The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-09-11
DEFENDER S
GREATNESS.
Continued from Page IL

most favorable to the Valkyrie It was
noticed that while the contestants were
sailing around about the line that was
to be made that their sails set equally
as we'll as they did on Saturday. This
was especially the case with the De-
tenders white plug topsail.
Preparatory Gun.
The preparatory gun was fired from
the committee boat sharp ON the ap-
pointed time of 1850. Both yachts had
baby jib topsails set, when, after some
clever manouvering about the line
which had been drawn between the
Luckenbach to the westward of the
Sandy Hook lightship and the light
ship, they both stood down to the line.
After the shippers had performed all
the monkeying that they could do
above the line they finally made their
way down to the start. Coming to that
first station the Valkyrie was to wind
ward and the Defender something like
two lengths astern to leeward. It was
at this period about half a minute be-
fore the starting signal should be
given that Defender overhauled Val
kyrie in a very rapid manner and had
her nose almost UP to Vallyrie'S beam,
when the latter eased off and blanketed
Defenders baby jiib topsail and jib
shook in the wind. Captain Half when
he saw his head sails shaking and the
movement of the Englishman in the
way OF an attempt to blanket him,
threw Defender high up as though
about to tack, or al least to pass under
Valkyrie's stern and get to windward
of the Briton.
Smashed the Defender.
The Valkyrie was very promptly
aware of this move and luffed up well
into the wind. They were then both al
most on the line. AS valkyrie luffed
her boom went smash against the jib
topsail of Defender and that conclusion
was the cause of the protest that came
later. OF course Valhyrie went over
the line first and to windward. De-
fender was close after her but she had
barely got over the line when the sheet
of her jib topsail parted. Both boats
/ time, so both claimed that they had
the right of way. 1t was a question
among the experts who were looking
On whether Defender was at that mo-
ment the overhauling boat. If she had
been it was, according to the rules,
her place to give way. The fine point
came in the discussions of the sharps
whether Defender, who had been
blanketed and who had to fall back in
speed because of her huff, was the over
hauling vessel AN the same with the
parting of the baby jib topsail sheet,
the sail Mapped great deal in the
wind and assisted in the loosening of
its own stay and the top stay on the
starboard side. The slack of the top
mast stay allowed the topmast to bend
over toward the water on the port
Cln Gov,
ment as though the mast was about
to be carried away.
Eased OFF.
Captain Haff instantly eased off his
vessel. He probably felt that had he
come up to the wind and met its full
strength with his club topsail going
the entire upper outfit would have
been carried away. So he eased off
to find out what real damage had been
done. He discovered that THE topmast
had been sprung.
The Defender had. in good seaman
ship style, held up the red protest flag
when Valkyrie's boom interfered so
much with her progress. Still she went
on her journey very much Worsted by
the collision, but still gaining A good
many people said that she was out of
the race; that she had given it up.
Others who knew better remarked that
the Defender people would be towards
if they dropped out before they got a
decision from the committee in charge,
and it proved that they We're right
Defender was out to race, even
though a cripple, and she went on as
a cripple, SO that the wind up of the
days business showed that the fast
est yacht in Europe could only beat
the crippled American over a thirty
mil &rin 10, j.
Vall<yrie's Advantage.
After the yachts came about to the
port tack soon after crossing the line
Valkyrie was a good eighth of a mile
to windward, and several lengths
ahead. As they stood away on the port
tack the wind increased to eight or
nine miles an hour. During that tack
Valkyrie plainly outfooted and out
pointed the Defender who did not
care to run up any sail on the jib top
sail. AT 11:24 Defender came about to
starboard. Valkyrie followed as
promptly as though she had been rae
ing with a fellow we'll met. On this
tack, Defender pointed up very we'll
and went very fast. but Valkyrie did
better in both points of sailing. They
only stood away on this tack for about
five minutes, when they came around
lOSSlnSl. AL Tie IlIIle V dIkyT0 was
doing the better work on both pointing
and footing.
1t Caused Wonder.
There was considerable wonder that
Defender without any lib topsail, did
not point higher than she did, but as
a matter of fact Valkyrie was going
to 'windward all the time she was go
ing ahead. At 1854 the Defender was
the first to come about and she did it
in very slow, slovenly, careless man.
ner, occupying no less than 81 sec
onds. Valkyrie followed her opponents
example quickly and continued to race
as boat out for cup should race
At this stage OF the game Defenders
friends looked very blue. They were
sure that the Defender would lose the
race, but they did think that their
champion should do better than she
was doing. They were willing to lose
under the circumstances, but they
were unanimous in saying that De
fender should make all the fight she
was able, which she certainly did not
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