Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-09-11

triangular, 10 miles on a side, with the
start off Sandy Hook l~ightship.
1t was decided that the first leg of the
triangle should be laid due south, the
second leg N. E. by E., and the third leg
N. W. by W. one.half west.
AS the wind was blowing almost
straight from the south, it was evident that
the first leg would be q dead beat to wind
ward, the second leg a broad reach and
the third leg by a close hauled reach.
AT 10 90. the preparatory signal was
fired. Both the racers were then to the
ieeward of the line and some distance
apart. Both were On the starboard tack
Each had the same canvas set, consisting
OF mainsatl, club topsaii, staysail and jib,
with q Jib topsail III the stays ready to
break out.
men the gun was fred the Defender,
which was to the eastward, camel about OIL
the port tack and stood toward the Valky-
rie. The latter being still upon the star
board tack, held the right of way, and as
the Defender approached her, she luffed
up Into the wind and went about. This
brought the Valkyrie on the weather
quarter of the Defender, that Is, to wind
ward of her, and just a trifie behind, but
well overlapping her, and so gave her the
weather guage
The Defender could easily have averted
this by lufing and going about when the
Valkyrie did, but as there was five minutes
left before the start, she did net do SO, her
captain thinking 1t would be easy enough
to shake of the Britisher before crossing
the line.
But here Capt. Half made big mistake.
The Valkyrie was right where she wanted
to be, and she stayed there. Do what she
could, the Defender could not shake off
the foe clinging to her tanks.
After the Englishman had secured the
much coveted position, both boats stood
along toward the westward on the port
tack, until beyond the committee boat
Then Capt. Half jibed suddenly, hoping
to get around and huff up to windward Of
the VaIkyrie before b could get around,
but Capt. Cranfield was quite as clever.
He did not attempt to go about, and he
jibed SO quickly that tho relative positions
Of the two boats remained unchanged.
The Valkyrie still kept the weather. This
was at 10. SO. 90.
The two boats came back ON the star
board tack toward the starting line. They
pH5cCN ntOuI II VI Hi DlR tAtllINlDli
steamers and then as the time was short,
began to approach the line from the west
ward, breaking out their jib topsails as
they did SO.
The Valkyrie wa about half a length
ahead, besides being to windward. She.
therefore was dearest to the line and
would cross 1t first.
On came the boats, until only a few
seconds remained before the starting gun.
Then it was seen that the Valkyrie was
too near the line and was in danger of
crossing a second or two before the signal.
She Immediately began to bear away to
avoid crossing.
The Defender was just to leeward and
a little behind the Valkyrie, and had no
need to bear away and did not propose to
do so. The Defender was allowing the
Valkyrie plenty of room between herself
and the mark, and acted strictly within
her rights In keeping her course.
Capt. Cranfield could not call tor room
and there was but one thing he could do
to save himself, and that one was to stop
the Roadway On the Valkyrie. The or
ders were given and all he- sheets were
Stacked off wide, at once, to spill the sails
aud stop her Roadway.
Then came a foul. The long boom of
the Valkyrie reaching out to leeward,
raked across the deck of the Defender,
only IS or go feet away, and striking the
topmast shrouds on the starboard side,
carried it away, breaking the jaw of the
spreader and pulling the bolt out of the
brass spreader strap
The Defenders lofty topmast immedi-
ately buckled under the strain of her iib
topsail wish a loud crack, and at this
moment the starting gun fired.
At exactly IL O'Clock the Defenders
crew was ordered forward to take in her
jib topsail, in order to save the topmast
from damage, and in that condition she
crossed the line at 11.0l.15 The Valkyrie
had preceded her at II. 90. Is.
AS she crossed the line, the Defender
hoisted a protest flag and an answering
pennant on the judges boat showed that
it had been seen and would be considered.
There is no doubt that the responsibility
for the accident rests entirely with the
Valkyrie. Her skipper allowed her to get
In a tight place, where there was every
prospect of his crossing before the gun
fire, and so having to return and re-cross.
In his anxiety to avoid this, he ran
down too close upon Il boat which he was
bound to look cut for. as she was sailing
close hauled on the same tack and SO had
the right of way.
The two beats crossed upon the star
board tack, but Immediately afterward
the Defender went about ON the port tack,
in order to bring the strain of her topmast
the uninjured side. and the Valkyrie
followed on the same tack.
An attempt to replace the broken shroud
was Immediately made on the Defender,
and a makeshift which partially answered
the purpose was devised.
At 11.24.01, the Defender went about
on the starbcard tack, and, 10 seconds |
later, the Valkyrie followed her. 1t was
then seen that the Valkyrie was about a
quarter mile ahead of the Defender, and
was fully 100 yards to windward. This
that the American boat even in
her crippled coalition was doing well.
At II 80 the two racers went about on
the port tack again. and, five minutes
later, the Defender broke out her jibtop-
She took it In again very quickly,
however, as her weakened topmast could
not stand the strain. The wind continued
to freshen and hauled a little to the west