The record-union., 1895-09-11

Behind at the Finish.
New YORK, Sept. 10.-Close jookeying
between the British and American con-
testants for the Americas cup in the race
oil Sandy Hook to-day resulted in an
accident to the American boat which
spoiled the race. Fifteen thousand per-
sons, on steamboats,, tugs. steam yachts
ana ocean steamers sent up a groan OF
disappointment when that beautiful al
minimum and bronze creation was Grip
pied before their eyes. \ ot all were near
enough to see what had happened, but all
theyachting sharps said at once that there
was an accident to the topmast rigging.
Some remarks were made which would
have made ears tingle had they reached
the Valkyrie, but Lord Dunraven's
boat. after fouling the Defender, was
away cup-hunting.
w bile no one suspects the owner of
the visiting yacht OF such unsporssman-
like conduct as Intentionally fouIing the
1ankee yacht, yet the way no raked his
great steel boom over the deck ana tore
down the other fellows rigging and then
| sailed away at his best pace over the
/
leans TO contemplate.
From the tgst every attempt to secure
| lar play Tor the visitor has been made
and methods that prevail in English
races when an American boat com petes
are not tried mere. The boats in Jockey
! ing for the line had shown some OF the
prettlest work that has been seen here,
and when the jockeyiug resulted in tho
! alkyrl9 obtaining the Wiudward posi-
/ tlon, as the two boats headed for the
! line, there were murmurs OF disappoint-
/ ment In the crowd when it was dIscov-
/ cred that the Nalkyrie had the Windward
| position.
/ Both finally approached the starting
/ line, with NalkyTie leading and to the
windward OF the Defender. Had bota
! heid their courses, there would have
! been no trouble, but the anxiety OF the
| British skipper TO get his poat over the
/ llne hrst ana TO wlndwaTd OF the enemy,
/ made 1t q question If he would not cross
! before the starting gun sounded. To pre-
| vedt such predIcament, the Valkyrie
! bore away tribe, and eaSed oub her
! Sheets The main boom Of the Britisher
swept over the deck Of the Defender, car
rylng away the topmast shrouds on the
starboard side, ana tearing out the Jaws
OF the spreader. Tho tOpmast crackod
and was badly sprung.
Just as the crash came tie starting sig
nal was given, and the NaIkyrie sped
L DSienU6r
lutted III the wind, the jib Topsail low
cred, the wreckage removed, and Mr..
lselln decided 10 continue the race. Prob
ably couple of minutes were wasted
making repairs before the poat continued
on her course, a protest tlag was dis
! played Sand the committee boat showed
an answering pennant. Then the gal
liant Defender and her plucky crew went
| in pursuit OF the British cutter.
| But for the accident the race to-day
would have been one OF the finest in tha
history Of the Americas cup contests.
Nothing was lacking 10 make it q mem
oraDle affair The crowds of spectators
and the feet of excursion craft and pri-
vate yachts were present TO lend anina-
ton to the scene. There was good sail
ing breeze, the sky was clear after the
mist of the morning had been dispelled,
and the ocean was comparatively smooth.
1t was good day for the Nalkyrie, but
it would have been better one for the
Defender had she not met with an acci-
dent.
The weakened topmast of the Defender
prevented her from carrying the sail that
the Nalkyrie carried, and could not keep
the pace set by the Dunraven boat. In
the beat of ten miles to wiudward to the
first turn, the Nalkyrle gained an advan-
tage OF two minutes and tifty-two sec
onds. At one time she led by fully
mile, but as the wind freshened from the
six knots at the start 10 fifteen at the first
turn and eighteen shortly afterwards, the
| Defender, crippled though she was, be-
gan TO gain.
The second leg of the race was a broad
reach, and the Nalkyrie used u balloon
jib-topsail while the people Oh the De-
fender had 10 be contented with baby
jib-topsail. In spite of her handicap,
the Defender gained seventeen seconds
on the second leg. In the run home the
Defender continued her good work, gain
ing one minute and seventeen seconds.
| The time allowance of the Nalkyrie TO
the Defender is twenty mine seconds, and
allowing for this, the difference between
her time over the course and the Defend
er's time was forty-seven seconds only.
The early morning crowds found the
harbur and bay wrapped in fog. A gen.
eral murkinees filled the air and blew up
the city's streets from the river. The
dubious outlook kept many people at
hoLne, but there were many thousands of
others who filed down to the water front
and embarked upon everything that was
going out to see the race. Many of the
steamboats, were dangerously over
crowded, owing, no doubt, TO their re-
duction in price OF tickets from s. to 81
Yachtsmen and men wearing yachting
CABS were numerous on the club steam
ers They were not dismayed by !; little
fog in the early morning. Yachtswomen
and others who were not were gotten up
in blue serge and white duck suits. On
the steamer st. j ohm the Nom bers of the
New York Yacht Club and their guests
were assemb bleu. The Americas Cup
Committee and the Regatta Committee
went down the bay on the tug Walter L.
Lucken bach.
The yachting contingent was not dis
mayed by Whit of Jog IN the morning.
The people were out TO see all that could
he seen OF the international doings be-
yond Sandy Hook. That portion of the
general public which were actuated by
patriotic desire to be present when the
crack yachts Of Uncle Sam and John
Bull met Tor their second bout made haste
to secure good seats on the excursion
boats and club steamers. The crowd was
not as numerous as on Saturday, but IL
numbered well up into the thousands.
Most OF the steamboat Captains named
an earlier hour for departure than on
Saturday. rs they found it no easy mat
ter TO push their deep-laden craft through
thirty miles of water that intervened be-
tween the Battery and Sandy Hook
| Lightship.
Down at Bay Ridge, tugging at their
anchor chains, lay the two yachts IN
whose performance the world IS deeply
interested at present. Alter yesterdays
sail-stretching spin both sought tho
picturesque anchorage ground insloe
OwPs Head. Their towering spsrs poReo
holes in the mist this morning, as each
champion tugged at their moorlhgs. Like
a race horse champing at the bit, they
eaa,ned anxious to get away. The crews
braal, tasted early in the numbering pro-
Dellers Hattie Palmer and City OF BRIDGE
MORT which served as floating boarding