The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-07-17
VIGILANT AT LAST.
Beat the Britannia Today In
Irish Waters By Over
Five Minutes.
STEADY BREEZE THROUGHOUT
The British Yacht Met With a
Slight Accident and
Dropped Out.
Bu Cable 70 the Unfted Press.

By Gable to the United Press
BANGOR, Ireland, July IL, 1894.-The
Vigilant and Britannia started in their
eighth race today, the race being for the
Commodore Cup of the Royal Ulster Yacht
Club over the same course as yesterday.
The weather was showery, but there was a
strong westerly wind, which promised to
hold out. The boats crossed the line together
at HOOP. The Britannia, as usual, sue
ceeded in getting the weather
gauge. Crossing the line both
set their jib topsails and bore
away to Carrickfergus mark. 1t took two
legs to reach Carrickfergus and in going
about the second time the Vigilant passed
the Britannia and rounded the mark boat at
11:24:40 The Britannia rounded the mark
at 11:25:55, one minute and fifteen seconds
astern. The long run from Carrickfergus to
Black Head was made with the wind abeam,
both boats carrying jib topsails. The
Vigilant perceptibly gained upon
the Britannia IN the spanking
breeze and rounded the Black
head flag boat at II :52 :28 two minutes and
one second ahead of the Britannia, which.
turned the flag boat at 11:54:29. Getting
away on the reach for the Briggs mark the
Vigilant was sailing grandly, and gave evi-
dence of being handled for all she was
worth. The Briggs mark was rounded by
the Yankee boat at 12:13:04 and by the
Prince of Wales cutter at 12:15:57, the Vigil
liant having increased her lead by fifty two
seconds.
vIGMANTs GOOD LEAD.
The boat for the flag boat off the club
house from Briggs was made in two boards
with seas kissing over lee rails. The quick
ness of the Briton i'll stays helped her to pick
up few seconds on this three mile leg The
Vigilant rounded the home mark two min4i
utes and forty-six seconds ahead of the
Britannia. Time-Vigilant, 12, 81, 81;
Britannia, 12, 81, %.
In the short tacking down along shore for
the Carrickfergus mark boat the Britannia's
wonderful quickness in going about, de-
creased the former advantage Of the centre
boarder by ffty-four seconds. But the
Vigilant still led by one minute and fifty
two seconds when the yachts turned Carrick-
fergus in smother of foam as follows:-
Vigilant, 1:04:13; Britannia, 1:06:05.
Jib topsails were set in the five and one
half mile run for Black Head, along the
North shore of Belfast Longh The wind
1t was filled with rain, and there was
general hope that when the rain ceased it
would not kill the rattling breeze. The gap
between the boats widened
The Vigilant rounded the Black Head
mark boat, at the mouth of the Lough, four
minutes and thirty seconds ahead of the
cutter having gained two minutes and
thirty eight seconds in the five and one-half
mile run. The yachts were timed thus as
they turned the Black Head mark:-Vigi-
liant, 1:30:30; Britannia, 1:35:00.
A vIGILANT WIND.
1t was distinctively Vigilsnt WIND with
q choppy beam sea, hitherto supposed to be
k1o+
racers had on the four and one-half mile
run to Briggs. The wind was on the star
board quarter and was freshening to
twenty-knotter. The Vigilant had steam
ship gait on her. She covered the four and
one half mile leg at fourteen-knot speed,
and pat her rival one minute and ten sec
onds more astern They rounded the mark
thus :-Vigilant, 1908; Britannia. 1856 As.
The weather qualities of the centreboarder
came out strongly in the three mile boat for
the home mark, breasting the seas and a
breeze that delighted the soul of Captain
Half. She lost ten seconds to the keel boat
by frequent tacking, but demonstrated as
she has before, her superior ability
in pointing Over q longer leg. making
infrequent tacks, she would have increased
her lead As it was, she was $50 ahead.
The passed the home boat on the last round
us:-Vigilant, 2:10:49: Britannia, 2:l6:19.
Across the Lough, on the four mile stretch
to Carrickfergus smashing against nasty
sea, the Vigilanu increased her lead accord
ing to the conjecture OF the experts, to about
six minutes.
ACCIDENT TO THE BRITANNIA
While nearing the Carrickfergus mark on
the port tack. the Britannia suddenly came
up in the wind She had apparently carried
away something.
Later it was ascertained that her forestay
had parted.
IL.
bore away for home under malnsall and Jlb.
giving up the contest, which in the event of
the wind holding, was regarded as sure
thing for the Vigilant
The Yankee speeder rounded the Carrick-
fergus mark at 2:37:10. She sailed over the
course and under the rules of the regatta
defeated the Britannia, and thus won the
offered by r. G. Dunville and a cash prize
of 1925, which, doubtless, win be divided
among the Vigilant's crew,
THE INJURY TO THE BRITANNIA.
After the Britannia anchored off the club
house it was ascertalned thatshe had not as
previously reported, carried away her fore
stay, but had broken the Jaws Of her gaff
The Stacking iron fell to the deck, striking
Captain Carter on the side of the head. He
was cut somewhat, but not seriously hurt
The accident was similar to that which oc-
Cured to General Paine's fin keel boat, the
Jubilee in the last of the trial races at New
York 1t is thought the mishap was due to
her jumping in the seas, which caused the
gaff to thrash around
The Vigilant housed her topmast on the
way home. She finished at 3;49:40, thus
covering the fiftv-mile course in four hours,
forty nine minutes and twenty-eight sec
onds, or at the rate Of somewhat more than
ten knots an hour, which, considering the
many turns and fourteen miles of hard
windward work, is exceptionally fast. If
she had been pushed she probably could have
reduced this time by talf an hour.
There was more enthusiasm as the Yankee
yacht came dashing down to the finish than
attended any victory of the Prince of
Wales cutter Guns doomed and whistles