The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-12
TOO CALM FOR THE YACHTS.
The Boats Unable to Cover the Course
Within the Time Limit.


Smooth as a Mill Pond-The Valky-
rie the First to Cross the Line-Her
Lead Maintained For Some Time,
But the Vigilant Seven Minutes
Ahead in Turning the Stake Boat.
New York, Oct. 11-What gave
promise of being the final race in the in
ternational races for the Americas s cup,
turned ont to be no race at all. 1t was
the fourth cont est between the Vigilant
and the VaIkyrie and like the first was
not finished within the time limit, and
therefore was counted out.
The flotilla that followed the yachts
down the bay returned long after sunset,
leaving the racers far behind to fight it
out in the darkness. The result of that
fight the thousands of excursions cared
nothing about, for they had made up their
minds that there would be no race, and
that the Vigilant would win it if there
was.
LACK OF WIND.
Lack of wind was the cause of the
trouble. AT noon, it seemed as though
the contest would have to be postponed.
The disappointment was greater because
early in the day there was nice breeze
blowing Yachtsmen and laudsmen looked
knowingly at each other as the steamers
speeded down the bay and extended kcon-
gratulationS all around that the
conditions for an exciting trial of skill
looked so promising, but as the hour for
the start approached the wind died out
almost entirely. The Valkyrie drifted
slowly about, circling around the flag
ship May, with the Vigilant in tow of her
tender. following closely in her wake.
There was hardly a hatful of wind,
although there were wind clouds in the
sky.
TEE OCEAN LIKE LAKE.
The expanse of ocean looked like
great lake without motion save where
the paddles of big steamer or propeller
of yacht churned up the water and sent
a long swell swinging under the surround
ing boats 1t was almost a calm, and the
regatta committee could do nothing but
wait before it gave the starting signal.
The wait was long one. After the usual
hour of giving the preparatory signal,
HIS, there were certain signs that
a breeze would spring up later from
somewhere between the south and west,
and for this delay was caused.
THE COMMITTEE SUGGESTS POSTPONEMENT.
About / o'clock the committee was still
unsatisfed as TO the probable appearance of
a breeze strong enough to send the yachts
over the course within the stipulated six
hours and signal was run up on the flash
ship May, asking the contestants if they
would assent to postponement of the
| day. The Vigilant answered that she
was willing. The Valkyrie made no re-
sponse by flag, and the committee felt it
incumbent upon them to start the boats.
A little breeze one of q bout six miles an
hour, had come out from the south-south-
west in the meantime, and at 80 O'Clock
the preparatory gun was fired from
the flagship. The racers were then
both above the line and at once began the
usual maneuvering for the best position
to be obtained at the time of the starting
signal.
THE START.
The Valkyrie had the best of this figur-
ing and when at l As O'Clock the starting
gun was fired, she crossed the line with a
length of clear water between her ia affrail
and the end of the Vigilant's bowsprit
The American boat had pinched up hard
to gain weather position on
the Briton, but was unable to do so.
The cutter was well to windward of the
center-boarder when they crossed the
line. They went over on port tack,
close hauled, to begin the journey of tif-
teen miles dead to the windward They
had scarcely gone over when both went
about, the Valkyrie still to windward
and having gained 200 or 300 feet in the
footing. Both yachts were carrying
besides their club top sails and
main sails, four stay sails, jibs and baby
bib top sails When they came about
again they ran half over to the New Jer-
sey shore on the port tack. The Valkyrie
was the first to go about at 3:10. The
Vigilant followed suit Immediately. As
they both headed off shore it was seen
that the Valkyrie was fully half mile to
the good. The Valkyrie only stood on
that tack about seven minutes.
THE vIGILANT GAINING.
The Vigilant had begun to get in it's
center-board work. and the Englishman
knew that his opponent would make
weathering very fast, so the cutter went
about to maintain her weather position if
she possibly could. The Vigilant passed
under the Valkyrie's stern half mile
away. The wind had increased
mile or two an hour while
this generating was going on,
but now it dropped back to
its original velocity. On this tack, at
3:34 o'clock the Nigilant hauled down her
baby-bib top sails and ran up an inter
mediate. 1t was long board off shore
and the Vigilant was clearly out footing
the Valkyrie. She passed the cutter to
leeward at 4:25 o'clock, thinking she
could cross the Valkyrie's bow came
about and undertook to do so. Very
quickly the yankee found out that she
had made mistake in that little
calculation and tackled again. The Vigi-
liant was now about a sixteenth of a mile
OF from the Valkyrie's lee bow. The
Valkyrie made another head to port at
4:3l, while the Figilant held on to her
starboard tack. When the Valkyrie did
come about with her head off shore she
was a mile away on the Vigilant's
weather port
FINALLY SUCCESSFUL.
At 4:43 the Vigllant came around on the
port tack. this time being successful in
crossing the Valkyrie's bow a good quar-
ter Of a mile away. Again the air
strengthened a little, and this time the
Vigilant was in fortune by getting the
most of il. 1t came from the south At
5:35 the Vigilant made another tack foe
the New Jersey shore, while the Walk
kyrie stood onto the eastward. The cut
ter held a long board this trip, and the
Vigilant came about with her head
toward the goal. Finally the Vigilant
rounded the stake about 500. The Val
kyrie was about seven minutes later
Soon after the racers began their run be-
fore the wind for home darkness set in.
aud the immense feet Of excursion boats
undertook to get home as quickly as pos