Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-09-11

To- Cit VI
ing with the judges boat or the Defender.
Had she held her course there would have
been no trouble, but she bore away and
sased her sheets to prevent going over the
line before gun fire. That brought her
within 10 feet of the Defender.
Paying out the sheet allowed the big
steel boom to swing over the deck and
strike the starboard shrouds of the top
mast, and the damage was DONE.
On the windward work down to the
first mark the Valkyrie continued to gain.
The damage caused by the accident pre-
vented the Defender from carrying her
j%ibtopsaij, while the Valkyrie hung on to
hers. Capt. Half held the beat so that the
club topsaii was continually spiiling wind.
The topmast had a decided sheer to port
and it was watched by many thousand
eyes during the race.
At times it would seem to be ready to
come to the decks, but by tightening the
shrouds it was kept in place. 1t is prob
ably cracked at the masthead. The acei-
dent was discussed by yachtsmcn and
spectators all through the race. The
British boat was clearly at fault.
The British boat won the race by AZ
seconds, but it is not believed her victory
will count.
When the two boats went on the port
tack off Highland Beach at 2.lo, the
Valkyrie had three quarters of n mile TO
the good. She had beaten up to the wind
ward faster than her handicapped rival
and was doing fine work. The wind was
a good IS knot one and the sea was COM
paratively smooth.
At 12. IS the British boat tackled to star
board and the Defender followed half a
minute later. She made a long board of
it out to sea, the wind shifting a little to
west of south. With that wind the yachts
were able to make the first mark, which
was nine miles off Long Branch. On this
board the Defender held her own.
The wind had increased to 16 or II
knots and the yachts made a fine show as
they dashed the spray from their bows
and with lee rails very near the water
raced for the mark. The fleet behaved
creditably all the way to the first turn.
The big excursion steamers were especially
cautious, standing off over half a mile.
The next race in the series Is appointed
for Thursday, the other races to follow OF
Saturday and Tuesday.
At II. 12, the Valkyrie appeared to BE-
about an eighth of n mile to windward.
At 1.24, the Defender went into stays
and stood off on the starboard tack. She
was Immediately followed by the Valky-
RE, which was about one-eighth of Il mile
in the lead. The Valkyric wa carrying
Il mainsail, club topsail, f~orestaysail, jib
and lib topsail. The Defender had not
jib topsail set.
At11.2 %, the Valkyrie was still slightly
l., +bo Loud rorcipp Gcotlard lirbtebip hint
the Defender was closing up the sap.
At IL 20, both boats went about and
were on the port tack, standing inshorc
At IL 80, the Valkyrie was leading by
$50 yards and the Defender rapidly clos
ing the gar. Both yachts were on the
port tack. Excursion boats were right on
top of them.
AT II. 33, the Defender sent up her jib
topsail. Both yachts were on the port
tack, the Defender crawling up.
AT IL. 40, the Defender was leading by
rs yards, but the Valkyric had the wind
ward position. They We're still on the
port tack, heading toward Long Branch.
At la there seemed to be trouble or
board the Defender. 1t looked from here
as though the Defender, even with her
short canvas, was picking up slightly on
the lead. She was certainly outpointing
the Eoglish boat
AT IL. 81 both boats went about on the
starboard tack. The Valkyric appeared
to nave a lead of about three minutes.
At 12 02, the Valkyrie still had IA wind
ward position and appeared to be a quarter
of q mile ahead, but as the yachts were
going ssiaight from here it was hard to
distinguish them.
At IL 0S, the Defender came about, fol-
lowed half a minute later by the Valkyrie.
Both were standing directly for the Long
Branch pier.
The Defender passed the Valkyrie to
leeward at 12.2 20. Immediately afterward
both boats stood away on the starboard
tack. The English boat was actually in
the lead, but the Defender had worked her.
self into the weather position. The De-
fender had not yet sent up her jib topsail.
At 12 90 the Valkyrie was speeding for
the stake boat The Defender appeared
to be gaining slowly. The excursion
boats We're strung out in a long line and
making for the stake boat.
At Il. 80 there did not appear to be any
change in the relative positions of the
boats. The challenger kept her lead and
WOO podl ing 'oplNiJ boNh oh VIZ thh
boat, which took up q position directly
opposite Long Branch pier, about eight
miles out Both boats were on the star
board tack and it looked rs though the
Valkyrie would make the stake boat on
this tack. The committee boat was an
chored to windward CT the stake boat.
At 12.41, both boats We're making a
desperate fight for the weather berth. The
Defender appeared for a short time to he
going to leeward. but 1t was thought here
that Capt. Half made the move for some
reason Of seamansihp. The Defender be-
gan to point up shortly afterward almost
into the eye of the wind. and then crossed
the Valkyrie and again took mp her posi-
ton to windward, which position she Was
still holding apparently with the greatest
ease.
The Valkyrie turned the stake at IL. 81.
The Defender turned the stake at
Loo. 80.
Both were around the stake boat on the
starboard tack, and were out Of sight on
the reach for the second stake boat at 1,1S.
The Defender was under plain lower sails
on the first leg. and was evidently unable
to send up her baby jib tops Nj.