New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-08
THE DEFENDER GETTING READY TO SET BALLOON J1B.

valkyrie II in this race 10 minutes and 80 sec
onds.
The third race was sailed on October l3 and
was fifteen miles to windward and return In
this race the Vigilant beat the Valkyrie II by
only 40 seconds the time being: Vlgilant, hours.
"a minutes and 80 seconds; Valkyrie II. hours.
% minutes and 10 seconds.
With a view to wiping out this small margin
the new English yacht was built, and when the
plucky Earl OF Dunraven pronounced her ready
for the fray and sent her over the water 10 do
battle against the Yankee sloop. which had been
built in anticipation of her coming, many a
stout yachtsman's heart beat msglvipsly, and
many a patriot who has looked upon the Amer
icas Cup as a fixture In this country wondered:
"Will 1t leave us this year,"
CONSERVATIVE AMERICAN YACHTsMEN.
The excitement over the coming races was not
Of the demonstrative kind; people were slow 10
predict success for the Defender. even after she
had beaten the Vigilant. which had been i'm
proved. and while there some who adver-
tised themselves ready to wager large sums
Of money on the new boat these were few In
comparison with the conservative people who
simply hoped that the races Of 95 would be
another triumph of the American over the Eng
llsh yacht
This spirit showed Itself up to yesterday. when
all roads In and about New-York seemed to
lead TO the Bay BY train and by boat from
all directions from near and from far, people
came TO see what they could Of the nrst of the
contests between the two racing machines In
which has been concentrated the mechanical
.,f,No
pie came from Canada with English flags in
their pockets and English hopes in their hearts
and went down the Bay to come back without
an opportunity to wave the former or to see
the latter realized.
CROWDS on THE EXCURSION BOATS.
Boats large and small were chartered to take
parties down the Bay, and long before the start
Ing time crowds rushing to the various
piers. and in many instances twice and three
times as many passengers could have been taken
by the boats IL the commanders had not de-
termined to run no risk by overcrowdng. Most
Of these boats left their berths between and
$3.50 a. m, and then the procession down the
harbor began. Their. was nothing cheerful In
the weather The sky was leaden. the air thick
and warm. the water lumpy and the wind moth
ing to speak Of Down the Bay though. the
white-winged champions were waiting for the
word to be off. and toward the place where
they foated lazily about all prows were turned.
Excursion boats, black with passengers and
swaying under their load OF humanity. steam
and sailing yachts with merry parties on board,
little craft which went beyond II cir usual course
and then bobbed about reluctant to leave the
scene-everythng that could get away moved
toward the racers, and scattered thickly along
the line were the boats Of the patrol which
guarded the safety Of the craft and prevented
interference with the racers
The North German Lloyd steamer Trave came
down with the fleet of excursion boats and sight
seers and the way in which some OF the passen-
gers waved tiny American flags as the great
steamer stood away left no doubt in the minds Of
those who saw them 10 what would be their
first question when they reached the other side
The rmbr.a also the pleasure fleet from a
distance.
BOATS WHICH FOLLOWED THE sLOOPs.
Among the craft which those passed who went
down the harbor were the police boat Patrol with
President Roosevelt and party on board the
steam yacht Mabel. F. c. Benedlct's Oneida Mrs.
Carnegie's Dungeness. with the only woman
member OF the yacht club the bridge. the
lighthouse tender John Rogers. the steam yacht
Anita the Drexei yacht Margarita. the Govern
ment boat General MeIgs the Defenders launch.
tn Hattie Palmer; the steam yacht Stella. H. NJ
Flagler's Alicia. which carried the commodore OF
the patrol; George Gouds Atalanta. ex-Secretary
Whtneys Columbia and the Valiant. with the
absent flag up to show that her owner w. Is.
Vanderbilt was not on board. lie was the
Defender. There were also the Nourmahal. with
her owner. John Jacob Astor. and a large party
on board; the Wanda. the Rival the Goelet yacht
Hermione. flying the English flag; the English
schoolship Valhalla. with crowd OF barefootsd
boys In white uniforms at the rail. and hundreds
OF other craft.
AT THE LIGHTSHIP.
BY IL o'clock the great improvised fleet. prob
ably the largest Of the kind assembled in
AnaArinan vatsrA had reached the plsce pear NJ