The morning call., 1893-10-06

sharps said there would be wind later and
some said not, SO the regatta committee
took chances and started the boats.
The Valkyrie and the Vigilant had come
out to the starting point off Sandy Hook
lightship early In the day.
They were both owed out there and lay
off and on when the flagship May came
down with all the great feet gathered
from near and far. She hoisted her code
of signals. brilliant colored flags, telling
that the course would be due south. Then
a tug was sent off to place the outer mark.
and finally the preparatory and starting
guns were fired.
At starting run over the line the two
yachts went at speed which. the light
wind considered. was phenomenal. Both
had been jockeying for position, and Wig
liant had got the better of 1t all around.
There was great feet of excursion steam
ers. and if the wind had been blowing the
competing boats would not have got the
full benefit. Spinnakers were broken out
as the boats crossed the line and the big
jib topsails belled out to the wind. Wig
liant carried an immense balloon jib top
sail, but Valkyrie carried smaller one.
So they went drifting down before the
wind. and slowly the British boat drew
upon her adversary. When about FIVE
miles of the way to the outer mark had
been gone over the calm came down upon
the waters. The sails of both yachts were
Tapping, but there were streaks of wind
about and that wind came more from the
westward. The Valkyrie saw a streak
near by and edged over toward it.
1t was not big wind, but it was enough.
The Vigilant saw that the wind was haul
ing to westward and took in her spinnaker.
The Valkyrie carried hers with the last Of
the northerly breeze, and pulled up on
her. When the Valkyrie's spinnaker
came on she had struck the streak of wind
she sought, and in it. sailing with broad
reach. she went by the Vigilant as II she
had been at anchor.
Vigilant's great balloon jibtopsail
pulled her head off and then she lay help
less. For about ten minutes she could
scarcely get steerage way on. Then she
got little wind and followed Valkyrie
for the outer mark.
Both boats now had up their jibs, fore
staysails and intermediate jib topsails.
The outer marx was rounded by the Val
kyris at 3:37:30 and by the Vigilant at
4:O2:15 Both boats stood too high for the
mark and had to make two tacks to get
around it. After rounding it the Valkyre
set her spinnaker but the Vigilant did
not. carrying instead her big balloon jib
topsail.
The Valkyrie had gained much on the
Vigilant on the reach for the outer mark,
but now the American boat began to pick
up again. At the same time the wind.
which never had been robust, began to fail
utterly, and 1t was evident that there was
to be no race. Slowly in the waning after
noon the two boats made their way up the
Jersey coast. and at o'clock were abont
half way from the outer mark to the finish.
Then the race was declared off by signal
from the May and tugs were brought into
reouisition by the racers.
That ended the first attempt to sail the
great race for the America cup. The
second attempt will be made on Saturday.
The course will be as 1t was to-day, fifteen
miles to windward or leeward and return,
and the start will be off Sandy Hook
lightship.