The herald., 1895-07-04
YACHT britannia Wins
Valkyrie III Beaten in a Good
Breeze
ENGLISHMEN DISCOURAGED
The Race For the Muir Challenge
Cup
Dunraven's Yacht Falls Short Of Expecta.
tions and Cannot Be an Aspirant
tor America Cup Honors
Associated Press Special wire,

Associated Press Special Wire.
HUNTERS QUAY. Firth of Clyde,
July 3.--The challenger for the America s
cup. Valkyrie ILL.,, started this morning
in the race for the Muir challenge cup,
her competitors being the Ail,a and
Britannia. To the dsmay of those who
had built great hopes on Lord Dunraven' S
new yacht Valkyrie, she was squarely
beaten in good breeze by both the A lisa
and Britannia. The Britannia beat the
new yacht by I minutes and 10 seconds
corrected time, and the Ailsa defeated
her by 9 minutes and SO seconds, includ-
ing her time allowance.
The Valkyrie heeled over great deal
in fairly stiff breeze and with her work
ing topsail set, had her lee rail under
water when the Britannia and Ailsa were
carrying their club topsails and going
along much stiffer. This was on the
reach back to Kilcreggan. on the second
round, and consequently it Is not aston
ishing that the yachtsmen OF Great
Britain arc not so sanguine as they were
of bringing the Americas cup back to
these shores.
The Valkyrie III. in the race today
allowed the Ailsa 2 minutes and 50 sec
onds and she allowed the Brittania
minutes and seconds. When the start
ing gun was fired at 10: 80 am. the Brit
annia and Ailsa crossed the line almost
together, with the Valkyrie couple of
lengths behind. Early as it was in he
race it was evident when the yachts
passed Cloch light house that the VAL
kyrie was making poor showing. The
three yachts. however, raced in fine style
from Kelmorlie toward the mark boat
off Ascog, Isle Of Butte, which the Britannia
rounded one minute ahead OF the Ailsa,
the latter oeing half minute off from
the Valkyrie.
There was was very little change from
that time until the yachts reached the
Kilcreggan mark boat No. 4, on the first
round. Up to that point the Valkylie had
still more perceptibiy on the beat home,
after rounding Kilcreggan boat mark.
The breeze increased slightly in
strength after the yachts started the reach
to mark boat No. 2, off Skelmorlie. on the
seconu round, and it was soon found nee.
Ailsa and Britannia, however, held to
their club topsails. and stood up nicely
to the wind.
There was little change in the positions
OF the yachts when Skelmorlie mark boat
was rounded on the second round. put
Valkyrie had dropped further behind.
The procession in the same order con-
tinued to the Ascog mark boat No. 8.
which Britannia rounded mile ahead
OF Ailsa, which was still leading
Valkyrie by about two miles.
At the club house of the Mud Hook
Yacht club after the race all the yachts
men assembled looked very glum.
erica; better send Britannia" was the
general remark.
Suff: cient. proof was given by the per.
formance of the cup challenger today that
she has quite fallen short Of expecta-
tions. In no point of the sailing did she
she will pe a real aspirant for the Ameri.
cas- cup nonors.
Although the main interest Of the day
was in the race of the big yachts, there
were not many people who did not wit
ness the race between Howard Gould's
Niagara and Lord Lonsdale's Euchairs.
The latter won decidedly in today's
Dakotah was allowed y minutes so sec.
onds by the other yachts competing in
this event as she Is barely an eleven-rater,
and her competitors were all about
twenty. raters. Dakotah was expected to
save her time allowance. but Euchairs
finished first, 80 .ninutses ahead of Nj.
agara, and won the race outright. Zenitna
was little easy reach to Kilcroggan and
set smaller topsail, but she had lest
ground which she never regained. and
only half-nearted posple greeted Britain
MAS victory.
The yachts passed Cloch light house on
their way to Kilcreggan on the second
round in the following times: Britannia,
2:46 :l6; Ailsa, 2:25:2I; Valkyrie. 2:27 :O1.
At this stage OF the race Britannia was
looked upon as being certain and easy
winner, barring accidents. The yachts
reached back to Kilcreggan on the second,
round in strong breeze. Valkyrie. see
ing that she was still falling astern of her
competitors, set her working topsail in
order to try to improve her speed, but she
heeled until her lee rail ohurned the
water, while Britannia and Ailsa, still
holding on their club topsails, were
bowling along splendidly and standing
up much sitter than Valkyrie. In this
order the yachts rounded the Kilcreggan
mark boat and stood away for home with
Valkyrie hopelessly beaten by both
Britannia and Ailsa. The following were
the times of the three big yachts at the
finish: Britannia, 1855 :37; Ailsa, 2:57 Al
Valkyrie, 2:59:45.
Therefore, according to these figures
Britannia beat Valkyrie by 8 minutes 8
seconds lactual time, and the yacht
Dakotah was fourth. Captain Carter,
Britannia's skipper, said after the race
that he was very sorry Valkyrie III lost
the race. as although he liked to run a
boat to win, yet the feeling OF patriotism