The evening world., 1894-07-08
FAIR TEST OF THE TWO YACHTS.
New YORK Yachtsmen Think vigilant Is Too
Heavily Handicapped by the
Time Allowance.

The race upon the Firth OF Clyde yes
terday excited the most intense interest
among yachtsmen in this city. The
general public was deeply interested also,
as was shown by the eagerness with
which each succeeding edition OF the
evening newspapers was bought up.
Upon the bulletin boards in the lower
part Of the city large crowds followed
the race as the news was posted up but
there was none OF that cheering for the
Prince OF Wales such as is said to have
greeted the finish in Scotland.
lachtsmen in this city regard the race
as one OF the most closely contested in
recent years. They say 1t Will go down
in the history OF yachting. Everybody
was disappointed that Vigilant did not
win outside of her time allowance. The
result, however, as viewed ut the New
YORK Yacht CLUB, proves satisfactorily
Is q far superior boat to Britannia, and
many confident predictions were made
that in the races Of this week she Will
give britannia a sound thrashing.
These points were observed by we'll
known yachtsman. who followed the
race point by point, comparing the time
or each yacht: r.
VlGILANT GAINED TWO MINUTES.
Vigilant beat britannia in actual time
and outsailed her, and Wcathered her
between the start and tEish,' he said.
britannia crossed the line at the start
one minute and three seconds ahead OF
the American boat. and came In one
minute ana five seconds behind her. The
actual gain Of Nigilant In the race was
therefore over two minutes, ana while
she was last across the line at the start,
she was first at the finish. This. how
ever was not sufficient 10 make up her
time allowance.
1.-THE race was run. In my opinion, by
he pf
not by her inherent speed. The figures
show that whenever NiE!lant came up
to weather her, Britannia luTed and
crowded her back These tactics We're
repeated on every stretch OF the course,
II was only at the end Of the last round
that Half succeeded In getting Nigilant
to windward, where he had been trying
to get her all along, and as soon az he
reached that position he rapidly left
Britannia.
the VigiIant crossed the line first at the
start Britannia not only would not have
caught her. but would have been left
far behind. Good handling ALOE would
not have won the race for britannia,
which has 10 fall back upon her large
time allowance. The American yacht
was unfortunate in getting n start, but
/ must admit. however, thar | am sur
prised at tbs result, as | did not believe
britannia would make 50 good u show
Other yachtsmc'. seen expressed re
greet at Nigilanrs poor start, which they
regarded as aluH" responsible Tor her
having lost the race ON time allowance.
While britannia was beaten by Wig
liant I'm actual sailing, and came across
the line at the tai of the procession IL
had been hoped that the American
yachts victory would hay" been more
complete In gav.ns the time allowance.
EXCESSIVE HANDICAP.
The three minutes she has to allow
| the Britannia IL regarded by many AZ
an excessive handicap. Al the same
time the general opinion of yachtsmcn
here f. that Nigliant can and viii very
shortly beat britannia in manner that
viii nut her superiority beyOnl QUESTION
once 10 HluVur4 In "A steady breeze and
an open sea-way, they mink she Is easily
capable OF running away from me Prince
OF Wnles's yacht,
Thursdays race, when Nigilaut ran
into "a calm, Is not regarded as counting
for anything, but yesterdays race New
York yachtsmen regard a fair test Of
the two yachts. From all accounts the
wind held steady throughout the day
and neither yacht was bothered by
steamboats, or smaller craft,
The figures show that NiEilant did
her best work in beating from the start
ing point TO Skelmorlie Bank on the
iirst round she gained half minute on
Britannia between those points. and also
gained there during the second round,
while there was a loss in reaching from
Kilcreggan TO the stakeboat before the
fret turn. -
The luffing and other maneouvres OF
Rxaka unin-l = ~ ioh. koof 0nrs r a Houknf