Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-09-12
american BOAT Wins
Defender Defeats Valkyrie
in the First Race.
30 Easy a Victory that Yankee Rae
ing Men Are Confident that the
Americas Cup VIII Remain Here
for at Least Another Year-LOrd
Dunraven Makes No Complaint.

Dunraven Makes No Complaint.
New York Sept. THE first of the
series of the international yacht races
between the American champion, the
Defender, and the English competitor,
the Valkyrie, for the possession of the
Asnerica's cup, was sailed over the
New York Yacht clubs course at Sandy
Hook in a dense fog, and resulted In
very decided victory for the Yankee.
Shortly after the yachts started, the
Valkyrie at IL. 20 46 and the Defender at
12. 20. so, they were lost to sight of the
spectators, owing to the dense fog which
pressed upon the sea- and to obtain any
idea of the relative positions of the yachts
was impossible. In fact, those who re-
mained in the city knew more about the
race than those nearer the scene, because
of the numerous press tugs sent out by
the news agencies, which followed the
racers and brought the news every few
minutes to the cable and telegraph of
fees established at various points and on
steamships anchored in the open sea. A
few seconds before IL. 40 o'clock the De-
fender went about on the port tack, and
the Valkyrie speedily followed her,
slightly in the lead. Then, at 1.12
o'clock, the Valkyrie went back to the
starboard tack heading to the northeast,
followed by the Defender, which was
still astern of the British yacht. And
then came move that thrilled all those
who managed to catch a glimpse of it
through the mist. Lord Dunraven's
yacht attempted to pass across the De-
tenders bows but did not succeed, which
showed that the American competitor
had gained at least the four seconds
which the Valkyrie had in her favor at
the start. 1t was at |. 40 o'clock that the
Valkyrie gave up the effort to cross the
Defenders bows, and half a minute later
the Defender splitta cks with her.
At :53 the Valkyrie came about to
follow on Defenders quarter. The
Yankee was now the one to try to see
what could be done in the way of cross
ing bows. The two racers stood toward
each other until the Nalkyrie by going
about, avoided what otherwise would
have been inevitable. The Defender was
fairly in the lead and would have crossed
the Nalkyrie's bow in a few seconds
more. After splitting tacks again at
:57 o'-,ock, the boats stood apart until
o'clock sharp, when the Defender once
more came to the starboard tack, and
thus they held on until able to turn the
first stake. At 3 O'Clock, when the turn
ing stake was fairly in view, the Yankee
was on the Englishman's weather bow
and fully IL quarter of q mile in the lead.
The Defender tackled first, at 3:32, when
she took in her jb-topsail preparatory
to setting the big balloon jib in its place
for the run home The Valkyrie also
furled and set the same sails. The
official time of the turn was Defender,
3:3629; Valkyre, 3:39:j 1t had taken
the Defender 3 hours, Is minutes, 80
seconds to reach the turn and the Val
kyrie minutes and 81 seconds longer.
BY this time the wind had shifted to
southwark, and, instead of run home,
it was broad reach. The Defender
steadily drew away from her rival, and
that, too, in spite of the fact that the
breeze dropped as they got inshore.
AS they neared home and it was seen
that the Defender was far in the lead the
vast throng of excursion craft of all de-
scriptions made deafening chorus of
noise with their whistles and the throngs
aboard them almost split their throats
in their endeavors to make themselves
heard above the roar of the steam Our
boat received royal welcome but little
more than that accorded to the Val
kyrie wh:n she, too, crossed the mark.
The official corrected time was: Defender,
4:5955: Valkyrie, 5:0S:44. The Defen-
der, being allowed 30 seconds by the
Valkyrie, therefore won by minutes
and 40 seconds.
A reporter of the United Press found
members of the regatta committee in
session at the New York Yacht club at
IL o'clock last night. Mr.. Hyslop was
also there in conference with them. He
remained closeted with the committee
for some, time and shortly after his de-
parture tn e following notice was posted
ON the clubs bulletin board: cat 1.-THE
request of the Earl of Dunraven and
wit h tn acquiescence of Mr.. Iselin the
measurer of the New York Yacht club
yesterday marked the yachts Valkyrie
and Defender at each end of the
load-N ater line. When this was done
at the Erie basin yesterday the meas
urer, at the request of the America's
Cup committee, verified the measure
ments taken on Friday, which were con-
firmed by the measurements taken yes
terday.