The record-union., 1894-07-17
American Yacht Vigilant Beaten
for the Seventh Time.
AGAIN DEFEATED BY THE PRINCE
OF WALES BRITANNIA
Cxford,s Athletes Also Win Major
ity of the Contests Against Yale's
students-Results of the Races at
washington Park and Brighton
Eaaeh
Beach.
to the REooRD-UsIoN.

Special to the RECoRD-USIoN.
BELFAST, July 16.-For the seventh
time the American yacht has been de-
faated in race with the Britannia. The
contest to-day was an exciting one, and
the British cutter plucked victory out OF
the Jaws of defeat after the race had been
two-thirds finished with every appear
ance for an American success. The race
was for the County Downs cup. $50, KS
added for the second yacht, over the
Royal Ulster Yacht Clubs course, Bel
fast Slough, fifty miles. Mark boat No.
was anchored off the club and battery
ct Bangor, County Downs. Mark boat
No. 2 was off Garrick Fergus, on the
opposite shore about mile from the
bank.
They sailed around mark boat No. l,
of Black Head, on the Antrim coast,
thence around the South Briggs light
ship and back to mark boat No. /. This
course is little more than sixteen
miles. and to make the distance had to be
sailed three times. The Vigilant since
her sixth defeat by the Britannia on
Thursday has undergone small altera-
tons Of a radical kind. Her tOpmast has
been shortened by four and "a bali feet,
her spinnaker boom has been shortened
four feet and cut down an inch in
diameter, and three feet have been cut OFT
her bowsprit. She has new bob stays
aud her ballast has been lightened.
With the reduction OF canvas the allow
ance to the Britannia is reduced from
three minutes to one minute and three
seconds.
The race to-day was open to yachts
ever forty rating, but the American
sloop and the British cutter Britannia
alone competed. The cutter Carina was
entered. but was withdrawn, as she had
nopossible chance.
The NigilanC and Britannia raced to-
day for the County Down cup over a
ffty-mile course. The Britannia had
three seconds The best of the start at the
Garrick- Fergus boat, but halfway 10
Blackhead was passed by the Nlgnant,
W hich passed that mark nfteen seconds
ahead.
At South Briggs the boats lead had
been increased TO tifty-two seconds.
When the race was half-sailed the
Nigilant led by two minutes and three
seconds.
The Yigilant rounded the honie-mark
boat first. Time, l:02:24; Britannia,
1;03:55. The Britannia made gain OF
fifty seconds in the first leg of the second
round, and passed the Garrick- Fergus
mark boat only forIy-one seconds behind
the American sloop
The advantage was temporary, how
ever, for in the run TO Blackhead the
boat Yigilant widened the gap and
rounded the mark two minutes and
fcrty-four seconds in the lead, having
gained two minutes and fourteen sec
onds. Fourteen seconds were added to
her lead in the run to complete the sec
ond round. The time of the two yachts
in rounding the Bangor mark boat was:
Nigilant, 2:4S:5S; Britannia, 2:5l:ll.
The Britannia passed the Vigilant be-
tween the first and second mark boats on
the third round. and led by two minutes
and nineteen seconds. The Britannia
won.
Alter the Britannia got ahead the race
was virtually over, as the Britannia was
enabled, with a fresher breeze, to beat the
Nigilant safely.
The result of the race was IN no way in
accordance with the form shown by
either yacht during the early stages of
the contest. The Nigilant exhibited de-
cided superiority at every point, and
ought to have won with couple of min
utes to spare over the time allowance.