Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-08-30
THE DEFENDER WINS AGAIN.
The yaikyrie shows Something OF
Her Capabilities.

NEW YORK. August 2s.-Tne severe
drubbing which the Defender administer
"a 10 the Nigilant IN the second Official
trial races to-day has had the effect OF
considerably reviying the hopes Of yachts
men in his vicinity. which have been
dropping somewhat since the syndicate
boat broke down IN her last race ana
failed To finish. It was evident That she
was muca improved ~ the substitution
OF "a thicker stick for her old one, anu
she was able 10 carry medium-sized
club tOpsall through the sluall which
struck the two boats on the last leg.
standing up as stlG and straight as need
BE-.
The Vicilqnt was beaten over every leg
Of the twenty-fOur-mlle course, and fin
ishcd IS minutes. seconds. behind the
Defender. Nearly half Of this difference.
however. was due 20 the fact that the
wind went down % nothing just after
the Defender had crossed the finish line.
and while the Vigilant was sim on her
way in.
The repor, which mad been persistently
circulated to the Eject that the Defender
has been held back in all her previous
races with the Nisilant. in order 10 dis
suisa the zeal extent OF her superiority.
was mmadlatcly revived after to-day's
''IktarAf anu AflF4H were D4FuiF OF RdtNt@-
men who wagsed their heads and said
II told you s0' II IS moro probable
however. that the improved form shown
hv the yacht Is due entirely 10 the
changes which have just been made in
her She looked heeter in every way to-
day than she was IN any Of her previous
trials The set Of her sails was almost
perfect. although the Vigilant az before,
had trAe the better OF IL in this re-
% have gained I'm qulctness. and there
was less Of the distressing delay in set
ting sails than before. The new boat
kept up her record for accidents by split
ting her jib on tho Last leg The cloth
vas quickly replaced by another one, and
the mlshap was Of slight consequence.
THE vALKyRTE.
An additional element of interest was
lent 20 the race by the appearance on
the course of the challenger. Valkyrie III.
II was the first opportunity that any one
has had to see the rival yachts sailing
anywhere near each other. and II was
eagerly embraced by the enthusiasts
Yachts and TUGS closed In around the
Dunraven cutter until II seemed as
though she hardly had room for sailing
Peculiar wind conditions served 10 make
this appearance Of the Nalkyrie almost
a sensational one. She seemed 20 be
OVerhaulirg the two American yachts
with ease She was about n mile and a
half behind them at the starting Of the
race. While they were drifting along
I'm the liyhtest Of airs. the Valkyrie crept
no on them. bringing a breeze with her
Inside Of an hour She had approached 10
within Jess than half n mile ~ the Vigil
LIANT. and the faces Of the spec atOrs length-
ened. Then she got into the CLASSY area
with tho other yachts and slowed down.
She continued 10 gain on the Nigilant,
however. for a few minutes after she
had come into the same weather condi-
tons The Defender was also gaining
perceptibly on the Vigilant at the same
time. and the Valkyrie, not wishing to
give the Americans too good a line on
her speed. put about and went back up
the b1y. Her fast work In the light
wind was something OF q surprise. and
confirmed the feeling that she win come
nearer to winning the famous old cup
than any Of her predecessors.
The course decided upon for to-day's
race was triangular eight miles 10 a leg.
The first leg was laid southeast. the sec
oni north by east. one-half east, and the
third leg west by south. ~ the start the
wind was nearly due west, so that the
first leg was 4 broad reach, and the sec
ond leg would nave been reach also ndl
not the wind hluled around 10 the south
southwest. making It's practically run.
The last leg was n close reach.
The weather conditions were extremely
variegated throughout the race. on the first
leg the breeze was blowing about seven
knots at the start but before the mark
was reached 1t died away until the yachts
were almost becalmed
At that time and later II was excessive
ly hot. On the second leg the breeze was
a fair one for a time, but again it died
away almost 10 nothing.
On the reach home II blew UP a squall,
with rain. thunder and lightning. At one
time the wind reach thirty-tive knots.