The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-18
VIGILANT WINS AT LAST.
The Britannia Breaks the Jaws Of
Her Cats.

The British Boat Would Have Been
Beaten Even if the Accident Had Not
ooeurred-Nearly Three Quarters of
the Course Sailed Over When the Ac-
cident Occurred and the ankee Boat
Gaining Steadily.
Bangor, Ireland, July 1.-THE Vigilant
acquitted herself gloriously to-day in her
second test over the Royal Ulster Yacht
Clubs course of twelve turns for the rear
commodore's cup, valued at $3.50, and
cash prize of Sl25.
Some of the luster of her victory was
lost by the failure Of the Britannia TO
finish. But nearly three-quarters of the
course had been sailed over when the
Britannia carried away the Jaws of her
gaf and limped back home The
lead Of the yankee yacht was then
about six minutes, and as the
breeze had steadily increased all day
she doubtless would have increased her
advantage several minutes in the last
three leagues. There was strong west
erly wind, with squally shower now and
then, The wind was too brisk for club
topsails, and both yachts carried ordinary
canvas aloft.
The gun sounded at II O'clock and sim
ultaneously the racers reached for the
line, both close hauled on the starboard
tack, the Britannia to windward. They
crossed simultaneously at II :00:12.
The Vigilant rounded the mark boat
one minute and fifteen seconds ahead of
her rival, and she constantly increased
her lead. The quickeess of the Britannia
in stays enabled her to pick up a few sec
onds on each turn, but that did her no
good and would not have done her had she
sailed the full course.
SURPRISED THE GUTTER.
1t was distinctively a Vigilant wind,
with choppy sea, hitherto supposed to
be particularly favorable to cutters, but
the Vigilant kept racehorse gait. Sud
denly the Britannia came up in the wind
She had broken the Jaws of her gaff The
shackle iron fell to the deck, striking
Capt. Carter on the head. He was cut
but not seriously hurt. 1t is thought the
Britannia's mishap was due to her jump
ing in the seas, which caused the Raff TO
thrash around. After clearing away the
the wreck, she bore away for home, Civ
ing up the contest, which in the event of
the the wind holding, was now regarded
as a sure thing for the Vigilant.
The yankee speeder sailed over the
course and under the rules of the regatta
defeated the Britinnia, and won the cup
and the cash prize, which doubtless will
be divided among the Yigilant's crew.
The Vigilant housed her topmast on
the way home. Size covered the fifty
utes and % seconds, or at
the rate of somewhat more
than ten knots an hour, which. con
considering the many turns and fourteen
miles of hard windward work, is excep-
tionaily fast. If she had been pushed she
probabl would have reduced this time
by half an hour, but as her victory was
assured she came home not as swiftly as
she would have done If the Britannia had
been chasing her.
MUCH ENTHUSIASM.
There was more enthusiasm as the
yankee yacht came dashing down the
finish than has attended any vi ctory of
the Prince of Wales cutter Guns
doomed, whistles screeched and the air
trembled with a mighty roar from a
thousand lusty throats.
George Gould and Howard Gould were
on the Atalanta with large party and
followed the racers over the course
Every English yachtsman with whom
the press correspondent talked said that
it was apparent when the accident hap
pened to the Britannia that she had no
chance whatever of catching up.
British sportsmen who saw the yankee
yacht in the races at New York, and who
have been enthusiastic hackers of her
were overjoyed at the fulflment of their
prophecy. AS the yachts had sailed three
quarters of the course when the Britain
MIA was forced to withdraw, and as
the Nigilant had lead of
six minutes, there was not
question that she would win. 1t is con-
iectured that she would have beaten the
Britannia by about nine minutes, actual
time, allowing that she would have gained
on the last three leagues Of the course as
much as she did gain at the finish of the