Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-08-07
STRAINED RELATIONS.
Claim That Vigilant Has Been I'm
! fairly Treated by Defender.
Centerboard Will Not Meet
/ With Fin-Keel Again.
Wizards Action Creates a Sensation In the
\ Yachting World.

NEWPORT r. I. Aug. THE surprise Of
thc day here Is letter 70 tho New York
Yacht club regatta committee from E. A.
Willard, who represents Commodore
George J. Gould on the Vigilant, with
drawing the Vigilant for the races on
Thursday and Saturday. The letter Is as
follows:
On BOARD THE VIGILANT
NEWPORT HARBoR
TO the Regatta Committee, New York Yacht
Il Club
DEAR SIRs-I hereby withdraw Vigilant's
entries for the races on Thursday and Satur
day In doing 80, wish to add IA few words Of
explanation.
AS you are aware, Mr.. Gould and T. as his
representative, fitted out and repaired Vig
liant for racing for no purpose in the world
cept to assist In developing the fastest Ameri-
can yacht and thus aid In the defense OF the
Americas cup. 70 this end Mr.. Gould has
cheerfully gone to the greatest expense and
have taken much pains md spent much time.
cannot, however, consent TO continue racing
Vigilant unless the contests to be oon-
Quoted according to the rulesof yachting.
i have now twice given way to Defender
at the start OF the race when Vigilant clearly
had right OF way, because / was unwilling
to risk a collision which might leave Amer
lea without cup defender. However willing
may have been TO waive my rights In the
past, am not willing to go waving them
In difficulty. and even II / were, it Is quite
possible that situation might be created In
which collision would be inevitable.
Mr.. 4ould's sole desire, az well rs my own,
Is that the cup may be- defended by the fastest
American soop. which might not DO the case
II Vigilant and Defender collided.
As you know, have already protested De-
tenders action at the start July ~. In to-
days race Defender again violated the rules,
and forced Vigilant out OF position 10 which
she was entitled. In both cases there would
have been collision II vigilant had not
given way. In each case the responsibility of
avoiding an accident was cast upon me. It
would not be fair either to the yacht or her
owner to continue racing under those oondi-
tions. Very respectfully yours
K. A. WILLARD.
When Mr.. Willard handed this letter to
the members OF the press last night, he
remarked that the Vigilant was still @t
the disposal OF the Americas cup COM
mittec, to be used for any purpose they see
fit.
: How 1t Was Received.
Mr.. Iselin was taken aback by the news
that the Vigilant had decided to draw out,
but he would make no answer to the let
ter. Mr.. Kane. chairman Of the regatta
subject, as did Mr.. Grinnell, another mem
Der.
1t is known, however, that as soon as
the committee received Mr.. Willard's let
ter all hands of them went over to see
the writer OF the unique missive and had
long talk with him. The rsSult of the
interview is not officially Known, and
probably will not he until the clouds of
hut thn Of Me-
Willard, after Ii took place, was one that
indicated flrmness of intention that
could not be mistaken. That there is a
strong feeling somewhere between the
owners of the Defender and Vigilant is SO
evident that it can almost be stated for a
fact.
Ex-Commodore Smith, chairman of the
Americas cup committee, was very much
surprised at the action of Mr.. Willard He
read the letter over carefully, and then
said:
II regret exceedingly that Mr.. Willard
has seen fit to take this action do not
believe that the Defender people desire
that anything but the fairest treatment
should be given to the Vigilant. The
Americas cup committee are not acting
in the capacity Of "a regatta committee
They are only to judge of the relative
ability of the two boats which may COM
pete, so that 80 far as question Of any
unsportsmanlike action Is concerned they
have nothing to do with 1t. Their desire
is to get the very best boat, and they leave
the conduct Of the trial races in the hands
OF the regatta committee"
A very prominent yachtsman, whose
words may be safely taken as expressing
the opinions of the New York Yacht club,
said: "Mr. Willard's action was Of the
weakest possible character. II Ned Will
lard felt that he had n grievance he should
have made another protest, and waited
forthe
Action of the Regatta Committee.
His action, however, in withdrawing the
Vigilant from the races Is extremely ex-
asperating and cannot be too strongly
condemned. I am surprised that he
should do such thing after the COM
mendable manner with which he has
raced the Vigilant, and cannot SEQ how
he has gained anything by pulling out ut
this time. The letter Is confession of
weakness"
. II any additional test had been needed
TO show that the fin-keel yacht Defender
Is better all round boat In light weather
than the centerboard Vigilant 1t was fur
nished yesterday, when those yachts raced
over 2l-mile equilateral triangular
course, outside of this harbor, for q 500
cup, offered by J. r. Drexel. The course
was one which gave tho contestants every
chance OF showing what they could do.
They started out on n beat of seven miles
90 windward, then had full reach OF the
same distance, and finally n run home be-
fore the wind for seven miles moro. In
the first two legs the Defender easily
showed her superiority. On the run before
Che wind, when the Vigilant, with her
hauled up and spinnaker set
FOR half tho distance, gained only 1m 13s.,
when 10 was expected that the keel boat
would sustain loss Of about en-. In that
sort OF sailing.
The result Of tho day only confirmed tho
opinion that Is universally held on tho
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