The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-09-07
vALKYRIE, DEFENDER ?
THE RACES FOR TIE AMERICA
CITp BEGIN AT NEW YORK
TODAY.
NEW YORK PACKED WITH PEOPLE.


VIII be Kept Clear, if Vigilance Can
Accomplish That End--The Weather
Likely to be Good for the Contest,
With "A Twelve Knot Breeze.
NEW YoBK, Sept 6.-No previous
contest for the Americas cup has ever
aroused such intense and widespread in
terest on both sides of the Atlantic as
the races between Defender and Valkyrie
III, which begin to morrow off Sandy
Hook Not only are hundreds OF
strangers in town from Boston, Phlla-
delphia, Baltimore, Chicago and many
other cities of the far west, eager to
witness the grand struggle between the
two speediest yachts ever built, but the
number of foreign visitors who are here
for the same purpose has never been ex,
ceeded.
The hotels are packed with guests and
every available excursion steamer in the
vicinity has been pressed into service to
accommodate the thousands of sight
seers who will witness the rare spectacle.
Such big ruch for the ocean course
has been anticipated for to morrow that
unusual precautions have been taken by
the cup committee to have the
course properly patrolled so that
the racing yachts shall not be
1nterfered with by the excursion feet
The patrol force will be in charge of B.
S. Osborn, who looked after the recent
naval parade at the opening of the Har-
lem Ship Canal, and Lieut.. Delehanty,
Supervisor of the Port. Col. Gillespie,
of the Engineering Corps of the United
States Army, and Navy Yard officials,
are all interested in securing fair play
for the racers.
The committee he's also issued a no.
tice to all captains of excursion boats
and pleasure craft, urging the necessity
of keeping an absolutely clear course,
and doing all in their power to prevent
interference with the racers, so that
there may be no cause for complaint, as
there was on several occasions during
the international races two summers
ago.
Local forecaster Dunn says Of to NOR
rows probable weather;
Taking it all in all, the conditions
most likely to prevail to morrow viii be
favorable for the contest. There will be
a brisk wind of from twelve to eighteen
miles an hour. 1t will come at first
from the northeast, shifting to south
easterly quarter. 1t is bound to be an
on-sbore wind The indications are
that the sky will be overcast nearly all
day; there may possibly be light show
ers, but it is not likely that there viii be
any heavy rain"
Designer Watson Of the Valbyrie said
to day to reporter:
II am going down to the race ex-
pecting to lose."
He said this seriously, but neither he
nor any of the other Valkyrie people
looked very downcast.
The result of the measurers, work on
the yachts was great surprise. No
good judge thought that the English
yacht would give over minute and a
half in thirty mile course, to the De
fender, yet many capable critics said that
the challenger would give minute; but
that she should yield less than half a
minute was astonishing to all the smart
people. However, here are the figures,
and they speak for themselves:
Defender: Length on load water line,
88 As; from after end of main boom to
forward point of measurement, 1919;
from toreside to foremast to forward
point of measurement, 73 So; extreme Of
spinnaker boom, 73. SO; main gaff, 64 95;
topmast, 81 AZ, one fifth, 45 "a; height
upper side of main boom to topsail hal
yard block, 1875. 48; sail area as per rule,
IaY 1,th az YNnr rF1la
Valkyrie III: Length on load water
line, 88. So; from after end Of main boom
to forward point of measurement, 1862;
from fore side foremost to forward point
of measurement, 49, "a; extreme Of spin
maker boom, same length main gaff
$780, topmast, 55.98, one-ffth, A 78;
height upper side of main boom to top
sail halyard block, 129 80; aail are a as
per rule, ia IA; sailing length, as per
rule, 101 40.
When Mr.. Hyslop brought the meas
urements to the New York Yacht Club
he said that the Valkyrie would have to
allow the Defend er 30 10 seconds. It was
only his business, he added, to turn the
measurements over to the regatta com
mittee, aud let that committee decide
Wuhb III6 tILlE hlIOWdlCG WOuIl DSs GNSNCA
theless he felt that 29.10 seconds
was the fair thing. The committee con
sidered the question for a long time and
at 1926 p. m, posted up notice on the
clubs bulletin board to the effect that
the allowance would be 80 seconds, leav
ing off Mr.. Hyslop's added one-tenth of
a second.
The races will perhaps be very close,
but no tenths of seconds will separate
the boats at the finish.
1t will be noticed that the load water
line lengths of the ships show only a diff
ference of forty hundredths, il favor of
Defender, and that the length of De
tenders gaf went considerably toward
reducing the small advantage gained on
the water line. 1t will also be seen that
the sail area does not show so great
difference as was expected and that the
general rating of 100. 38 for Defender, as
against 101.49 for Valkyrie, displays a