower sails only, and
the Pilgrim was towed toward the start
with mainsail only up. The Vigilant and
Colonia had several brushes before the
start and neither seemed to gain nm adj
vantage. The Jubilee was racing about at
agrcat pace, and there were many yachts.
Een who predicted 1t would be Jubilee
day.
Commodore Morgan's flagship May
took her position north Of the Scotland
iightship at II o'clock and signaled d. C.
a., which was that the course would bt
from line drawn from her to the light
ship, south by east fifteen miles to wind
ward and return. The boats had heavy
xsa to contend with, in addition to tn,
wind, which kept them well hecled over
sven with only plain lower sails Th,
Pilgrim, which was the last to arrive
plunged into q heavy sea, and the shocl
added to the strain on the canvas, carried
away the jaws of her gaff. She wa
towed back to the city incapacitated TO
che days race.
The start was magnificent one. TIL
smoke of the gun on the May had not riser
above her deck before the Yigilant tor
across the line, with the Jubilee close ol
her heels, the spray dashing in cloud
over the bows of each boat. Half dozel
lengths Rstern came the Colonia bending
dow with topsail stlll in place, and ever
stitoh drawing we'll. Everybody was happ
ct tho prospect Of great race between th
three boats, when suddenly the Jubile
parted her peak halyards and was out @
the race In five minutes after the start
Following is the time of the start; Wig
liant, ll;45;27; Jubilee, 1l:i5:40; Colunia
11:48.48.
The Vigilant and Jubilee both crosse
with topmasts housed, under mainsaili
jibs and staysails; but the Boston boa
was evidently in trouble. for her jib wa
half way down the stay, with the foe
dragging in the water. She evidentl
parted one of her sheets, and was doin
her best to repair it. After the yachts ha
crossed, the Vigilant and Jubilee keI
their starboard tncks aboard, and stoo
on to the southwark and eastward, whi
tho Colonia split tacks with them an
headed in shore. The Jubilee had scarcel
hoistcd her jib again before one of h,
peak halyard blocks was carried ava,
and fell into the sea.
The Vigllant had now gone on the poi
tack, and she and the Colonia were bot
standing over toward the Highlands. II
latter pluckily had her topmast on ell
and carried a working topsail. On tn,
both stood, until the Colonia went on ii
etarboard tack at 1883 and headed over
she direction Of the Vigilant. The latt
crossed the formers bows, however abol
one-eighth of a mile in the lead goI
about u little off the weather bow. Tn
neft the two yachts on the starboArd tao
heading to the southward and eRstwar
and in this position they held for fif
minutes The Colonia seemed to QUITO
she Vigilant and certainly pointed y tri
higher. She was not able to hold her III
however, and consequently sagged off
aeeward.
At 12:i510 the vigilant went on t
port tack, heading for the land. while t
Oolonia followed at l24S:05 There t
yachts battled on the same tack, the VII
sRnt gaining slightly as the mark w
neared. At l:15 the wind became light
and the sea smoother. Skipper Hans
soon began to realize that he must era
IN more canvas, II he intended to Ike
tho Vililant in the van, and, thereto
prepared to place his topmast on end.
Running for the land in the direction
Seabright the Colonia seemed TO gain; a
after closing the distance between hers
and the Vigilant went on the stRrboa
tack at 1:22:20. She was followed thl
minutes later by the ViRilant. The boz
were then three miles away from the ou
surn, marked by red flag upon flo
and tug displaying the New York Yat
clubs flag. After few short tacks Il
vent about at 1855, standing for the mi
On the port tack The Vigilant had
cad by 800 yards, gybirg around to
Etarboard tack, easing her sheets and ri
ming for the finish.
Following 10 the official time of I
turn: Vigilant 2:o3:35; Colonia, .:O6:30
The above figures show that tho vi
liant gained one minute and thirty-six s
ond on the Colonia in the flfteen-mile bt
to windward.
After the boats had gybed around