The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-30
ALL HALL THE CUP DEFENDER.
yIGILANT BEATEN ON EVERY LEG
AND Is MINUTES IN THE RACE.

A Most Variable Quality of Wind and
weather Throughout the Race,
but Defender Wins on All of Them.
The Great Victory Over the Vigi-
liant Depresses the Adherents of
british VaI<yrie, which Craft Was
in sight During the Contest.
New York, Aug. 29.-Tbe severe drub-
ming which the Defender administered to
the vigilant in the second of the official
trial races to-day has had the effect of
considerably reviving the hopes of yachts
men in this vicinity. which have been
dropping somewhat since the syndicate
boat broke down in her last race and
failed to finish. 1t was evident that she
was much improved by the substitution
of thicker stick for her old one and she
was able to carry a medium-sized club
top-sail through the squan which struck
the two boats on the last leg, standing
up as stiff and straight as need be. The
Vigilant was beaten over every leg of the
twenty-four mile course, and finished
eighteen minutes three seconds behind the
Defender. Nearly half of this difference.
however. was due to the fact that the
wind died down to nothing just after the
Defender had crossed the finishing line
and while the Vigilant was still on her
way in.
The report which had been persistently
circulated to the effect that the De-
fender has been held back in all her pre-
vious races with the Vigilant in order to
disguise the real extent of her superb
ority was Immediately revived after to-
days contest, and there were plenty of
yachtsmen who wagged their heads and
said Il told you So" 1t is more prob
able. however, that the improved form
shown by the yacht is due entirely to
the changes which haYe just been made
In ner
She looked filter in every way to-day
that she was in any of her previous
trials. The set of her sails was almost
perfect. although the Vigilant, as be-
fore. had trife the better of il in this
respect. The Defenders crew also seem
ed to have gained in quickness, and there
was less of the distressing delays in set
ting sails than before. The new boat
kept up her record for accidents by split
ting her jib on the last leg. The cloth
was quickly replaced by another one,
and the mishap was or slight conse-
Quence.
An additional element of interest was
lent to the race by the appearance on
the course of the challenger, Valkyrie
III. 1t was the first opportunity that any
one mas had to see the rival yachts sail
ing anywhere near each other, and it was
eagerly embraced by the enthusiasts.
Yachts and tugs closed in around the
Dunraven cutter until IL seemed as though
she hardly had room for sailing. Peculiar
wind conditions served to make this ap-
pearance of the Valkyrie almost a sensa-
tional one. She seemed to be overhauling
the two American yachts with ease. She
was about mile and a half behind them
at the starting of the race. While they
were drifting along in the lightest of airs,
the Valkyrie crept up on them, bringing
a breeze with her Inside of an hour she
had approached to within less than half
a mile of Vigilant and the faces of the
spectators heightened. Then she got into
the CLASSY area with the other yachts and
slowed down. She continued to gain on
the Vigilant however, for a few minutes
after she had come into the same weather
conditions.
The Defender was also gaining percepti-
bly, on the Vigilant at the same time, and
the Valkyrie. not wishing to give the
Americans too good line on her speed,
put about and went back up the bay. Her
fast work in the light wind was some
thing of a surprise and confirmed the feel
ing that she will come nearer to winning
the famous old cup than any of her prede-
cessors
The course decided upon for to-day's
race was triangular, eight miles to leg.
The first leg was laid southeast; the Sec
ond north by east, one-half east, and the
third leg west by south. At the start the
wind was nearly due west, so that the
nrts leg was broad reach and the second
leg would have been a reach also had not
the wind hauled around to the southwest,
making it practically run. The last leg
was close reach.
The weather conditions were extremely
varigated throughout the race. On the
frst leg, the breeze was blowing about
seven knots at the start, but before the
mark was reached it died away until the
yachts were almost becalmed. At that
time and later it was excessively hot. On
the second leg the breeze was fair one
Tor time. but again died away almost
to nothing. On the reach home it blew up
squall with rain, thunder and lightning.
At one time the wind reached 80 knots.
The three yachts spent last night at an
Choir in the Horseshoe. Alongside the Wig
liant lay her owners steam yacht Ata-
anita. Commodore Gould went aboard the
Nigilant before she moved out and sailed
on her in the race.
II was shortly after o'clock when she
cast off her moorings and with mainsail,
1ib staysail and her large club topsail
set, started for the Scotland lightship,
from which the start was made.
few minutes later the Defender got
up her mainsail and was towed around
the point by the tug Wallace b. Flint she
raised the same club topsail that she
carried in her last race with the Vigi-
lant somewhat smaller than her adver-
sary's. At $3.50. setting her headsails, she
cast off her tow and made for the light
ship.
AT n:lO the preparatory gun was fired
on the judges boat and the yachts began
1ockeying in earnest.
The start was pretty In maneuvering
Tor position Vigilant had the best Of it.
one minute before the signal both were
on the starboard tack, close hauled north
OF the hghtship, and the Vigilant was to
Windward. Both had plain lower sails,
club topsails and their balloon jib topsails
We're up in stops.
The Defender tore over the line il:2O.3S.
ana the Visiiant az l1:20.40. The bows
pft OF tho Nigilant was tapping the stern
Of the Defender and was on the weather
4E AA