The Portland daily press., 1895-09-11
VALKYRIE'S FOUL
Nav Cause Race To Be Declared
Off.
THE DEFENDER SAILED THE
COURSE UNDER PROTEST.

The American Champion in a Disabled
Condition Beaten Only Al Seconds
The COMMITTEES VIII Decide on the
Protest Today and it is Expected They
viii Announce "No Race"
On Board United Press Tug via Sandy
Hook, September 10.-Fog and general
murklness ushered in the day set for the
second contest between Lord Dunraven' s
Valkyrie and the American yacht De-
fender. On bay and river the white haze
hid the shipping from view. Farmer
Dunn had modestly predicted slight
haze, but there was curtain Of mist that
seemed most discouraging. However,
there was gentle wind coming in from
the westward and Old Sol was forging
shafts of heat in the East that soon
worked through thu fog and all yachts
men donned their blue suits and caps
with rakish yizors and pretty girls galore
arrayed themselves in nautical rigs OF
serge and duck.
The yachting contingent was not dis
mayed by Whit of fog in the morning.
The people were out to see all that could
be seen of the great international doings
beyond Sandy Hook. That portion Of the
general public which was aotuated by a
patriotic desire to be present when the
crack yachts of Uncle Sam and John
Bull met for the second bout made haste
to secure good seats on the excursion
boats and club steamers.
Down at Bay Ridge, tugging at their
anchors chains, lay the two yachts in
whose performances the world is chiefly
interested at present. After yesterdays s
sail stretching spin. both sought the
picturesque anchorage ground inside
Owls Head. Their towering spars poked
holes in the mist this morning as each
champion tugged at her moorlngs, which
serve as floating boarding houses for the
men, After breakfast was a careful
tautening up and testing of rigging and
deck tackle.
Like race. horse champion at the bit.
they seemed anxious to get away Their
crews break kfasted early on the numbering
propellers, Hattie Palmer and City of
bridgeport.
The Defender was the first of the two
racers to leave Bay Ridge. She lay in the
midst of feet of the finest steam and
sailing yachts in America. At 740 she
took a q line from the tug and started for
the scene of action. The Valkyrie left
her moorings ten minutes later in tow.
The wind was little west of south,
and was blowing about six knots at
Sandy Hook lightship at ten O'Clock
when the Defender arrived. She had up
her mainsail, clubtopsails jib and stay
sail.
The crack Yankee yacht dropped her
tow and stood off toward the southland.
The sea was smooth except for the little
dancing waves that played about her
sharp bows instead OF dashlng against
them as on Saturday.
The sun had dispelled nearly all the
mist and a few f1aky white clouds drifted
across the azure sky. 1t was pretty day
for the yacht race and no troublesome
roll marred the pleasure of the people on
the floating city formed about the old
red hulk of lightship.
The Valkyrie arrived at o:15, and
dropped her tow and cruised off to the
eastward, stretching her sails and getting
things ready for business.
Soon after 1910 clock the committees S
tug, the Walter Luckenbach, arrived off
the Sandy Hook.. ..lightship. She found a
gentle breeze blowing from almost due
south at the rate of six orsseven miles IAN
hour and gently running sea with little
or no ground swell. The conditions Of
those of Saturday, the only difference,
the smoother sea being in the Valkyrie's 9
favor. The course was triangular, 10
miles on a side with the start off Sandy
Hook lightshipt It was decided that the
first leg of triangle be laid due south,
the second leg northeast by cast, the third
leg northwest by west one half west. AS
the wind was blowing almost straight
from the south 1t was evident that the
first leg would be dead beat to wind
ward, the second legssa broad reach and
the third leg a closo hauled reach
At TO- so the preparatory signal was
fred. Both the racers were taken to the
leeward of the line and some distance
apart. both were on the starboard tack
and each had the same canvas set, con-
sisting of mainsail, staysail, and jib,
withaa iibtopsail in stops ready to break
out. when the guns fired the. e..Defender,
which Wasas to the eastward, came about
ON the port tack and stood toward the
Valkyrie. The latter being still upon
the starboard tack, held the right Of way,
and as the Defender approached her she
luffed up into the wind and went about
This brought the Talkyrie on the wealth
windward of her just trife behind but
tapping .her, and so gave her the weather
gauge The Defender could have easily
ayerted this by luffing and going about
when the Valkyrie did, but as there was
five minutes left before the start she
did not do so, her captain thinking 1t
would be easy enough to shake off the
Britisher before crossing the line But
there Capt. Half made big mistake
The Valkyrie was justiwhere she wanted
to be and she stayed there Do what
she could the Defender could not shake
off the foe clinging to her hanks. After
the Englishnan had secured the much
coveted position both boats stood along
toward the westward on the port tack
until beyond the committees boat. Then
Cap Half jibed suddenly hoping to get
around and luff up to the wfndward Of
the Valkyrie before she coud get around,
but Capt Cranfeld was quite as. clever
He di1 not attempt to 90 about, and
he jibed so quickly that the relative
positions of the two boats remained un-
changed. The Valkyrie still kept the
weather. This was at TO- S.
The two boats came back on the star
board tack toward the starting line They
passed around one of the big excursion
steamers and thenEas the time was short,
began to approach the line from it's west