New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-31
A MISHAP TO THE DEFENDER
Trouble WITH HER STEERING GEAR
PUTS HER OUT OF THE RACE.

CONSTELLATION LEADER OF TIE
souADRoN-THE DEFENDER En-
rECTED TO BE READY TO
SAIL AGAIN TO-DAY.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO TRIBUNE1
New-London. Conn. July 3O.-Ths morning
aawned bright and fair for the fleet OF yachts
rbich made up the New-York Yacht Clubs
cruising squadron at anchor in Huntington
Raw. A falling barometer. which went down so
rap,dly as to cause apprehensions of storm
IN the minds of experts was promise Of a
hreeze which would speed the yachts on their
rim to New-London. The wind came surely
enough. 1t south southwest. and came at
arst In puffs then developed into a good whole
sail breeze. The tide was setting eastward, and
running strong. Nothing could look fairer for
a fast 6S-mile run from Eatons point to
New London Light About ten minutes before
the preparatory signal the second accident of
the cruise occurred. 1t was on board the RAJ
mona and was not serious though II gave
start to some of those below on this vessel,
and caused them to rush on deck. believing
that some serious collision mad taken place.
The Ramona. in moving about little before
the signal, broke her throat halyard-block.
which snapped from the masthead and fell ff-
,een feet down the mast This Stacked down
The damage to the sailing portion of the vessel
was quickly repaired by few lashings
The Defender and the Vigilant attracted
asnecial attention in the preliminary manou-
vr,ne and wing stretching which took place
before the preparatory gun was fired. The
vieiant made fully as good a showing in the
preliminary spurts as her conqueror The Vigil
liant had her clubtopsail and No l jibtop-
call set over her lower sails. MI wizard
brought the Vigilant round by the Sylvia twice
tn such style as to show that this boat is i'm
nrovine steadily. Close by the Nigilant was
the Defender with her big mainsail sweilins 10
catch every breath of wind and extract every
PARTICLE Of motive power from 1t before rern-
s,,,s. ing her grasp. The Defender had a club
tops,;i set over her lower sails
rbe signal to prepare doomed from the Sylvia's
aeck AT $50. although ii mad oeen announced that
the start would be made as early as = O'CLOCK.
Ten minutes later the firing of the second gun
Nth the lowering Of the Blue Peter and the rais-
ING NJ one red ball told all the sngle-masted YES
sells except the Vlgant and the Defender 'ha'
they could cross the line and begin the hrst vi
the squadron runs. The Queen Nab bore down
n get across first and resume her contest with
the energetic Wasp The Queen Nab was
nc,ure as she came over the line her white sails
more speedy than in the opening days race
Closely following the Queen Nab was the Norota
leading the Gossoon and the Wasp. which came
over the line Immediately afterward in the order
named. but so near together that 1t was difficult
10 saw IL either had any advantage. The wasp
seemed TO be getting a little better wind than
the Gossoon. The Eclipse made a good showing
as she crossed the line, heading away FOR the
no
the Katrina. the Ventura and the Clara. The
Iasca was the first of the schooners across the
line crossing almost simultaneously with the
firing of the third gun and the hosting OF me
second ball After the Lasca came the Nearea
and the F.lsemarie. The Loyal. which crossed
shortly afterward the first vessel to hoist her
balloon IS The Montauk and the Ramona
closely followed by the Marguerite were next In
the order named. The Emerald came across more
slowly. having attendants Bayard mayer
Constellation and W. Gould Brokaws Amorlta
The other schooners TO cross the line were the
Ariel. Iroquols Brinhde and Shamrock which
went over as named.
START OF THE BIG SIOOPS.
Then came the big sloops In racing rig, the
Defender aid the Vigilant. The Vigllant, with
seeming good augury and by skilful manoeu-
wiring got nearly a minute in advance OF the
Defender and was going with rush. The un-
official time Of the Defenders start was 6"2Ib;
that Of the Vigilant G:5l As. Jus: after going
over, the Defender broke out her balloon-ji btop-
sail. AS the barometer had said it would. the
wind came on until there stin breeze
The sloops and schooners flew before H. more
than heeling over til it looked as II the ac-
cident that frequently happens TO the toy
yachts on Central Park lakes would befall them
and they would lay over fiat on their sides
their masts and sails IN the water. Within an
hour the sailing boats were nearly all far IN
advance Of the steam yachts. while the sylvia
on which the committee representing the
New-York Yacht Club and the ID. y Arnoti. the
tug carrying the reporters. snorted miles behind
the leaders Of the yacht squadron FREDERICK
Vanderbilt's Conqueror was at the line or New
London TO take the time OF incoming yach's
As the wind increased, tOpmasts were housed
More than one yacht had TO pull up into the
wind TO accomplish this. BY 10 o'clock the
leaders of the squadron were out OF sight OF the
ofhcials on the Sylvia. and at noon only few
distant sails indicated where the cruising meet
was All but or two stragglers That had
fallen behind even the judges boat and the
press tug were nearly lost to view
The effect OF the wind was apparent when the
yachts arrived of the Ncw-London light. ii
the Defender had experienced one or TWO such
blows when she was of Mt lselih
summer home. at Premium Point she
would have had no occasion 10 com
Plain q lack Of opportunity to give
good stretching to her sails. The wind Die"
harder toward p o'clock. wher the yachts were
In the neighborhood OF Corrfield Reef IL was
about here that one of the fierce pnts iahdea
fairly on the Norota's jibtopsails ana sph'
them as II knife had made cleah cut oi
their whole Length. and another maze rent
In the balloon iib Of tie Ventura "''0" !e"'
dered that sail r'ecc Of useless canvass Inc
Defender whose tlb.opsail was split in the
race from Glen Cove on Monday, was obliged
% carry a balloon jibtopsan Captain Han was