Birmingham age-herald., 1895-09-11
VALKYR|E FIRST OVER LINE But the Race May Not Be AL
 lowed to Stand. DEFENDER BADLY CRIPPLED By the Boom of Her Antagonist Handicapped as She Was the lseIin Soop AL
 most Won.

New York, Sept. 10.-Close jockeying between the British and American com batants for the America's cup for the race off Sandy Hook resulted in an acci- dent to the American which spoiled the race. Fifteen thousand persons on steam boats, tugs, steam yachts and ocean steamers sent up a groan of disappoint- ment when that beautiful aluminium and bronze creation was crippled before their eyes. Not all were near enough to see what had happened, but all the yachting sharps saw at once an accident had happened to the topmast rigging. Some remarks were made which would have made ears jingle had they reached the Valkyrie but Lord Dunravens boat, after fouling the Defender was away cup hunting. While no one suspects the owner of the visiting yacht of such un- Sportsmanlike conduct as Intentionally fouling the yankee yacht, yet the way he raked his great steel boom over the deck and tore down the other fellows rig ging and then sailed away at his best pace over the course was not pleasant to patriotic Americans to contemplate.
 From the first every attempt to secure fair play for the visitor had been made, ana 1netnOuS that prevail III tsnS SlIsH races when an American boat competeS are not tried here. The boats in jockeyng for the line had shown some of the pret- tiest work that has been seen here, and when the jockeying resulted in the Val kyIie obtaining the ewlndward position, as the two boats headed for the line. there were murmurs of disappointment in the crowd when it was discovered that Nalkyrie had the windward position. Both finally approached the starting line, with Valkyrie leading to the windward of the Defender. Had both held their courses there would have been nc trouble, but the anxiety of the British skipper to get his boat over the line first and to the windward of the enemy made 1t ques- tion if he should not start before the gur. was sounded. To prevent such pre- dicament the Valkyrie bore away trife and eased out her sheets. The main boom of the BTtisher swept over the deck of the Defender, carrying away the top mast shrouds on the starbcard side and tearing out the jaws of the spreader. The topmast cracked and was badly sprung. Just as the crash came the starting signal was given, and the Val kyrie sped away Nike rocket. The De fender was luffed in the wind, the jib topsail lowered, the wreckage removed and MT, Iseiln decided to continue the race <s-~- 1esn zrh~
 Probably a couple of minutes were wasted making repairs before the boat continued on her course. A protest flag was displayed and the committee boat showed an answering pennant Then the gallant Defender and her plucky tef. " ' u p' ' N >
 But for the accident the race today would probably have been one of the finest in the history of the Americas cup contest. Nothing was lacking to make it a memorable affair. The crowds or spectators and the fleet of excursion craft and private yachts were present to lend animation to the scene. There was a good sailing breeze, the sky was clear after the mist of the morning had been dispelled and the ocean was compara- lively smooth.
 It was a good day for Valkyrie. but it would have been a better one for De- fender had she not met with an accident The weakened topmast of Defender pre- vented her from carrying the sail that Valkyrie carried and she could not keep the pace set by the Dunraven boat. In the beat of ten miles to windward to the first turn, Valkyre gained an advant- age of two minutes and fifty-two sec onds. At one time she led by fully a mile, but as the wind freshened from the six knots at the start to fifteen at the first turn and eighteen shortly after wards the Defender, crippled though she was, began to gain. The second leg of
 
 used a balloon jib topsail, while the peo- pie on the Defender had to be content with a baby jib topsail. In spite of her handicap the Defender gained seventeen seconds on the second leg. On the run home the Defender continued her good work. gaining one minute and sevente seconds The time allowance of Valky- rie to Defender is twenty-nine seconds, and allowing for this, the difference be- tween her time over the course and the Defenders time was forty-seven sec onds.
 At 1o:5O the preparatory signal was fired Both the racers were then to the leeWard of the line and some distance apart on the starboard tack. Each had the same canvass set, consisting of main sail club topsail, stay sail and jib, with a jib topsail in stops ready to break out. When the gun was fired the Defender which was to the eastward, came about on the port tack and toward the Valky- rie. The latter being still upon the star board tack had the right of way, and as the Defender approached her she uffed up into the wind and went about. This brought Valkyrie on the weather quar- ter of the Defender, that is, to windward of her and just a trif1e behind but we'll over tapping her and so gave her the weather guage
 The maneuvers by which the Defender endeavored to make the Valkyrie lose her grip were especially interesting, in view of the subsequent foul to which they led. After the Englishman had secured the much coveted position, both boats stood along toward the westward and port stack until beyond the committee boat. Captain Half then jibed suddenly, hoping to get around on and Huff toward wind ward on Valkyrie before she could get round Captain Cranfield jibed so quick ly that the relative positions of the two boats remained unchanged, Valkyr1e still keeping the weather This was at 10.56. The two boats came back on the star board tack toward the starting line. They passed around one of the big excur- sion steamers, and then, as time was short, began to approach the line from its westward end, breaking out their jib topsails as they did so.
 On came the boats until only few seconds elapsed before the starting gun and it was then seen that the Valkyrie too near the line and was in danaer