The herald., 1895-09-06
THE YACHTS ARE MEASURED
Time Allowance About a Half
Minute
STRIPPED FOR THE RACE
All Floors, Doors and Extra Fixtures
Removed
IPPED FOR THE RACE
Ounces Count in the Burden to Be Borne by
the Contestants Defenders New
Mast and Boom
Associated Press special Wire


NEW YORK. Sept. 5.-The Evening
Post says: 1t was learned this evening
that the measurements of the Defender,
which were made Just before the trial
races, and have bsen carefully guarded
by the committee since they were taken,
are as follows Load water line, len 9Th,
89.S5 feet; sail area, II. 1870 square feet;
racing length. 100 10 feet. The syndicate
owning the boat were not satisfied and
concluded to make her lighter, as she
was apparently stiff as a house in heavy
blow.
The new mast was therefore shipped
and a steel boom fitted in the place of the
wuouen one which had been in use up to
the present time of the first trial races.
1t was poprlarly believed that the reason
for the change in the mast was the
''buckling" of the other one, and that
the new one was heavier and stronger.
AS matter of fact. it is lighter by 200
pounds. The change in the boom was
fur the same reason, as the yacht was
thereby lghtened 500 pounds. Besides
this, the water tank, waste tank, doors,
bulkheads and some of the flooring will
be taken out to tighten her still further.
and it is conf IDENTIFY expected that her
racing measurements on Saturday will be
as follows: Load water line, length, 1895
feet; sail area. II. 1870 square feet; racing
length 1895. Defenders stripping has,
as stated, about been completed, but the
work on Valllyrie is still going on. The
closets, stove and unnecessary floor hava
been taken out, and when she is doated
for Mr.. Hyslop's work on her, there will
not be a superfluous ounce on her. Even
her bow and stern have been planed down
to bring her within 80 feet Estimates
of her measurements have been made
based on all the figures at hand, and as
the same estimates on Defender were but
the fraction of an inch out. the following
may be assumed to be nearly conclusive:
Load water line, length, 80 feet sail
area. u, 500 square feet; racing length,
100.9 feet.
Accordingly, therefore, the actual meas
urements OF Defender and the estimated
measurements of ValkyrIe, the allowance
given by the challenger to the defender is
about % seconda on 30-mile course. AS
Valkyrie may he a tritie less than 80 feet
on the LOAD water line, it is probable that
the allowance may not exceed % seconds.
There is provision in the agreement that
any changes of load water line shall be
counted double in estimating time allow
ance, but as both boats are more than the
length, they are about equal IN that re-
spect, Vigilant by the same time gets 1
minute 20 seconds, and therefore does
not win any race in which Defender
started.
HOW THE RACE WILL BE REPORTED.
Such an event as yacht race is
reported with great difficulty. Watchers
stationed at points of vantage near the
course laid out for the yachts have given
the public on shore the earliest informa-
tion obtainable of the progress of the
racers. following as best they could the
various maneuvers of the yachts and
estimating as closely as might be the
distance which separated the yachts.
When it is recalled that observation in
this manner is at distance som metmes
as much as fifteen or twenty miles, and
that often fog and more frequently a
haze obstructs the view, the difficulty of
accurately reporting a yacht race may
be realized. 1t has in Il number OF in
stances been impossible for the newspa-
pers to give accurate information as to
the times of crossing the starting line,
turning the stake boats and finishing the
race until reporters who had bsen detailed
to follow the yachts on board tugs, could
reach land ana communicate with their
Tapers, sometimes Il matter of an hour
or more. Now. however, the public of
both the Old and New World are TO have
prompt and accurate information of the
yacht races between Defender and VAL
kyrie as they progress, through the en-
terprise of the Commercial Gable COM
pany. This company's steamer, Mackay-
Bennett, will lay "a submarine cable to the
race. The end OF the cable will be on
board and specially connected with Eng
land and France through the company's
main cable. landing a. Coney Island. The
Postal Telegraph company will also have
an Office on board the Mackay- Ben nett
and will forward kilograms to all points
in the United States and Canada.
VaIkur;e Ia