The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-10-10

w
Britian's day so far as weather for
yacht race was concerned and Lord
Dunraven and all the crew OF the rakish
black cutter were happy when they went
down the bay in the morning. G. Oliver
Iselin and the gallant crew Of the white
cup defender were the happy ones when
the yachts came back in the afternoon
They led triumphant procession Of
yachts and excursion crafts up to the
harbor, for the Vigilant had added
another victory to her score. She had
walked away with the Valkyrie in q
wind that topped the seas with foam
and drove clouds OF spray over her
weather bow.
The day was an ideal one for an out
side race The yachtsmen, Americans
as we'll as British, were glad that the
time had arrived when there could be
no excuse of light winds for either of
the contestants.
The first Of the international races
was run to leeward and return; that OF
to-day. the second in the series of three
in five was triangular course Of thirty
miles, ten miles to the leg. The next
WIZ 10 OA 0Queouhy. IL Will be q
beat to windwsrd fifteen miles and re.
turn. Should the Vigilant win again
the American cup will remain here at
least another year, and tho American
centerboard will still be the champlon
yacht OF the world.
The May steamed down to tho lightship
at10:30, flying the letter 1T" of the New
York zach Club code. This signified that
the course was to be a triangular one, 10
miles to log. At IL o'clock she an
chored about 200 yards to the north
ward and eastward of the light ship
The wind being then light from the
southwest the first leg was to be dead
beat to windward, the second a run with
the wind on the starboard quarter and
third reach on the port tack.
When the preparation gun doomed the
breeze had freshened bit, and the
prospects for a close and exciting con-
test were very encouraging. Both
yachts were then maneuvering around
the flagship under mainsails, club top.
sails and jibsail and stays. At LES
promptly the starting gun flashed and
the red hall was lowered from the triatic
stay. The ValkYrie and Vigilant had
both been little over to the westward
but wore then bearing down for the
line, the Valkyrie trifie in the load.
They were both on the starboard tack,
with the Vigilant's nose almost abreast
of the Valkyrie and weather quarter.
When the echo OF the starting gun died
away both boats put down their helms,
shot up into the wind and darted for the
line, the American about five seconds
ahead and little to windward. Both
OF them then hoisted their lib topsail
as they crossed, the Valkyrie an inter.
mediate and the Vigilant a small one.
Despite the seemingly great advan.
tage that the Vigilant enjoyed by hav-
ing the weather gauge of her antagon-
list, the English cutter walked right
through the American boats lee and
gained more than three lengths in the
first ten minutes
by noon the wind had freshened con-
siderably, and the American boat &C
cordingly began to hold her own. at
1905 the Valkyrie was forced to take
in her jib topsail, but the Vigilant held
on 10 hers. This, OF course, keeled
over the American boat considerably,
while the Englishman seemed to stand
up as stiff as house.
The Vigilant rapidly closed the gap
between herself and the Valkyrie, and
when it looked as though she was going
TO pass to windward the Valkyrie went
on the port tack at 1907. So rapidly
had the American overtaken the Eng
lishman that had the latter not gone
about then he could not have crossed
the Vigilant's bow. OF course, the
Vigilant begging on the starboard tack
had the right of way, but instead
OF forcing his rival to go astern Mr..
lselin tackled twenty five seconds later
than the Valkyrie and both yachts now
stood to the westward.
At 1916 tho Vigilant keeling we'll
over to leeward was forced to take in
her jip topsail. Both yachts began to
watch each other very closely and set
their jib topsails each within few
seconds of the other. the fresh breeze
finally forcing them both to haul their
light sails down.
The rivals held each other quite as
close in beating as they did in making
and taking in sail and they were deter
mined not to split tacks. At 12:4s the
Valkyrie went on the starboard tack
followed by the Vigilant one minute
later; again she tackled at 1881 fol
lowed Immediately by the Valkyrie.
At l:04 the Vigilant, then about 200
yards north Of the mark, went on the
starboafd tack and headed for the first
turn, which she passed on the port hand
two minutes and thirty-hve seconds
later. At 1:lO the Valkyrie came
bounding along for the mark. having
gone on the starboard tack. passing il
also TO port in one minute and twenty
seconds.
Following is official of first turn:
yigilant, hour, minutes, IS st conds
Vaikyrie, hour, II minutes, 20 seconds
On this leg the wind was blowing at
the rate OF twelve miles an hour and
the sea comparatively smooth with a