The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-08-03

loSt ner race to-day ana great was tho
pity of it, for she had walked away from
her three competitors, and was nearing
home, when new-fangled gaff at the top
of her mainsail broke and most in
gloriously the aspirant for cup honors
was obliged to take a line from q COM
mon everyday tug aud retire from the
race, allowing the Vigilant to win.
The $500 cup offered by Ogden Goelet
was the prize for which the syndicate
boat was racing, but the fair fame of
craft that seeks international honors was
al stake. Pitted against her were her
pristine antagonists, the Nigilant, Jubilee
and also Volunteer.
With three opponents fit to try her
fleet the latest Herreshof creation went
of to Brenton's Reef lightship, off the
entrance to Newport harbor, and put up
race that delighted the big crowd of
spectators until after rounding the second
turn and sailing thirty-two miles of the
thirty-eight of the course. Then her new
hollow gait broke near its middle, and
the great mainsail became a misshapen
bag. An unconscious groan escaped
from the crowd, and doubtless there
were words spoken on the decks of the
Defender which might have shocked Mrs.
iselln, who was on board. The spar was
followed out and bound together like
barrel, in order to save weight. Hollow
spars were first used in England and the
HerreShoffs have elaborated on the for
eign idea. "They better go back to the
solid Yankee stick" was the opinion fre-
quently expressed to-day.
Before the accident. the Defender had
pressed to windward III miles. and run
Is miles with the wind astern and spin
maker out, and had turned the second
mark with ii minutes 80 seconds advant-
age over the Nigilant, I6 minutes Il Sec
onds over the Jubilee and 81 minutes SO
seconds over the Volunteer. This was
clearly a demonstration OF what the new
boat is capable Of In the windward
work the gain over the Viglant was
minutes 81 seconds, and in the run
minutes fifteen seconds.
The wind was brisk at the start, blow
ing Is knots. The boat was close pulled
at the time Of the accident. and there was
4 lumpy bit of weather which may have
had something to do with the carrying
away of the gait
After the Defender withdrew the Vigil
liant sailed home an easy winner. Cen
eral Paine's Jubilee not only failed TO
crowd the Defender, but could not push
the Nigilant near as hard as she did III
the trial races OF 1893, showing either that
the changes i'll the Vigilant have i'm
proved her, or the changes in the Jubi-
lee have not improved her.
Calculations on the Nalkyrie's per-
formances, taking her superiority TO the
Britannia and the latter'S defeat of the
Nigilant in English waters, will not hold
good, therefore, for the Defender beats
the improved Nigilant and not merely
the old Nigllant.
The performance of the cid Volunteer
oh bnt hnv
proved IN yacht building since 1887, when
the boat which was over half an hour
slower than the model Of 1895 easily beat
the Thistle.
The race for sloops diverted attention
from the race for tho 81 900 schooners' cup
at the same time over the same course.
There were nine crack schooners in tha
race.
The best elapsed time was made by the
Lasca, and was hours 43 minutes and
% seconds. The Vigilant covered tha
distance IN hours 3 minutes and SO sec
onds, or almost 50 minutes better than the
best schooner. The Emerald was the
second schooner to finish, and was given
the prize on time allowance. The
Amorita was the third schooner in. The
others finished in the following order;
Maytlower. Merlin, Elsmarie, Neara and
Loyal. The last two are schooners OF
cup which was offered at the New orE
Yacht Club regatta June 10th, but was
not decided then on account of q mistake
in classification. The Loyal won tbs
prize to-day by 2 minutes 10 seconds, corr
rected time.
In all Newport's history of yachting M
such attendant fleet accompanied the
racers over the course as was the case to-
day. The day was perfect one for COM
fort, as well as fine one for sailing. In
the early morning there was 80 little air
that many of the yachts were obliged to
tow down past the Dumplings in order TO
reach the starting line. This delayed the
signal for the race for half an hour.
When all had arrived the scene off
Brenton's Reef was one that will be long
remem bered. In the fleet were 100 of the
finest steam yachts that float on Ameri-
can waters, a score Of passenger steamers
and tugs and sailboats and Launches
without mum Der.
The scene at the start reminded one OF
the international races off Sandy Hook.
There was a gray hulk OF lightship
labeled Brenton'S Reef, instead of the
Sandy Hook, but there was the same old
Atlantic Ocean stretching away, with
pale blue line Of land in the distance.
The Sylvia, with the Regatta Commits
tee aboard, dropped anchor at 10:40 oil
the lightship. She signaled then that tha
course would be the triangular one. with
the first turn near Block Islaud, and the
second near West Island. The wind was
southwest. holding fairly true all day.
1t varied in strength from ten to eighteen
knots,
The first leg of the course was l31 miles
southwest and ii northwest, and was
beat to windward. The second leg was
run from northeast by east three-quarsers
east, with the wind directly over the
stern for Is miles, and the third leg close
west by north of 81 miles, finishing al
the starting point.
The preparatory gun was fired at 1l:2Q
O'clock, and ten minutes later the big
sloops started. The Defender crossed
first, with the Volunteer tapping her,
The Jubilee was two minutes later, and
the Vigilant last. All except the Volun>
teer brought out baby jibs just before
crossing.
The Defender began to creep away from
the others the moment she was over ths
line. She pointed higher and footed
faster. The Vigilant started in lively
chase after the Jubilee and theF olunteer.
and soon overhauled the latter, which
had been passed by the Jubilee. At Ii
o'clock the Vigilant was creeping up on
the Jubilee. and il was plain that the
Boston boat was good to disappoint heI
numerous friends.
The wind continued to freshen, and al
1906 O'Clock the Jubilee took i'll her baby
lib topsails. -Four minutes later she sci
them again. The time OF the hn1shet
were as follows: Vigilant 4:3S:O9; Jubn
loo d.1f.00 and tho VOlus1teer 5.OO.tG.