St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-09-11

so often to the line, like true Brit
on, with seldom a chance of win
ming as events have happened. Lit
tie was promised in the way of pleas
ant weather during the early hours
of the day, for the clouds hung low
and the fog spread itself over the
waters, and misty rain fell. Old
weather sharps declared that there
might be a fair breeze outside, but
that rain it would. But soon after
the, long, keen racers weighed their
anchors off Bay Ridge there came
burst of sunshine, yelled in gold
en- haze, and when the old lightship,
red and swinging over the Hook,
was reached, there was a sky flecked
only here and there with a light
cloud.
Out through the Narrows and into
the open water Defender stood up high,
far ahead of Valkyrie, and going under
her own canvas almost before the
Englishman thought of hoisting the
mainsail. Passing craft, inward
bound, drew alongside to feast their
eyes on the beauties, and early as 1t
was when the lightship was reached,
quite d HdIuSOIfl6 meet WAS QIdWH up
to greet them. And later came the
others. There was life and motion at
the start, although it was no such sign
as was presented on the day of the
first race. Far back in the quiet
hours the sea was dotted here and
there with sail, and the smoke on the
horizon told of an advancing fleet, and
when the first gun was fired a swing
ino rd hrio-ht with color
there to speed the racers on their
journey. Then, while all eyes were on
that invisible line, over which a step
made too soon would prove fatal. De-
tenders mishap came. Recovering
quickly, however, and followed eagerly
by those to whom the breaking away
of the jib topsail and the bending of
the topmaSt meant for the moment
abandonment of all hope, she went in
stern pursuit
A STERN CHASE.
Valkyrie's lead and her better posi-
ton was not much improved during
the first leg. The Valkyrie did excel
ent work, but Defender, going just as
her mishap left here, clung to her rival.
Within a few minutes it was seen that
Defender meant to sail the first leg
without a jib topsail and to many of
those on the excursion steamer and
accompanying yachts this gave the
first inkling that an accident had oc-
Cured, and that Defenders topmast
was the weak spot. The course was
down the Jersey coast, and nautical
experts on board some of the boats,
critically observing Defenders pro-
gress, expressed themselves as believ-
ing she was merely following the
Englishman over the course without
attempting to race. This belief was
strengthened by the fact that, directly
after the fouling at the line, protest
flag was run up with a vigor that de-
noted determination on the part of the
American commander. But Defender
was in for a race, and during the pro-
gress of the first few miles sufficient
repairs were made to enable her to set
a baby jib topsail after rounding the
first buoy. In the beat to windward
the watches marked Valkyrie three
minutes and fifty-two seconds in ad-
vance of Defender. The second leg
was expected to try the nerves of
those who had set their hearts on vic
tory for the cup defender, for her little
jib topsail looked like a speck COM
pared with the great bellying balloon
drawing tremendously. But the sec
ond ten miles was a veritable victory
for the Yankee. She gained slowly.
but she gained steadily, and turning
the second mark not far behind her
rival, she now had a better chance to
long odds to win than a few miles back
in the journey. 1t cheered anxious
hearts on the floating city, for 1T is no
exaggeration to say that ninety-nine
| hundredths of those af1oat were De-
| fender men from first to last.
THE RUN HOME.
| The last leg was a run home with
| the wind abeam, and there was rush
| Of steamers in the direction of the
| lightship. A ten-knot breeze lifted the
top of a chance wave, and the wash
| of the steamer stumbled the little
craft about bit, but afar back the
| two single stickers, Defenders sails
only showing, were skimming over
mill pond, with their lee rails awash,
and both rapidly overhauling the flo
| tilla speeding in advance Little
| Queen Nab, herself a. racer, came
about and joined the steamers far
| ahead of the contestants, and finally,
| being outfooted, was overhauled first
|
! sister boats. She seemed to catch all
| the breeze, and heeled over in an effort
| to run along with them, and she did
| give each for the time a lively brush,
| but at last faded back into the dis
| tance Then NavahOe, with a main
| sail like Valkyrie's, hove in sight near
/ the lightship and the final mile or
| two was to be run. Towards the end
! it was evident that the gap was clos
| ing and Valkyrie had scarcely crossed
| the line and got Of the way when De-
| fender came tearing along like thor
| oughbred under the wire. She must
| have put on an extra burst of speed to
| crafty those who had kept their eyes
| on her white canvas from gun to gun,
| for she was well on her side, and her
! sails bulged with the force of the
| driving breeze as a roar of whistles
and volley of cheers and cannonad-
| ing gave her alteration for the struggle.
| Such is brief. outline of the events
| of today The real story is known
only to those who watched the fight
| Saturdays race, the first of the series,
| was decisive, but none could tell what
Valkyrie might do under other condi-
| tions. Today she was favored to the
end and it was a victory that will be
| told best in detailed story that fol-
| lows this. 1t was feared that after
| Defenders mishap the contest would
prove so unequal as to lose it's inter-
est. But it was this very accident
| that gave the Englishman a fighting
chance against Defender today.
FIRST TIME IN MANY YEARS.
With strong breeze and a high sea
for the third series, Valkyrie may do
better, but at all events she has had
the distinction of crossing the home
line in advance of the Yankee boat,
the first in a quarter of century.
Only one old boat finished closer to
the winner than did Defender today,
and that was Valkyrie H., in her race
with Vigilant in '93, when forty sec
onds only separated the racers. 1t
| has been the generally EXPRESSED wish