The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-07

America cup. may be witnessed in minia-
ture by the residents of San Francisco at
THE CALLS business Office on Market
street, near Kearny.
In this event to-day is centered the in
terest of the world of sports. The fastest
yachts in the world, handled by the most
skillful sailors, are to contest for the SUI
premacy, and the wealth of the United
States and Canada-yes, and of England
as well, is there to see. New York City is
thronged with visitors, and the waters of
its harbor are fairly alive with pleasure
craft which will follow the racers and at
tend the victor in the hour of triumph.
Comparatively few San Franciscans, how
ever. can afford the expenditure of time
and money necessary to enable them to
witness the race at first hand, and for that
reason it is to reproduced in miniature in
this City.
The first race is to be fifteen-mile beat
to windward and return, the starting point
being off Sandy Hook lightship. The wind
last night was strong from the east and
showed fair to continue from that point.
Should this prove to be the case, the
course laid out should take the yachts
along the Long Island shore and render
them visible from Coney Island for most
OF the race.
Never perhaps since the America
brought the famous cup from English
waters has more interest been taken in an
international race, or has more rivalry
been shown in the struggle for the honor
of defending that cup against the Briton.
The Defender sailing qualities as shown
in the test races have removed all doubt as
to her superiority.
The racers this year are larger than any
which have gone before. The Defender,
Americas representative, is over 100 feet
long, and her spread of canvas is unpre-
cedented in yachting annals. The Valkyrie
measures about a foot more than her rival
and her sail area is equally great. Strangely
enough in this contest both sides have
abandoned the characteristic type of yacht
which has heretofore obtained in these
international races. The Valkyrie is broad
of beam, and anything but cutter model
while in the Defender America has laid
aside the centerboard in favor of the keel.
To prevent mistakes during the race the
American boat is painted black, while the
Valkyrie is dazzling white. AS the
weather is reported heavy, it is thought
that the Defender will win. inasmuch as
she has done superb work in thrash to
windward in heavy sea.
For the reproduction of the race in this
City, THE CALL has secured two miniature
yachts. They were built on the lines of
the giant racers by Richard Cousins, form
erly engineer of the quarantine steamer
and the organizer of the Puritan Nina
ture Yacht Club, whose races in Oakland
basin excited SO much interest few years
ago. Like their namesakes, the pigmy
Valkyrie will have white hull, while the
Defender will be painted black. A course
has been laid out above THE CALLS big
sign, over the business Office. Bulletins
of the progress of the race will be received
at intervals of few minutes. Sails will
be changed on the little yachts the same
as on their mammoth originals, ana while
the Defender and the Valkyrie sail their
thirty-miIe course in New York Bay the
Small boats, maintaining the same relative
positions. will cover sixty feet on Market
street.
Thomas Wise of this City is the owner
of the miniature Valkyrie and J. f. Smith
is the proud proprietor Of the Defender