The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-07-15


A large fleet of yachts, under steam and
sail, including Mr.. Vanderbilt's Valiant,
with her owner and a small party on
board, and Mr.. Morgan's S%hearwater,
bearing Mr.. Morgan n a number of
friends, started to follow the race. Mr..
9. o. Iselin was on board the Defender,
and Mr.. Willard, of New York, was
aboard the Vigilant. Only the steam
yachts followed the boats the whole way.
Soon after II o'clock the boats were
sighted off Castle Hill, their sails taking
a good breeze which came from the north
west, and which was sending them both
along at a lively rate. The spinnaker
booms were then run out to starboard on
both yachts. The Vigilant broke her
%spinnaker, but the syndicate boat waited
for her to come up.
At 11:15, when both yachts were half a
mile north of Beavertail Light, the De-
fender broke her spinnaker and both
started on an even line, heading south
by east. During the next few minutes
the Defender had considerable trouble
with her spinnaker and it was taken in
three times before it fell properly. On
this account she lost ground. The Vigi-
lant's %spinnaker was much larger, but it
did not draw as we'll as the Defenders
after it was adjusted.
At noon the Vigilant hauled in closer to
the other yacht and it was seen that the
Defender was q tride ahead. At 1906 p.
m, after having run eight miles in fifty
one minutes, the Vigilant took in her
spinnaker and headed toward the Nara
gansett shore. The Defender Immediately
followed. When they came about, the
Vigiiant was two lengths ahead, with the
wind on the beam, The Defender at once
began to crawl ahead from leeward, soon
opening a space of two lengths between
her and the Gould boat.
In q few minutes more the distance was
doubled. Both boats were then carrying
balloon jibs. At ego the Defender came
about and set her jib and skysail, and
hauled down the balloon iib. The baby
jib topsail was also set. The Vigilant
came about seven minutes later and set
the same sails. Her jib topsail was nearly
twice the size of the Defenders. Both
boats pointed we'll, but the Defender
showed marked superiority in this respect
as we'll as in speed. At 12:4S they came
about on the port tack, the Defender far
ahead and well up to the windward. The
latter came about and pulled away in
eighteen seconds. Both continued on the
same leg until aIter 1 OclOckt Wnen a
squall was seen coming from the south
ward.
The Vigilant's commander at once came
about, took in her headsails and she was
taken in tow by her tender. The latter
headed for New London. With the squall
came a shift of wind from the south.
The Defender took in her club top
sail and set her working topsail, came
about and put to sea-, in a twelve knot
breeze.
In order to show Messrs. Morgan and
Vanderbilt what she could do, after max
ing a long reach, she headed for Point
Judith, which the Vigilant was about
rounding in tow of the tender. The Wig
liant was soon overhauled, and, appar-
entity anxious for another brush, the lat
ter again got under sail. But after a
short trial, in which she vas again
beaten, the Vigilant gave up the race and
the Defender returned to Newport.
The crew of the Defender speak in high
terms of her behavior, and all those who
saw the yacht yesterday express conf,
dence in her ability to beat anything in
her class.