Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-15
LATE SPORTING NEW S
THE DEFENDER.
In n Trial Sail With the yigilant She
Shows Superiority.

In n Trial SaiI With the VigiIant She
Shows Superiority.
The Defender outsailed the victorious
Vigilant in a fair and interesting trial con-
test yesterday afternoon off Newport, and
Messrs. Iselin, Morgan and Vanderbilt, the
members of the syndicate, who followed
every movement of both boats. express
themselves well pleased with the results.
The new yacht behaved admirably, and
both outsailed and outpointed her opponent.
She was quick in stays. 1t only requiring
eighteen seconds to change her course.
Just before IL o'clock the Vigilant was
seen coming down the bay. Capt. Half at
once gave orders to get under way and
lay-to in waiting for the Vigilant. AS she
approached the Defenders crew hoisted
club topsail. The Vigilant did the same
and both boats headed seward. the De-
fender in the lead, with her sails fitting
perfectly. Her clubsail was much larger
than the VigiIant's and gave her a decided
advantage. large fleet of yachts, under
steam and sail, started to follow the race,
but only the steam yachts followed the
boats the whole way.
Soon after IL o'clock the Vigilant broke
her spinnaker, but the syndicate boat wait
ed for her to come up, then the Defender
set her spinnaker and both started on an
even line heading south by east.
The Defender had trouble with her spin
maker and took it in three times before it
fell properly. On this account she lost
ground. The Vigilant's spnnaker was
much larger, but it did not draw as we'll as
the Defenders after it was adjusted. At
noon the Vigilant was trifie behind
At 1906 pm, after having run eight
miles in fifty-one minutes, the Vigilant took
In her spinnaker and headed toward the
Narragansett shore. The Defender immedi-
ately followed.
When they came about the Vigilant was
two lengths ahead with the wind on the
beam. The Defender at once began to
crawl ahead from leeward, soon opening
space of two lengths between her and the
Gould boat, soon doubling the distance.
Both boats were then carrying balloon jibs
At 1920 the Defender came about and set
her jb and sky sail and hauled down the
balloon jb. The baby lib topsail was also
set. The Vigilant came about seven min
utes later and set the same sails. Her lib
torsail was nearly twice the size of the
Defenders. Both boats pointed well, but
the Defender showed marked superiority
in this respect as we'll as in speed.
At 12:4S they came about on the port
tack. the Defender far ahead and we'll up
to windward. The latter came about and
pulled away in eighteen seconds. Both con-
finued on the same leg until after o'clock,
when a squall was seen coming from the
southwark.
The Vigilant's commander at once came
about. took in her head sails and she was
tahCh III toW ny utT tender. Inc latter
headed for New London. With the suuall
came shift of wind from the south The
Defender took in her club topsail and set
ner working topsail, came about and put
to sea in a 12-knot breeze
In order TO show Messrs.. Morgan and
Vanderbilt what she could do. after MAX
ing long reach, she headed for Point JII-
dith: which the Vigilant was about round
ing In tow of the tender. The Vigilant was
soon oTerhauled, and, apparently anxious
Tor another brush, the latter again got
under sail. But after a short trial in
which she was again beaten, the Vigilant
gave up the race and the Defender return
ed to Newport. casting anchor at o'clock
Pm.
The syndicate boat will go to Bristol to-
morrow to receive the finishing touches
nerore starting for New York. The crew of
the Defender on their return spoke in high
terms of her behavior. Capt. Half was
fairly elatod with her work after the suuau
ana all who observed the yacht today ex-
press confidence in her ability to compete
with anything in her class af1oat