The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-08
ALL HAIL, GALLANT DEFENDER!
VICTOR IN THE FIRST OF THE IN
TERNATIONAL CUP RACES.

The Vast and Patriotic Crowds That
Assembled TO View the Contest
Downcast and Dispirited at the
start. But When Defendes Got I'm
der Headway the British ChaIIeng-
er Was in No Manner, Apparently,
a Match for the Defender-Then
Everybody Was Happy, the COrIxs
Popped, the Gums Roared and the
whistles sereeched-The Battle Re
viewed.
New York. Sept. 7.-An hail. Defenderl
The aluminium and bronze boat defeat
ed Valkyrie III eight minutes and forty
nine seconds in the first of the races for
the Americas cup to-day.
Twenty thousand people on the great
est aotilla that ever assembled oft Sandy
Hook Witnessed the race, and there was
d scene of hilarious joy when Defender
crossed the line fully two miles ahead of
Lord Dunraven's boat.
The joy of the multitude was undoubt-
edly increased by the fact that Valkyrie
led the Yankee boat for the first hour.
She walked away from Defender in a way
that led Engllshmen to fondly hope that
their day had come at last. Bright Wis
ions Of the Americas cup fioated before
their eyes, while the patriotic Americans.
who were packed tier above tier on the
many-deebed excursion steamers. were
very glum.
hush fell over the marine amphithea-
ter when the boats started and all the
=-..- 90 ,,aot,+f,o, saor,a1 cone Vuben tho
Valkyrie easily moved to the front and
showed her heels to the Defender. Cheers
and enthusiasm were missing for full
hour when the British boat was leading.
There was oniy a 5-knot breeze at the
start and as predicted in these dispatches,
Valkyrie was going through the water
faster than the Defender in the light air.
There was lumpy sea on
and quite swell came in
from the ocean. but the buffeting
Of the waves against the Britisher's bow
did not keep her back She outpointed and
outfooted the Hereschon boat, to the
amazement of the great crowd of specta-
tors. But after establishing a lead of a
good quarter of mile, the wind having
freshened, the cup challenger failed to
hold her own, and the yankee yacht began
TO gain. When the crowd saw II there
was a general Frightening up and as it
became plain that the product of Ameri-
can brains was picking up her rival
cheer went up and tugs whistled and
screeched.
As both boats were beating to wind
ward, 1t was impossible To say just when
the Defender overhauled the British boat,
but it was about lbs o'clock p. m, when
the boats had covered the first half to
vii ri her
there was no catching her, and as the
wind continued to freshen she opened up
a very large gap between her stern and
the bow of Lord Dunraven's boat.
When Defender reached the outer mark
she had an advantage of minutes and q
seconds. There was a big demonstration
as the yankee boat made the turn. The
wind having shifted, the run home became
broad reach and il was a constant gain
for the gallant American boat. Going
home the gain was 4 minutes, 50 seconds.
With the time allowance of 20 seconds,
the Defenders victory was minutes, 40
seconds. The wind was 10 knots a the
finish The days race showed Valkyrie
III moved ike a ghost in a wind of less
than six knots and that she seemed speed
Ter than Defender in that wind. 1t also
showed that with a wind of from s to 10
knots in both windward work and broad
reaching the English boat could not keep
the pace set by Defender Both yachts
We're somewhat interferred with by the at
tendant fleet but the attendant yachts
kept fairly clear course except at the
start and finish.
The outlook early this morning for ideal
racing weather was not at all encourage
ing to the many thousands of persons who
had made up their minds to witness the
first Of the great international races. De-
spite an ominOus locking sky, an east
erly breeze, the dread Of the land lub-
bers, the many hundreds Of craft left
New York crowded to their utmost ca
pacity. There was no blue sky to glad
den the excursionists' hearts, but an oc-
casional bright streak at least gave them
hope
As early as 7:9O o'clock in the morning
The harbOr began 10 show signs of fes-
Eiyity. Gaily bedecked steamers were
anchored at nearly every pier taking on
their load of human freights. The start
ing point of the race was over thirty miles
from the city, and thus those wishing
to be on hand when the racers were sent
OFF on their struggle for the cup had to
get under way by $3.50 o'clock q. m. All the
excursion boats had left their docks at
that hour. Steam sailing yachts with
owners and guests aboard got under way
early, too, and were among the first to
reach the scene Of the days battle. Tug
boats We're chartered for the day for the
people not opulent enough to own ocean
mingle with the promiseuous throng on
excursion steamers, were out in great
numbers.
They poked their noses into the bill
lows, which seemed ever ready to engulf
them, and made more noise with their
Whistles than boats of a respectable size.
The procession down the bay, though
somewhat obscured by =the haze which
hung over the water, was one Of the sights
oI the day Slow boats starting first were
passed by faster ones. which left the
city later, and the line of vessels was one
OF Kaleidoscope changes.
The great fleet Of steam yachts anchor
cd off Bay Ridge and along the Staten Is
land shore Of the bay, moved out one by
one and Joined the passenger steamers
in the channel outward bound. The finest
noating palaces in American waters were
l1 the procession and the passengers on
dJilar-a-head excursion boats, who found
themselves sandwiched in between the
Yachts Of the Astor and Vanderbilt fam
lies, concluded that they were in the
swim at least. On the club steamers
!schtsmen with rakish caps and gold en-
bf0ldery were numerous They were ac-
hfr oh