The Republican journal., 1895-10-17
Eugene Field in Chicago Record.
Defenders Winter Berth.

NEW YORK, Oct. I. The Defender, the
yacht which through the use of precious
metals in her construction cost Messrs.
Vanderbilt, Morgan and lselin something
like $500, 600 to equip and maintain, and
the boat which carried the hopes and
dollars of all true patriots in the last cup
contest, now that her work is finished,
was laid up fcT the winter season in a
little creek back Of Glen Island on We'd
nesday. While this seems rather tame
ending to what promised to be a glorious
seasons racing, it was no fault Of any one
connected with the manganese aluminium
boat that she did not wind up her career
in blaze of glory. The Defenders rae
ing career, however, is not over by any
means, with the Valkyrie still here and
another challenger coming. The Defend
Ell seemed to realize this as much as any
one, for yesterday she tugged vigorously
at four anchor chains, and with her can
vas-covered nose pointed toward Brook
Ign seemed to bid defiance to the Erie
Basin in general and the Valkyrie in par
ticular. The Defender is lying in a little
arm Of the Sound, about 200 feet wide,
between Glen Island and New Rochelle,
about hundred yards from the Hugue-
not Yacht Club house and a cable S length
from the chain ferry which connects Glen
Island and the mainland in summer. She
has been stripped of all her rigging and
spars except her masts, bowsprit and
shrouds, but could be got ready for the
starting signal inside OF ten days. Her
racing spars and canvas have all been
slowed either at Piepgras' yard City Is
land, OF in c. O. Iselin's boat house
which lightens her hull considerably, and
she now seems 10 have tremendous free
board, and as her bronze bottom shows
for fully foot all along her water line.
Her aluminium topsides received final
coat of the blue anti corrosive paint, and
the last OF her Yankee crew, a dozen in
all, left for home on Thursday. Two big
anchors, with heavy wire cables, hold the
Defender forward, while aft two immense
chain cables hold her stern in position.
One OF these chains is connected with az.
immense mooling anchor, while the other
is made fast to a ring in q big rock which
jnts out threateningly near the CT d Cove
shore, SO that nothing short OF IN earth
quake could move her.
AS the Sun reporter went to take fare
well look at the Defender lie roticed tall.
gray bearded man leaning on the club
house rail looking lovingly az the Defend
~ p SiNttA Sol l4hNS ttiltt DtIttt.lul nun. LII
moment the man turned round, and the
reporter saw that it wa, Capt Hank Half,
the Defenders famous skipper, who was
studying the cup defender SO studiously.
Capt. Half gave an apologize little laugh
when he saw the reporter and said,
swell, my boy, l kinder hate to leave
her. She never had a chance to show
what she could do. l tell you, she is
faster than any one has any idea of. She
has never been let out yet
The reporter remarked that she might
have chance next year. Capt. Half said,
''That's SO, but it does seem a shame
after all the money that was spent on this
boat that we only got one race l tell
you, though said the captain, his face
frightening up, 'sthat new fellow Rose
seems to be a blood. He dom want any
conditions or anything else; he just wants
to race
When asked if the Defender would race
the Valkyrie next year, Capt. Half said,
''Well, l understand the Defender is to
De raced, and. if the valkyrie happens to
be there, suppose there will be race
Capt. Half said that he thought the De-
tenders present mooring was one Of the
best that could have been picked out.
There is twenty feet of water there at low
tide, and under that about ten feet of soft
mud, SO she can't hurt herself. Her
bronze bottom is anti corrosive, while
her aluminium top sides are now SO high
out of water that no salt water can reach
them. No one will remain on board, but
a Waterman has been employed to look
after her during the winter.
When asked why the Defender had not
been hauled out for the winter, Capt.
Half said, "Well, you know she draws SO
much water there is no place we could
pull her out, while it would cost us $500
day to put her on the dry Dock
Capt. Half took his last meal on her
yesterday morning, and, after battening
down the matches, he left ON an afternoon
train for Islip.
Champion Tennis Player.