The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-09-11
STORY OF THE STRUGGLE.
How the Two Yachts Fought for Victory
In tho second Race.


NEW YORK, Sept 1.-THE committee
boat, Walter A. Luckenbaeh was on the
ground in good ,eason, and promptly hung
up the signal sich told the racers thnt
the course would be over triangle of ten
miles to the angle, the first leg being 10
windwarl south, the second northeast. by
east, and the third northwest by west half
west. As the committee boat made known
the directions of those in charge the wind
dropped to the speed of about five miles M
hour from force of something like eight
miles Thorc Yves no kind of sea on nor
swell. The surface of the ocean was most
favorable to the NRlsylie.
The preparatory gun was fired from the
committee boat sharp on the appointed
time Of 1880. Both yachts had baby jill
topsails set, when after some very clever
maneuvering above the line which had
been drawn between the Luckenbach tc
the westward of the Sandy Hook and THE
Scotland lightships they both stood downtG
the line. Coming to that first station th9
Vallgyrie was to windward and the Dc
fender something like two lengths astern
and TO lcewnrd Defender, oyerhaule'l
Valkyrie In "a very rapid manner and had
her nose almost up to Valkyrie's DeaTl
when the latter eased off and blanketed
tenders baby jib topsail and iib shook w
In the wind. Captain Half, when he saw
his head sails shaking, threw Defender
high up MS though about to tack or at least
to pass under Valkyrie's stern and get to
windward of the Britcn.
The Valkyrie WAS very promptly aware
of this move and luffed up well into the
wird. They wero then both almost on the
line. As Valkyrie luffed her boom smashed
against the topmast backstay of Defender,
and that concllssion was the cause OF the
protest that came later. OF course Val
| kyrie went over the line first, and to wind
ward Defender was close after her, but she
had barely got over the line when the sheet
| Of her jib topsail parted Both boats were
on the starboard tack at the time, so both
| claimed that thoy had the right of way
| The slack of the topmast stay allowed the
| topmast to bend far over toward the water
on the port side-so far that it looked fer
| a moment as though the mast was about
to be carried away.
Captain Hnff instantly cnsed his vessel.
| The Defender had in good seamanshiF
style held up the red protest flag when
| Valllyrie's boom nterfered so much with
her progress. Still she went on her jour
ney, very much worsted by the collision
but stlll gaining. After crossing the line
she came around In about minute and q
half before tack, and sagged to leeward sc
fur because of Captain H,llf apprehension
that her upper stnrboard rigging would
hold, that q good many people said that
| she was out of the race-that she had given
| 1t up. Others who knew better remarked
that the Defender people would be towards
If they dropped out before they got de
, cision from the COMMITTEES If 1t proved that
they were right.
After the yachts caine about to the port
tack soon after crossing the line, NalkyriG
was good eighth of mile to windward
and several lengths ahead. As they stood
away on the port. tack the wind in
creased to eight or nine miles an hour
During that tack Valkyrie plainly out
footed and outpuintcd the Defender, whC
did not daro to run up any snil on the jill
topsail stay. At 11:2I Defender camt
about to starboard. Valkyrie followed as
promptly us though she had been racing
with fellow well met On this tack De
fender pointed up pretty well and went
pretty fast, but Valkyrie did better in bott
points of sailing.
At 1910 the yachts came around to port
and at 1924 back sgaiu to starboard, oil
which tack they were both able 10 max,
|
as follows;
n. N. 6
Vnlkyrie, IL %
| Defender. vi
So 1t will be seen the ValkYria raced on
to the first mark by three minutes an,
fifty two seconds,
As Valkyric rounded she set her big bal
loon jib topsail and took in her jib. Tha
big front sail filed magniflcently. De
fender, however, was only able to run mp
] baby sail on the jib topsail stay A large
/, spread Of canvass would have caused to-
much strain on the weakened stay. DE
fender did however, set u balloon staysail
arHl not long afterward Valkyrie followe'
suit and sent up balloon on her forestay
The wind was then going ut the rate o
, something like twelve miles an hour.
On this second leg the crippled Defende
. overhauled the Briton by no less than sew
enteen seconds. At the end of this brop
, reach the yachts rounded the second mar
as follows;
.." n. M.
Oh
Defender I'll