The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-20
READY FOR THE BATTLE.
The Defender at Anchor in the
Horseshoe inside of
Sandy Hook.
Two More Races With the Vigllant
to Decide Which Yacht VIII
Defend the Cup.

NEW YORK, n. Y, Aug. 19.-The final
preparations have been made for the first
of the trial races TO determine what yacht
shall meet the challenger for the America
cup, and the Defender and Vigilant will
meet off Sandy Hook for a battle royal.
Both yachts are in better trim than ever
before and both will be sailed to the limit
of their abilities. Without question the
Defender has been held back, and while
probably no jockeying has been in
tended, the syndicate boat has not
shown her full ability to go. The
newness of her spars, sails and
fittings has made her people cautious
about subjecting her to the heavy strain
that she must endure when pushed. Now
that her sails have been stretched and rig
ging gradually made taut the boat is ready
for her full powers to be tested. She has
her big 1O5-foot boom and largest Heres
hoff mainsail aboard, and is now equipped
as she will be for the international races,
provided she is chosen to defend the cup.
Her crew had busy day to-day. They
put the last finishing touches to her, and
this afternoon she was towed from her
moorings off New Rochelle to New York.
The recent painting and scraping of her
aluminium sides and bronze underbody and
the new spars and sails, make her the most
handsome cup-defender Yankee ingenuity
has ever put together.
At4P. NJ the Defender made sail and
started down the bay toward the Narrows.
There was a spanking breeze from the
north-northwest, and, under mainsail. fore
sail and jib, the crack sloop ran away from
her tender, the Hattie Palmer, and easily
passed the iron steam boat Taurus with
load of excursionists bound for Coney
Island.
The Defender passed the Narrows at 80
o'clock, and, with her white sides gleam-
ing in the sunlight, swept down the lower
bay to an anchorage IN the Horseshoe,
where the Vigilant has been since yester-
day. The Horseshoe Is just inside of Sandy
Hook and is a safe anchorage ground near
the starting point of the races and saves
much work tor the crews of the yachts.
The Vigilant remained quietly at anchor
to-day. She is in perfect condition for one
more try at the Defender, and George
Gould, who has spared neither money nor
trouble, and E. A. Willard, who has de-
voted most of lis time, deserve much
credit for their craftsmanship. Although
they saw tit to retire the Vigilant from fur
Their races at Newport on account of the
disregard for the customary rules of yacht
ing, they have kept their word and placed
the cup-defender of 1893 at the disposal of
the America cup committee for the trial
races. Mr.. Willard has stated, however
the road by Mr.. Iselin or the shippers of
the Defender will be at their risk, as he
does not propose to keep on forever
giving way to the new boat. Although
the regatta committee decided against
Mr.. Wizards protest, the concensus of
opinion among yachtsmen is that the De-
fender attempted to "hog the line" The
unpleasant occurrence is not likely to be
repeated, as neither Mr.. Willard nor Mr..
lselin want to see the Defender in a col
Hsion.
The race tomorrow will be one of two
which were set by the America cup COM
mittee to determine which is the best
yacht to meet Lord Dunraven's challenger.
General Payne's Jubilee will not take part
in the trials and the contest will be be-
tween the Defender and the Vigilant.
Should one boat win to-morrow's race and
the other boat the second race third race
may be fixed up for Saturday. From the
showing that the Defender has already
made in her races with the Vigilant there
is little doubt that she will be selected to
meet Valkyrie III.