Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-07-09
ANOTHER DEFEAT.
vigilant Again Beaten by the Prince
of Wales Britannia.
Finished First. But Lost Queens Cup on Three
Minutes Time Allowance.

HUNTERS QUAY. Firth of Clyde, July S.
lin the race for the Queens cup. ut the
regatta of the Royal Clyde Yacht club.
Saturday, the Britannia went over the
line almost Immediately after the gun
vas fired, ut 1890, a. M, and at Cloch
Point she had slight lead, which she
was increasing, over the Vigilant. The
banks of the Clyde in this neighborhood
were packed with deeply interested spec
tators and yachting enthusiasts on Thurs
day last, when the crack American yacht
Vigilant first met the Prince OF Wales
cutter Britannia. but they were still more
densely crowded Saturday morning, in
spite of dull weather.
The course was that of the Royal Clyde
Yacht club. and one sailed over at the
Mud Hook Yacht club contest on Thurs
day, namely, from mark boat No. /, OH
the Club house, here, to and around
mark boat off Skelmorlie, on the opposite
shore; from there to and around mark
boat off Ascog, Isle of Butte on this shore;
thence across the Clyde, to and around
mark boat off Kilcreggan. and thence
home, twice around; total distance, 5o
miles. In Saturdays race, according to
the official rating, the Vigilant having
been measured Friday, allowed the Prince
of Wales cutter three minutes.
The starters in the race were the Wig
liant, Britannia and Marjorie, cutter
that was allowed Is minutes by the Amer
lean boat.
The interest of course centered in the
Vigilant and Britannia, nobody imagin-
ing for moment that the Majorie or
Carina
Had a Ghost of a Chance.
There was n most unusual number of
excursion steamers present here just pre-
7ious to the start. They came from Glas-
cow and from many other parts OF the
Clyde. The harbor presented Il fine spec
sacle after the dull, cloudy, early hours
Of the morning were succeeded by glorl-
ous sunburst, which enlivened everything
md every body. During early morning a
light southerly breeze was blowing, and
his was expected to benefit the Britannia.
The smart AMI powerful Vigilant lay
IN Gourock bay until 9:15 a. m, when she
gracefully left her moorings and began
cruising a bout the Firth until the time
.or the star; drew near. The steam yacht
Atalanta, with Mrs George j. Gould and
|, party of friends on board, followed the
ace.
The atmosphere of the Clyde was much
.learer than On Thursday last. and fine
rev of the contest could be obtained
dong the various shores The breeze
Il yIa ht,fo thu or and hlnw-
ng pretty freshly further down the chan
,el. Some time previous to starting time
he Carina withdrew, thus leaving only
he Vigilant. Britannia and Marjorie in
he race for the queens cup. The Vigil
ant, by this time, had up jack-yard
opsail, expecting the wind would fail or
It least, not increase in strength. But
he Marjorie made preparations for II
blow, and ran up a jib-headed topsail.
The maneuvering for the start was Il
pretty sigliJ. The saucy .Vigilant was
uffing along in front of the line, while
the Marjorie and Britannia cruised about
the mouth of the loch. When they
,tayed to starboard in order to come
Town upon the line the Britannia was
pushing into the weather of the Marjorie
md was a bowsprlt ahead as the gun was
ired. The Britannia went over the line
Utmost Immediately after gun fire, closely
followed by the Marjorie.
The vigilant Made "a Bad Start.
being fully three-quarters of a minute
behind the Britannia. This was ac-
counted for by the fact that the Ameri
can yacht had less way on when she come
about.
The time of crossing the line was;
Britannia, 10h. Som. lis; Vigilant, 10h.
som. pos. Amid rousing cheers and much
steam whistliug the three yachts bore
away on the starboard tack and it was
soon seen that the Vigilant was closing in
On the leaders and lying high up in the
wind. The Britannia had short hitch
about 200 yards out and had to stand up
on the weather of the Vigilant as she
drew on and still had the weather gauge,
the American yacht being two lengths
behind. The Vigilant was undoubtedly
the favorite at the start of the race, which
was regarded beforehand as a thorough
test of the two yachts, coupled with the
ish yachtsmen.
Captain Carter of the Britannia was
assisted by Captain O'Neil of the Iverna,
anu tne FRINGE Oh W aleS cutter naQ on
board 16 picked men from the IverDa,
making a total of 46 men to handle the
yacht The Vigilant carried crew of 40
men.
Both the Vigilant and the Britannia
held on to the starboard tack, the Britain
mia falling away to leeward. The breeze
was excellent and the yachts made fast
passage.
Ashore the excitement was intense,
poop lie following after the racers in car
riages. dog carts and other vehicles along
the roads. The Marjorie was the first to
put about on the port tack, off the Rem
frewshire shore. the Britannia holding on
for some distance further, with the Vigil
liant keeping in her wake. The Majorie
gained something in staying on quietly.
As the wind seemed to slack near the
shore, both the Britannia and Vigilant
went about almost together and the gap
between them here was lessened. The
Britannia, however, appeared to stand
l.