Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-07-02
THE DEFENDER AFLOAT
She Is Uninjured by the Result
 of the Mishap.
WORK OF RIGGING BEGUN AT ONCE.
The Trouble Was All Caused by Projecting Bolts In the Ways-Pulled Into Deep Water at High Tide by Big Wrecking Tug-Rejoicing at Bristol.


 Water at High Tide by Big Wrecking Tug-Rejoicing at Bristol. BRISTOL, R. l., July 2.-The new yacht Defender, upon which the hopes of Amer ica depend for victory over the English boat with which she is to compete next fall, today rests gracefully in the waters of Bristol bay at the dock of the Herre- shoff works, having been released from the position into which she became fas- tened during an attempt to launch her on Saturday. A thorough examination of tho huh by divers has been made, and it is pronounced uninjured by it's AS hours suspense near the end of the ways. The yacht was released by the powerful tug Right Arm after repeated attempts made during the time since she became fast. To judge from their looks, there are no happier men in Rhode Island than Captain Nat Herrcshoff and c. Oliver Iseiin. Neither, however, has anything to say.
 All efforts to move the yacht during Saturday night and Sunday having prov cd useless, it was determined to attempt to raise her from the cradle by the use of pontoons. Accordingly, at daylight on Monday morning, preparations were be- gun to accomplish the work of lightering the obstructCd yacht. The pontoons were expected to arrive from Newport, as they were to be put in at low tide, but owing to a misunderstanding they did not arrive until after the tide had reached the flood. The tide served well, and shortly after noon, when the water was pretty well up Captain Davis of the big tug Right Arm told MT. Hcrreshoff that he thought it worth while for his boat to have another pull at the Defender.
 An Anxious Moment. Captain Davis and his men then placed a network of cables about the yacht in the form of huge cats cradle This was done not only to give additional purchase, but to avoid the possibility of toppling the Defender over.
 The Right Arm then got up steam, and gathering the cables together when the word was given, started ahead. The haws- CTS became taut, but the Defender did not move. The strain was again applied, with no apparent result, and third pull was also unsuccessful.
 Captain Hcrrcshoff and Mr. Isclin, who were watching the operations, looked even more serious than bcfsEc. A conference was held with Captain Davis of the big tug. It was now nearly o'clock, and the tide was turning. At 2:55 Captain Davis, having resumed his position on the tug Right Arm, again began churning the
 
 straightcn and crackle with the strain. At this point the eager eyes on the dock noticed slight movement of the yacht, followed by decided motion toward the end of the ways, and in another moment the Defender took the water with a splash, floating easily along in the wake of the tug.
 As the boat slid off into the water Cap tain Herreshoff and Mir. Iselin seized their | A1@r, air. A loud cheer burst from the specta- tors, and at the same time a cannon at Charles Herreshoff's s, across the bay, boom ed out a salute The steam craft in the harbOr took up the sound, and for several minutes there was noisy joy. As soon as the yacht floated the cradle | separated from the keel and hoated along side. It was badly scratched and splin tered, showing that had not the builders placed it under the Defender she would | have been seriously damaged in the at tempts to release her. Divers Bradley | and Duncan went down a few minutes after the yacht was freed, but were una l ble to find the least injury to the bottom l of the boat.
 The Cause of the Iishap. The cause of the mishap to the Defend | CT is now known to have resulted from 1 prOtruding bolts used in the construction | of the ways These bolts extended through | the timbers of the ways, so that as the era | dlc came down upon them they became l imbcdded in the woodwork to the depth | of from an inch to an inch and half. By | tho repeated strains to release the boat they were drawn through the wood, split ting and shatterng it, as was seen after I ward.
 | The carpenters were put at work on the 1 Defender as soon as she was pulled into | the dock, at thc foot of the Herrcshoff | shops and began the work of finishing the interior. Meanwhile the mainmast was 1 towcd down from Walkers Cove, where l it had been resting for several days, and soon afterward it was successfully stepped. Before this time the yacht fioated with | her indicated water line 20 inches above the surface at her bow and eight inches l at her stern. The weight of the mast | brought her down about three inches at | the Bow, but unaltercd her position at the l stern, so she floats r inches above her water line.
 But the main boom and several tons of rigging are to go into her yet, so it is fig urcd that the weight of her mast is of right displacement. The opinion was giv en on good authority that it will be six weeks before the Defender will be ready for trial trip.