Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1895-08-09
AGAIN THE DEFENDER
The New Boat Much the Best
We Have Yet Had.
CONVINCED DOUBTING THoMAsEs
Almost a Runaway with spinnakers and
Yet the Peerless Defender Gained
at Every Point.


Yet the Peerless Defender Gained
at Every Point.
Newport, R. l., August Q. The De-
fender beat the Vigilant today in the
run Of forty-two miles from New Lon
don to this port, and beat her so badly
that the latter's admirers must admit
that the Defender is better than the
Vigilant. How much better cannot
be stated, for no reasonable comparison
OF the champion of 1898 and the Wig
liant of 1895, 5,can be made only by the
handful of people who know about
what the Defender will give the Wig
liant in the matter of time allowance.
Concerning this matter, reporter
was told today by yachtsman who is
in position to know that the Defender
should allow the Vigilant four minutes
or thereabouts in a forty mile race,
such as that of today.
If this is true, the Defender did all
that could have been asked of her, beat
ing the Vigilant by at least eight min
utes.
Just as the start was made, the Wig
ilant's mainsail was split, but the ac-
cident had no appreciable effect on the
result of the race The tear was near
the foot of the sail, and the yacht was
going with freedom. The wind was
abeam and gave the two men who were
sent to the boom to make the necessary
patch no difficulty. They had no trou-
bic in stopping the hole and sewing on
new canvass, and the accident, it is
said by experts, did not work against
the Vigilant by more than fifty seconds
at the outside, and probably not over
twenty seconds.
The weather was in favor of the
Vigilant all the way through. On
leaving New London it was a more
than good wind. A broad reach with
the wind abeam, would better describe
the direction of the wind. which was
almost due southwest, as it had been
for two days. 1t was brisk, but the
big fellows were able to carry all sail,
including the club topsails, and the
water was smooth enough to suit the
Vigilant in her very best days.
From start to finish the Defender
gained ON the Vigilant, and came so
far ahead that the doubling Thomases.
who were asking each other as to the
America cup races, "Will she do?" are
now saying, cat least, she's the best
boat we ever had," and full confes-
sion from these people is to be thought
splendid win of the keel boat today
shows she is improving right along in
form. If the advancement continues
at the rate displayed between the sail
of yesterday and that of today, the
Vigilant will be nowhere tomorrow.
1t was almost runaway with spin
makers today, and yet the Defender
gained at every point The finish
showed the new boat to be 12 minutes
seconds to the good ON actual time.
On leaving new London the yachts
sailed down with abeam wind to the
race. The Defender had her steering
gear pitched up during the night, and
her sailors were smart enough to get
her over the starting line ! minute
and 90 seconds ahead of the Vigilant.
The Volunteer was pretty quick, and
went away seconds after the Vigilant.
The Jubilee was third, but for some
reason or other she did not start with
the others, and this fact lessened the
interest in the whole programme, for
the breeze was blowing pretty fresh,
and every body wanted to know what
General Payne's vessel could do with
the champion of 1898 and the new fin.
keeled yacht.
The boats which did start had good
race. There was fine breeze which
was always fair. After rounding the
race rock the fleet found itself going
before the wind, and spinnakers were
set, and in this way they rushed home
to the finish line
The result of today's race shows that
the fight for the cup on the American
side will be made either by the De
fender or the Vigilant. The Jubilee
by her refusal to start today, indicates
to sane per sons that she does not want
to go into race where there is blow
as victory in such weather cannot b
of great value, for the chances are fiv'
to one that the cup races will be il
light weather, and that is the game th'
Valkyrie III was built for.
1