The record-union., 1895-09-07
Hoped.

Time Allowance to the Defender,
Though Not as Much as Many Had
Hoped.
NEW YORK, Sept. 6.-An .is ready for
the battle royal between Valkyrie Ill,
Great Britain's pride, and the Yankee
combination of aluminium and bronze,
the Defender. which all patriots hope will
keep the cup on this side OF the Atlantic
one more year. The final preparations
for the first of the international races
hava been made. Both ships are an
chored in the Horse Shoe, ready. for ac-
ton tomorrow.
The veil of mystery which has kept
the public in ignorance of the actual di-
mensions of the competing yachts was
raised to-day. John Hyslop, official
measurer of the Now York Yatch Club.
passed his steel tape from bow 10 stern,
from deck TO masthead and along boom
and bowsprit Of both crafts, and the re-
suit was that Nalkyrie allows the De-
fender 20 Lilo seconds. This is less than
the yachting sharps have guessed.
The appearance OF the Falkyrie and
the calculations which have been made
credited her with an excess of water-line
and sail area over the Defender which
would allow the latter from one to three
minutes over a thirty-mile course. The
cutting away OF the alter body of the
Valkyrle, and the light steel boom which
was recently substituted have undoubt-
edly given her saving on load-water-
line, which reduced the time allowance to
less than half minute. Both boats are
less than elghty-nine feet on the load
Water-line, instead of being close TO
ninety feet, and the VaIkyrie is two
lengths OF foot longer than the Defender.
her SAL area ls greater, but the Defender
has boom l16 feet long, while that of
the other boat is only JOG feet
The prospect OF seeing the Nalkyris
and Defender together before the great
race was an attraction which drew
crowds TO the Erie Basin. They began
to arrive at break of day, many taking in
tue sight before going to breakfast. The
numbers increased, until at IL o'clock
fully 5000 persons swarmed about the
dock. and during the afternoon it wss
estimated that 5000 were present Before
the day was over fully 10000 persons
must have viewed the boats. They were
OF all conditions and there were many
women. Yacht caps bearing devices
showed that the yachting world was we'll
represented, and there was many a
bronze-taced English ship-master or
sailor who talked yachting as glibly as
any 1resh-water sailor.
u.
and shortly after II o'clock went aboard
the Nalkyrie. lie began the work of
measuring just as the tall mast of the De-
fender was seen over the great storehousa
near the entrance 10 the basin. AS the
Defender was towed into the basin by tho
tug Wallace B. Flint the crowd rushed to
the end of the nelghboring piers and
climbed up the sides OF big ships and into
their rigging, and Surged over into the
tugs a. tue wharves. Small boats crarg
around from all directions, and then,
from the crowd of spectators grouped as
tor picture on some festal occasion q
mighty shout went up for the American
boat Captain Hail responded by taking
Oft his cap. MIR. lselin was at once taken
aboard the Defender and the absence flag
floating from the starbOard spreader was
hauled down.
AS the yachts were brought near to-
gether the greater weight OF the VAL
kyrie's spars and rigging was apparent.
The Defenders s rig was more graceful aud
trim than her rivals, as her underbody
also was. The light blue paint on her
topsides did not snow up tavorably. how
ever, with the immaculate white of her
opponents, nor did the un bleached color
OF the rame cloth mainsail, in its furls.
look as natty as the Valkyrie's white
duck.
An inspection of the Defender showed
that with her change OF boom, gaff and
the removal Of her water-tanks and other
fixtures, she hOated pretty light. 1t was
therefore decided that she could stand
some more ballast, and accordingly about
Il ton OF lead, IN pigs, which earlier had
been placed on the tender, was passediover
on to her and slowed below. Then the
measuring was proceeded with, the sail
area being taken last.
Mr. Watson said: eve hope to win
but are prepared to lose," and be looked
as though the hope fathered thought.
Mr.. Iselin would say nothing of the
prospects, but he looked as though salts
fed.
1t was generally believed in yachting
circles that the difference in time allow
anCe in favor of the Defender would be
anywhere from one-half to two minutes,
and consequently there was some disap-
pointment when the announcement was
made.
ON the eve of the battle, betting has be-
come quite brisk. English and Canadian
money has been held back for better odds
than have been offered. Small bets were
made at varying odds of to 2 on the De-
fender, but In large amounts the odds
were to and 10 TO Z. The latter was
the latest figure at the New York Yacht
Club and the hotels. On the Stock Ex-
change to-day. it was said on good
authority that $4,000 was placed. L. T.
Adams placed $1,000 on the Valkyrie at
odds Oft 10 10. The wager was laid for
an English client The betting opened
and closed at to 10. with wagers in tho
interim at to 10. The Valkyrie end of
the betting has been taken principally by
Canadians.
The weather outlook for Tomorrow
favors the American rather than the Enga
lish boat. Local ForecasIer Dunn, after
carefully going over his reports to-day,
said: Taking all in all, the conditions
most likely to prevail tomorrow viii be
favorable for the contest. There viii be
g brisk wind OF from ten to eighteen
miles an hour. 1t will come at first from
the northeast, shifting to a southeasterly
quarter. 1t is bound to be an on-shore
wind. The indications are that the sky
will be overcast nearly all day. There
may possibly be light showers. 1t is not
likely that there will be any heavy rain.'
The hotels are full of people from
distance and New Workers have hocked
in from summer resorts in order TO wit
ness the struggle. 1t is estimated that
fully 10000 people will witness the first
race.