The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-08-07
MR. WILLARD IS ANGRY.
win Not Allow Vigilant to Again
Compete with Defender.
THIS MAY PREVENT TRIAL RACES.

The Decision Brought About by the Neglect
OF the Defender to Yield at the Proper
Tims--Ths viGiiant Again slgnaiiy De-
feated by tho Fla Keel Boas.
NEWPORT r, l., Aug. LII any addi-
tional test had been needed to show that
the I'm keel yacht Defender Is q better all
round boat In light weather than the CEN
terboard Vigilant 1t was furnished yes
tcrday, when those yachts raced over u
twenty one mile equllateral triangular
course outside of. this harbor, for $500
cup offered by Mr.. J. r.. Drsxel.
The course wns one which gave the con-
tostants every chance Of showing what
they could do. They started out on a beat
OF seven miles to windward, then had
full reach Of the same distance, and f.
nally a run home before the wind for seven
miles more. In the first two legs the De-
fender easily showed her superiority. On
tho run before the wind the Vigilant with
hor centerboard hauled up and spinnakcr,
set for half the distance gained only
minute and thirteen seconds, whom 1t was
expected that the .keelboat would sustain
loss Of about two minutes in that sort
of sailing. The result OF the day only con-
firmed tho opinion that is universally held
on the question Of the comparative merits
OF the yachts.
The official time OF tho yachts In yester-
days race was as follows:
Start. Finish. Time.
Defender".....-:ll;25i55 2.l0:l8 s:A:la
Vigilant ".....--.ll:20:4e 2;l7:l4 e:5o.2s
When the Defender and vigilant were
Jockeying for position to cross the line the
big yachts came pretty close together at
one time. Both were ON the starboard
tack. so there was no question as to who
had the right Of way, excepting by the
rule that the overhsuling vessel should
yiold. In this case the Defender was the
overhauler, but the Vigilant, as she did
Off Sandy Hook, easod of and avoided
what might possibly have bsen collision.
This led DO serious consequences, for last
night Mr.. Willard, who is George Gould's
representative and the manager Of the
Vigilant, declared In lotter to the re-
ga6ta committee Of the New York Yacht
club that the Defender jookeyed his boat
SO unfairly at the start Of yesterdays raos
and of Sandy Hook on July 22 that he
declines to meet her again. He said very
plainly that he felt the Defender had
treated the VigilanU in rowdy fashion, and
he wanted no more to do with her.
In his letter Mr.. Willard says: Il have
now twice given way to Defender at the
start OF a race whom Vigilant clearly had
the right Of way, because was unwilling
to risk a collision which might leave
America without a cup defender. How
ever willing l may have been to waive my
| rights In the past am not willing to go
/ on waiving them indefinitely, and even II
were 1t is quite possible that situation
| might be created in which q collision
would be inevitable. Mr.. Gould's sole do
sire, as we'll as my own, is that the cup
may be defended by the fastest American
sloop which might not be the case II Wig
| liant and Defender collided."
As soon as tho COMMITTEES received Mr..
Willard's letter, all hands of them went
out to see the writer Of the misslve and
had long talk with him. The result Of
the interview is not officially known and
| probably will not be known until tho
clouds of war settle, but the appearance
of Mr. Willard after 1t took place was ona
that indicated flrmness OF intention thai
could not be mistaken. That there Is
strong feeling between the owners of tina
Defender and Vigilans is evident.
This stand taken by the Vigllant's poo
plo bids fair to annul the action of the
meeting Of the Americas cup committee,
held on the flagship Sylvia yesterday af-
ternoon, when 1t was decided to hold for
NAL trial races off Sandy Hook on Aug.
| 90 and 20, and further races II they should
be'seen to be necessary. As 1t had boen
tacitly agreed that only the Vigllant and
Defender should participate In these trials,
the prospect is today that they will not be
| held