The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1895-09-13
MR.. EEL!N'S PROTEST
Regatta Committee Will
Decide 1t To-day.

VIII DE lnrOWn Out on Account
of the Fouling of Defender-The
American Boats Gallant Work
After Becoming Crippled.
New York, Sept. 1.-THE regatta COM
mittee of the New York Yacht club, who
have Mr. lselin's protest and Lord Dun
ravens version of the fouling of the
Defender by the Valkyrie yesterday Just
as the starting gun sounded, will make
their decision known some time to-day.
1t is generally believed that it will be in
favor of Defender. While no one sus-
poets the owner of the visiting yacht of
such unsportsmanlike conduct as inten-
tionally fouling the Yankee yacht, yet
the way he raked his great steel boom
over the deck and tore down the other
fellows rigging, and then sailed away at
his best pace over the course, was not
pleasant to patriotic Americans to con-
template. From the first every attempt
to secure fair play for the visitor has
been made. and methods that are tried
in England when American boats COM
pete are not tried here.
Cause of the Accident.
The boats in jockeying for the line
had shown some of the prettiest work
that has been seen here, and the jockey
ing resulted in the Valkyrie obtaining
the windward position. AS the two boats
headed for the line there were murmers
of disappointment in the crowd when it
was discovered that the Valkyrie had
the windward position. Both finally
approached the starting line with Val
kyrie leading and to the windward of
the Defender. Had both held their
courses there would have been no
trouble, but the anxiety of the British
skipper to get his boat over the line first
and to the windward of the enemy made
1t question if he would not cross be-
fore the starting gun sounded. To pre-
vent such predicament the Valkyrie
bore away trifie and eased out her
sheets. The main boom of the Britisher
swept over the deck of the Defender, car
rying away the topmast shrouds on the
starboard side and tearing out the jaws
of the spreader. The topmast cracked
and was badly sprung.
Protest Flag Displayed.
Just as the crash came the starting
signal was given and Valkyrie sped away
like Il rocket. Defender was luffed in the
wind the jibtopsail lowered, the wreck
age removed, ard Mr.. Iselin decided to
continue the race. Probably couple of
minutes were wasted making repairs be-
fore the boat continued on her course. A
protest flag was displayed, and the COM
mittee boat showed an answering pen
nant. Then the gallant Defender and
her plucky crew went in pursuit of the
British cutter.
A Fine Race Was Promised.
But for the accident the race would
probably have been one of the finest in
the history of Americas Cup contests.
Nothing was lacking to make it a
memorable affair. The crowds of specta-
tors and the fleet of excursion craft and
private yachts were present to lend ami
nation to the scene. There was a good
sailing breeze, the sky was clear after
the mist of the morning had been dis
PEELED and the ocean was comparatively
smooth.
Good Work OF the Crippled Boat.
1t was good day for Valkyie, but it
would have been better one for De-
fender had she not met with an accident.
The weakened topmast of the American
boat prevented her from carrying the sail
that Valkyrie carried, and she could not
keep the pace set by Dunraven's boat. In
the beat of ten miles to windward to the
first turn Valkyrie gained an advantage
of two minutes and fifty-two seconds.
At one time she led by fully mile but
as the wind freshened from six knots at
the start to fifteen at the first turn and
eighteen shortly afterwards, the De-
fender, crippled though she was, began
to gain. The second leg of the reach was
broad reach and Valkyrie used bal
loon jib topsail, while the people on the
Defender had to be content with baby
jib topsail.
Defeated Only by At Seconds.
In spite of her handicap the Defender
gained seventeen seconds on the second
leg. On the run home the Defender con-
tinued her good work, gaining one min
ute and seventeen seconds. The time
allowance of Valkyrie to Defender is
twenty-nine seconds, and allowing for
this, the difference between her time over
the course and the Defenders time was
forty-seven seconds only.
Threaten To Go Home.
In an interview Captain Cranfield of
the Valkyrie defended the course he had
taken and said he could not see how the
Defenders protest can fairly be sus-
tained. The reporter inquired: "Shall
you object to run the race over again il |
the committee decides against your
swell, l don't know" replied Captain !
Cranfield; and he added with just the |
shadow of O smile: II rather think that |
If the protest is upheld we shall make
our way home again and call it one win
EACH"