The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1895-09-11
STORY or THE STRUGGLE.


HOW the Two Yachts Fought for victory
in the second Race.
New YORK, Sept 1.-THE committee
boat, Walter A. Luckenbach, was on the
ground in good season, and promptly hung
up the signal which told the racers that
the course would be over triangle of ten
miles to the angle, the first leg being to
windward south, the second northeast by
east, and the third northwest by west half
west. As the committee boat made known
the directions of those in charge the wind
dropped to the speed of about five miles an
hour from force of something like eight
miles. There was no kind of sea on nor
swell. The surface of the ocean was most
favorable to the VallSyrie
The preparatory gun was fired from the
committee boat sharp on the appointed
time of 1850 Both yachts had baby jib
topsails set, when after some very clever
maneuvering above the line which had
been drawn between the BucRenbach to
the westward of the Sandy Hook and the
Scotland lightships they both stood down to
the line Coming to that first station the
Valkyrie was to windward and the De
fender something like two lengths astern
and to leeward Defender overhauled
Vaikyrie in a very rapid manner and had
her nose almost up 70 Nalkyries beam
when the latter eased og and blanlleted
the American boat so thoroughly that De
tenders baby iib topsail and jib shook in
in the wind. Captain Half, when he saw
his head sails shaking, threw Defender
high up as though about to tack or at least
TO pass under Nalkyrie's stern and get to
windward of the Briton.
The Valkyrie was very promptly aware
of this move and luffed up well into the
wind. They were then both almost on the
line AS VallSyrie luffed her boom smashed
against the topmast backstay of Defender,
and that conclusion was the cause of the
protest that came later. OF course Val
kyrie went over the line first, and to wind
ward Defender was close after her, but she
had barely got over the line when the sheet
of her iib topsail parted. Both boats were
on the starboard tack at the time, so both
claimed that they had the right of way.
The slack of the topmast stay allowed the
topmast to bend far over toward the water
on the port side-so far that it looked for
a moment as though the mast was about
to be carried away.
Captain Half instantly eased his vessel
The Defender had in good seamanship
style held up the red protest flag when
Valkyrie's boom interfered so much with
her progress. Still she went on her jour
ney, very much worsted by the collision,
but still gaining. After crossing the line
she came around in about minute and a
half before tack, and sagged to leeward so
far because of Captain Haff's apprehension
that her upper starboard rigging would
hold, that a good many people said that
she was out of the race-that she had given
it up. Others who knew better remarked
that the Defender people would be towards
if they dropped out before they got de-
cision from the committee if it proved that
they were right
After the yachts came about to the port
tack soon after crossing the line, Valkyrie
was good eighth of IA mile to windward
and several lengths ahead. As they stood
away on the port tack the wind in
creased to eight or nine miles an hour,
During that tack Valkyrie plainly out
footed and outpointed the Defender, who
did not dare to run up any sail on the iib
topsail stay At 11:24 Defender came
about to starboard Valkyrie followed as
promptly as though she had been racing
with a fellow well met. On this tack De
fender pointed up pretty well and went
pretty fast, but Valkyrie did better in both
points of sailing
AZ IL ~ ulb NdCnuo Gttlllb dIOuilu w pOIb
and at 1924 back again to starboard, on
which tack they were both able to make
the first mark, where their time was taken
as follows
H. NJ. s.
Valkyrie. IL 81 43
Vi 80
So it will be seen the Valkyrie raced out
to the first mark by three minutes and
fifty-two seconds.
| AS Valkyrie rounded she set her big bal
loon iib topsail and took in her jib. That
big front sail filled magnifcently. De
fender, however, was only able to run up a
baby sail on the jib topsail stay. A larger
spread of canvass would have caused too
much strain on the weakened stay. De-
fender did, however, set balloon staysail,
and not long afterward Valkyrie followed
suit and sent up balloon on her forestry,
The wind was then going at the rate of
something like twelve miles an hour.
On this second leg the crippled Defender
overhauled the Briton by no less than sew
enteen seconds At the end of this broad
reach the yachts rounded the second mark
as follows:
H. NJ S.
Defender OF As
Now the wind had slowed down to eight
miles an hour. The last leg was by com
pass direction northwest by west half west,
and sheets were hauled aft so that the YES
sells would meet the breeze abeam. As
soon as the boats had both laid their course
for home Defender with her sound rigging
to windward began to rapidly overhaul
Valkyrie.
Valkyrie took in her balloon jib topsail
and replaced it with baby. She also set
a balloon staysail, but do what she would
the cripple overhauled her in really ridic-
ulous manner, and gained on the English
boat so fast that when the finish was
reached Valkyrie was only two minutes
and eighteen seconds ahead, after having
gone over the starting line one minute
and two seconds ahead
More than one competent witness of the
days sport said that considering every
thing Valkyre was beaten worse yesterday
than on Saturday Defender gained on
her on the second and third leg As "a mat
ter of fact the only time at which both