Omaha daily bee., 1895-07-31
DEFENDER LOSES BY A FLUKE
Race Across Long Island Sound Goes to
Vigilant on a Mishap,
BREEZE WAS STRONG ALL THE WAY
snil-CnrryinH Power OF the Yachts
Well Tcsted-Defcndcr Was Lead
ing when Her Steering Gear
Broke Down.

NEW LONDON, Conn, July 3O-vigllant
beat Defender today in a run of sixty -four
miles from Eaton Point on the Long Island
shore, five miles from Huntington harbor, Ia
this port The cup defender gave up the
race not far from this place because her steer
ing gear became deranged A strong southwest
by south breeze, varying in strength from
eighteen to twenty-five knots, blew Throughout
the greater part of the race, which was 9
broad reach on the starboard tack from start
to finish, and with hardly the shift OF a sail
When Defender dropped out it was estimated
she was fully fve minutes ahead of Vigilant
and the new yacht was looked upon as a sure
winner, barring accidents. but the unexpected
accident occurred and Defender received her
first defeat
A better day for racing than today could
hardly be imagined. The wind was strong
and true, and increased in strength until this
port was reached, when a stiff twenty
knot breeze was blowing. and just as the last
yacht made New London a severe rain and
wind sQuall, lasting about an hour, sprung
up and set the people at Bridgeport and
New Haven wondering whether the smaller
yachts were caught out in It. Happily such
was not the case. and barring the damage to
Defenders steering gear. the splitting of one
of boat from the schooner yacht Montauk
there were no accidents to record.
Nigilant had a little the better of the
start and kept well ahead for some time
Finally, however, she got into luffing match
with Defender. the latter pressing her closely,
and Defender walked up ahead and to wind
ward. pulling gradually away. 1t is estimated
that Defender was about five minutes ahead
when, nearing Newton, she suddenly luffed
up, lowered her tOpsais, signalled for a tug
and was towed to shore in the harbor The
general opinion was expressed that Defender
would have undoubtedly won the race had
she been able to finish Vigilant sailed
grandy across the line and up the harbor
winner. in four hours and forty minutes and
thirty-seven seconds, elapsed, over the sixty
four mile course.
Constellation of Boston, in the schooner
class, made a remarkable run. covering the
course in 4:3504, a really remarkable per-
formance. She was the first yacht to reach
this harbor, and her time compared fairly
with the Vigilant's 4;4O:37. The race today
was started with the first of the eSb tide,
which helped the yachts greatly.
After the races the Associated press tug
Alert went alongside both Vigilant and De-
fender and asked Captain Barr and Captain
Haff for their view of the race. The former
would only say that the race spoke for itself
and the latter simply admitted that Defender
had split few sails veteran yachtsman
who saw the race from the schooner Iroquois
which also made a remarkable run, said the
stiffest of the breeze was about IL a. m,
when he estimated it was blowing fully
twenty-five knots, and Defender, during the
worst of it, slowly crept away from Vgilant,
He added however, that he hoped Vigilant
hal been greatly improved, otherwise he
was of the opinion the cup was in danger
Another expert yachtsman said Defender was
undoubtedly the better boat, and that she
would beat VigilGnt in any weather by a
good margin, but, he added, she will be much
faster when she meets Valkyrie III.
This evening Defenders damaged steering
gear was taken ashore to the Morgan Iron
works, where several men were put 10 work
on it, 1t is expected Defender will be able
to start with the rest of the fleet tomorrow