The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-09-11
POOR VICTORY.
Valkyrie Led Defender Over the Finish
line by Narrow Limit.
AMERICAN p0AT HANDICAPPED
BY an Accident at the Begin.
ming Of the Race.

ness, the Defender followed the Valkyrie
across the finish line yesterday. Less
than half n mile separated the two, and
anxious eyes kept pace, second by second,
with the timo indicators rs they moved
around, and when IL was seen that the
American Defender had not only lost
nothing M the last 20 miles of the course,
but had actually gained, great shout
went up for the gallant struggle a gallant
vessel had made
There were cheers for the victor too, AL
though the Valkyrie III was the first
challenger since "A To lead over the homo
line, tho honor OF her performance was
lost sight Of ssr the time in the grand ef-
fort OF the American. for, II IL were for
nothing else, the American heart loves the
hard loser in the fight, and loves him the
more when he loses through no fault of
his own. II was "a grievous accident that
ruined the Yankee boats chances-an ac-
cident which under the hair splitting
circumstances of jockeying at the start
ing line looked 10 be unsvoidable
The racers circlod in great rings about
the great lightship until the signals went
up for the course, and then the shippers
took tighter grip of the wheel. Captain
Hank Half had made record in seaman
ship on Saturday, and the English skip
per appeared 10 regain the fame which had
preceded him.
They maneuvered swiftly after the pre-
paratory gun had been fired, and. with
the Valkyrie TO the windward. Captain
Han made every effort TO gain that posi-
ton. Just before reaching the line, when
tho Valkyrie was still TO windward and
the Defender to leeward, length astern,
but still overhauling her. the American
boat was blanketed so much that her
baby jibtopsail and baby jib shook.
Marred by Accident.
Captain Haff seeing this, attempted TO
luff little, intending To let the other
boat go ahead for the purpose of enabling
him to pass under her stern and TO wind
ward Captain Sycamore at the Val
kyrie's tiller noted this move, and luffed
up also. 1t was then that the thousands
of watchers on the surrounding boats
noticed how dangerously close to each
other the racers were. And just at that
moment, too, snap and rendng sound
was heard, ana 10 was seen that the De-
tenders jibtopsail was flying in tho wind.
The Valkyrie's main boom had swung
around and foulod the Defenders rigging.
To those who had witnessed the acci-
dent and sprung forward at the ominous
trembled with the shock They saw her
topmast bend and her topsail swing over
as though IL would break away, and a
groan went up as though the brave boat
which had won SO noble victory "a day or
two previously was wholly debarrcd from
an effort to secure a second.
Lightning action was necessary to save
the topmast from breaking away COM
pletely, for it was almost sprung from its
fastenings, and Captain Half taking his
boat down to leeward, soon Unanswered
her into safe position and gave chase
The Valkyre, which had crossed the limo
first, had gained a good lead by the De-
tenders disaster, and had probably little
more than half mile advantage at tho
end of the first leg in the triangular
course over which they sailed. Her gain
was something less than Am. in that beat
To windward.
From that on, however, tho Defender,
while not perceptibly closing the gap be-
tween them, lessened the time, and they
crossed the line not much more than 2m
apart. The Valkyrie, according to cor
rected time, however, wins from the cup
defender by just Ats.
miles to log.
Dunravcn's MaGnanimity.
II is stated that Lord Dunraven called
the captaps and the Drew of the Valkyrie
III together Monday evening and made
tho following extraordinary promise to
spur them on to do their best To win the |
Americas cup:
while feel satisfied that every man |
will do his duty, j am anxious to encour-
age you to exert yourselves to the utmost |
TO wi m the remaining races of the SERIES |
With that end in view, desire TO say that |
if the cup goes back TO England by reason |
of your seamanship 1 will pensioa every
man for life, and pay each of you 30 shil-
lings week SO long as each one of you |
lives"
Lord Dunrayen's action is without prcc-
edent, either by itself or from the stand
point Of generosity. 1t is the ambition of
his life to place within the hands of his
queen the trophy that passed out of pos
session OF England into that OF one of her
former dependencies nearly half o century
ago.
The ages Of the 90 mon will average 30
years. They are all strong and healthy,
and their expectations of life may be set
as 20 years. In that time, If tho expecta-
ton be realized, they will have received
f3l2o or $4,000, and in the aggregate $751;
100 or 800, 800.
That the crow appreciated Lord Dun.
ravens inducement was shown by their
work in yesterdays race
Tho regatta committee stopped its boat
Mt Bay Ridge on the way to the city, and
Mr.. Iselin made verbal protest in regard
10 the fouling
Mr. Bush, the club representative on the
British boat, was asked by tho committee
20 put his version of the affair. The fol.
lowing notice was posted on the bulletin
board at the club:
"Tho Defender protests the valkyrie on
the ground that she bore down on her just
before reaching the starting line, thereby
causing foul, which resulted In the