The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-07-16
Vigi1ant Beaten In All In
terestiDg Race In
Irish Waters.
LEAD TO NEAR THE END
Then Becalmed, When Her Rival
Forged Ahead to Victory
The Time.
Bu cable % lhe Unitsd Press.

BANGOR, July f6, 1894.-The course over
which the American sloop Vigilant and the
British cutter Britannia sailed today for
the County Down Cup or its equivalent in
cash, $50 is peculiarly adapted to the Eng
lish racing model 1t has twelve turns, and,
as the Britannia is credited with being at
least third faster in stays than the Vigil
lant, she entered the contest with the as
surance that she had probably two min
utes advantage of the centrehoarder.
Over this course-that of the Royal Ulster
tannia, in stiff nortneaster, worsted the
Valkyrie by II minutes and "A seconds. The
Britannia was second, the Satanita captur
ing the mug by 2 minutes and 29 seconds.
The Vigilant looked triae less majestic
than she did i'll last weeks races, as she had
q few feet of her topmast cut Off ani her
bowsprit shortened. This reduced her
sail area somewhat, bat not enough
to give her more than a few seconds
less time allowance. She had the same bal
last that she used in her last contest. The
prize for which she struggled today was
offered by the Marquis of Dufferin and Ava.
Commodore of the Royal Ulster Club; the
Marquis of Londonderry, Viscount Bangor,
Lord Durleath, Vice-Commodore, and Mr.
R. L. Ward. The clouded sky did not pre-
vent crowds of enthusiastic Irish yachtsinen
from gathering at the several points on
either side af Belfast Lough, overlooking the
turn There were thousands of spectators
from Belfast about ten miles southwest OF
this little town.
THE START
When the boats reached for the line the
wind was brisk from the southwest The
first leg of the course to the westward, from
% off tha olI n
boat off Carrickfergus, eabout nautical
miles; the second leg, about 517 miles, runs
north northeasterly to mark boat off Black
Head; the third leg, about AZ miles. runs
thence, south, southeast to mark boat off
Briggs, and the final leg of about miles,
thence to the starting point. The yachts
sailed over this course three times, covering
about so miles.
The Vigilant was handled admirably at
the start Although she crossed the line
three seconds later than the Britannia, she
secured the weather berth. The yachts were
timed Britannia, 11:O0:l2; Vigilant,
11:00:15.
1t was a race close hauled over the four
mile leg. The Britannia gained eighteen
seconds on the Yankee craft. The breeze
had increased and filled the salty souls of the
American onlookers with joy and hope. They
rounded the first mark boat thus:--Brltan-
MIA, 1924 :5S; Vigilant 11:s5:13-
The wind was fairly piping as the yachts
rounded and ran to the Black Head mark,
SIX miles away 1t was even too strong for
spinnakers. Spinnaker poles were lowered,
and the great bellying sails were set. But
they were taken in. There was something
OF a sea out in the open off Black Head.
The Vigilant drew up on her rival and
passed her at the mark off Black Head 2l
seconds in the lead Wme:-Vigilant,
II 5000; Britannia, 1l:50:5l.
TT was a smoking f1lSSlo for the 4 IL mile
stretch across the Lough to the mark
boat off Briggs, with nasty beam sea. The
Vigilant showed her weather qualities and
passed the mark boat at 12:lS:47, with 81
seconds in her favor. Britannia, 12:lS:59.
The wind dropped bit just after they
rounded the Briggs mark, the Vigilant in
creasing her lead perceptibly. They passed
the home mark thus; amid cheers from
thousand Irish throats:-Vigilant, 1881 "a !;
Britannia, 12:3S:56.
THE SECOND ROUND.
With 1 minute and 81 seconds in her favor,
the Yankee yacht headed for the Carrick-
fergus mark The wind held true from the
southwest, but was somewhat softer than on
the beginning of the first round. 1t began
to freshen as they neareG Carrickfergus.
The drop was bad for the Vigilant In
the close reaching on this leg she showed
herself inferior to her rival. The Brit
ANNA picked up 50 seconds, rounding
the mark at 1:08:o2. The wind got sone-
what of Yankee gait on it again. 1t was
not too strong for spinnakers this time. The
Vigilant is great at running with all her
amplitude of muslin on, and she made 1t a
stern chase for the Britannia rushing out to
Block Island There the time was;
Vigilant. 1:39:44.
Britannia, 1:42:2S.
A lead of two minutes and forty-four sec
onds gave the impression that the Yankee
yacht was nearly certain of capturing the
cup There were prayers on the part
of the Americans that the wind would hold
true and increase. 1t did increase, but be-
gan to shift to the westward. In the second
contest at broad reaching, with the wind
and sea on the starboard beam, the Vigilant
won more glory. She rounded the Briggs
mark at 203:23, Britannia 2:0S:35 Even
with her old time allowance of three min
utes, the Vigilant, if the race had wound up
here would have been the victor by seven
seconds.
vIGILANT LOSES GROUND.
The wind had shifted nearly to northwest
and, permeated with rain, was piping down
the Lough. After passing the Briggs mark
the yachts made long and short boards of it
to the Commodore's boat. The Vigilant lost
ground by making a hitch inshore
She was timed at the home mark at 2:25:54 !;
Britannia, 2:26:11. The Vigilant thus lost
SO seconds in the three mile beat between
Briggs and the home boat.
The wind, after shifting to northwest.
gradually fell almost to dead calm, and
the race ceased to have any interest to the
unlucky American.
The Britannia drifted into a light streak
of air and began overhaulng the Wig LIANT,
which then hardly had steerage way. At
ten minutes past three the Briton passed her
cousin and stood far the Carlckfergus
mark 1t was pure luck, combined with
her talent in the light breezes, that gave
the Britannia lead of two minutes and
nineteen seconds at Carrickfergus, which
they rounded thus: Britannia, 5:19:ll; Nigi-
liant, 3:21:20
The wind was from Northwest and in
creasing slightly as the yachts stood for
Black Head ou the last round, with the wind
just abaft the port beam, enabling them to
use their big staysails
BRITANNIA WINS.
The Britannia won by l minute, SO sec
onds.
The race for ten raters was won by the
Herreshof yacht Dakotah
=