The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-09-08
DEFENDER WINS IT
Americas Yacht Takes the First Heat
From Valkyris III.
1T WAS A BEAUTIFUL SAIL
The Home Boat Leads by Eight
Minutes and 80 Seconds-Thou-
sands Witness the Race-Cor-
rected Time, 4:59:55.

ion to-day, finishing far ahead OF the
English challenger. valSyrie ILL.,. and
giving every evidence of outclassing
the Dunraven boat in almost any kind
of weather. 1t was nip and tuck from
the first gun signal and until within a
short distance Of the mark. and then
Defender caught the breeze. and to the
delight of thousands simply sailed
away from her rival. From that mo-
ment she went on increasing her lead
to the end. winning by the surprising
margin of minutes and 40 seconds.
No event In the history Of the sport
ever excited the interest shown In the
race to-day. on Bay Ridge were gath
cred most of the crack yachts of the
port and some visitors. and all along
the line boats lay In readiness to Join
the fleet around the old Scotland light
ship. 1t was Just as grand, just as
imposing and the steamers bore just
as Interested thousands as though the
day had been a veritable yachtsman's
pday and the sky had been unclouded
overhead. OF the thousands gathered
on the decks Of the steamers, there
We're at least hundreds who cared very
little that there was a great interna-
tional yacht race on. and the probable
winner was of still less importance to
enthusiasm and the rest to whom
sickness came not. had every reason
to arouse themselves to the beauty of
the struggle.
A grander fight for position was
never seen. and almost to the end of
the outward course 1t seemed as
though the two boats were one. viewed
from directly across the water bows.
The start was Off Sea Bright. some
miles from the lightship. When the
single stickers drew up to the stake
boat. a great feet was in waiting and
strung for miles behind the rear
guard, apparently countless in number
and endless in variety. A forest Of
spars and deep wall Of smoke was
the background. and In the center Of
| the picture were the two seemingly
fragile boats. standing high UP above
| the others, clad In white. decked only
with swiftly moving figures. and even
in that light breze skimming over the
water like beings endowed with life
| and beauty.
When the preparatory gun was fired
the spectators on the beach saw the
| smoke and strained their eyes for the
start. The two white winged creatures
tackled about for the word. and they
seemed to close with each other like
wrestlers trying for hold. Several
times they came about exactly to-
gether as one boat. but II was finally
observed that the Englishman would
undoubtedly cross the line first. Amid
the plaudits of those who watched on
the steamship. Captain Haaff brought
the Defender quickly about with her
rival on the last tack and the English
man crossed only four seconds ahead
with Defender having the wind.
| The course was Is miles to windwart
and return. and the boats went off OF
the starboard tack. The swell in
creased greatly as the feet proceeded
outward. although the pace was slow
the solid phalanx OF moving craft kick
ing up quite a sea Of itself. To those
ashore, and to many afloat. 1t was &
matter OF extreme doubt until the frs
mark was reached. as to which boa
held the lead. The British boat LEI
through the early part OF the race. ant
until far out beyond any fixed point o
observation.
The most eligible points of observa
tion was the Commercial Gable com
pany's steamer from which an oceai
steamer was placed, and which wa
anchored near the starting line, nearl,
eight miles out at sea. Obviously tn
yachts might from this vantage groun,
be more accurately observed than from
shore stations. From the latter. tn
yachts having started. the range o
shore vision was obllquely across tn
course. From the cable boat observa
ton in the early part Of the race wa
directly across the course, while shor
observers were astern. The British boa
led into the fog and ran toward tn
turning mark nearing which the De
fender passed her antagonist an
turned ahead.
On the run home the identity OF tn
yachts could not be disclosed, owing (
the thickness of the fog until they wer
close to the finish. A few minutes be
fore the turn was reached, the boat
seemed to come well together an
within a moment 1t was observed tina
they had squared away for the mari
The Defender forged ahead. Previou
to this. their relative positions ha
been fixed merely by the angle fror
which the boats were observed, ol
when observed directly across theI
bows. merely by the bobbing waves
There was no mistake now. however
as the out leader OF the Defender wa
giving out, and sne was sailing ava
from her rival amid the cheers 9
thousands OF her s;aunch admirers
She came straight to the mark. an
would have rounded II perfectly ma
not big excursion steamer shut ou
the wind for a moment. The doubl
line OF steam vessels were there /
waiting to send the boats of on thei
homeward course.
The manner In which the Defends
outfoOted the Valkyrle made even ol
yachtsnen stare, for K was a remarl
atle performance for one boat. afte
sailing almost even with one anotht
for many miles, to come out at the en-
with q lead OF almost a half mil
gained in the last two. She was almo.