The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-22
BIG YACHT TRIAL SPOILED.
tMIsHAP TO THE DEFENDER SENDS
HER BACK TO PORT CRIPPLED.
Link in Main Sheet Tackle Snaps Under
Pressure and the Old Boat Must Go to

the very pest test OF speed and skill between
the yachts Columbia and Defender came to
naught this morning because Of mishap to
the cup champion OF 1895, the sequence OF
which was that she withdrew from the race
and returned In n crippled condition % her an
choraRe In the outer harbor OF this port. The
contest had not been under way half an hour
before one OF the steel links to which the
blocks OF the Defepder's main sheet are at
tached snapped and that settled 1t. 1t was
like breaking the handspring OF watch
There was nothing to be done except gather
In all the after sails and quit.
II the handspring Of a racehorse snaps the
animal Is forthwith destroyed. but happily
yachts are machines. and 90 It is that the De-
fender will be as good as ever within twenty
four hours. although she will have to 60 to
Bristol for the necessary repairs. The Column
bia did not undertake to complete the course.
but she stood on her tack for half an hour
after the Defender became disabled. and then,
after rounding the first mark off Point Judith.
eased her sheets and made straight for her
moorlngs. Under tho impulse OF lib. mains sail
and working topsail she made great speed.
and passing the old boat. which crawled home
under solitary headsail. she dropped her
anchor in tho smooth water OF the harbor ere
the Defender had rounded the point OF land
whereon stands Fort Adams.
When everything had been made snug below
and aloft the directors OF the two boats. G.
Oliver Iselin and William Butler Duncan. Jr..
had talk with the Regatta Committee OF the
Newport Yacht Racing Association. under
whose direction the race was undertaken. 1t
was at first thought that 1t would be i'm posi-
bic to resail the race tomorrow. Mr.. Iselin
said he had engagements which would extend
well into next week. so 1t was decided to fix the
date OF the next meeting Of the biz single stick
ers for Saturday. July 20. But late this after
noon the Herreshoff people said they could
repair the Defenders gear and have her ready
tomorrow morning. whereupon Mr.. Duncan
stated that he would race tomorrow.
If the Herreshoffs repair the blocks by to-
morrow morning. and they say they will surely
do 80. the Defender will race the Columbia,
formally or in formally" said Mr.. Duncan. II
mean that we are willing to race irrespective
of any cups or trophy"
Never was a fairer day for a yacht race and
never was disappointment more keen over the
outcome of contest. When the rival yachts
crossed the line at the beginning Of what was
to have been long journey the wind was
blowing fresh and straight from the southwest.
The sea was bit choppy. but there was
enough OF the ocean swell about 1t to mako
you know that you were not going up tho
Hudson by daylight. Not a cloud obscured
the suns rays. and tho breeze kicked up
little whitecaps on the pillows Ancient
mariners said old Boreas was travelling at
about an eighteen. knot gait. Playing around
the weather. beaten Brenton's Reef Lightship
was a gay mixture Of stately steam yachts.
rakish schooners. sloops OF large and small
calibre and dozens OF little catboats. which
lodged hither and thither under single and
double reefs. Shooting In and out among tho
sail craft were half dozen OF Uncle Sans
sleek torpedo boats. They were loaded to the
laws limit with such naval officers as were
able to obtain leaves Of absence from the war
ships OF the North Atlantic squadron which
arrived in port yesterday.
There wero the Somers. Gwynn. Porter.
Ericsson. Dupont and Winslow the latter
famous for a naval encounter with the Span
lards Off Cuba last year. clever artist
could have made a pretty picture OF the
Gwynn as she followed the Columbia.
Long. low and narrow. painted almost black.
and emitting a cloud of smoke blacker than
her hull. she wheeled and circed in the wake
OF the cup defender like q shark after pOr-
poise. At the wheel was n fair maid, and di-
recty behind her. with his hands almost on the
circle OF steel. was an officer of tho United
States. But she made no mistakes. and the
protecting arm had no duty to perform. This
was one Of the pretty sights Of a hundred that
were witnessed JUST before the start OF the race.
At O'Clock this morning a thick fog en-
velopcd the vicinity OF Newport. but before 9
the rays Of the sun had dspelled the mist and
the day showed bright and clear. With tho sun
came brisk wind to notify all whom it might
concern that there was to be a yacht race. The
sailors on board the Columbia and Defender
began at once to prepare for the struggle. The
two big sloops were riding quietly at anchor in
the smooth waters OF Brenton's Cove. south
west OF the torpedo station. Mainsails wore
bsuled tioht nm both hoata for tbs double Mr.
'".eu 1 VI o 49, oo"'s' ~. ,"e uouole pur-
pose oil crying them out ana getting them
stretched for the race. The sailmakers seem to
havs mazda a sorrv ioh ~ RAFTING tha CoIrr,
-, ,,. 49, Nv "a. e ."' Soiuih-
plas chiet canvas. ana IL appears TO be worse
than when first fitted to the boom and
oar The inf or that n,rt nearast tba mast
no 49, ~ > ",, p .".,s 'no mas ,
ana the pouy OF the sal! were as SUN as New
England master. but the back was wrinkled
liz sausoge shin wben Iatar on che at
nv, ~ s 90 - 'a'oi on s.e DC.
her forward salls they showed perfect MT and
look ed to be a credit to her tailor,
Tba Columbia wac orat 70 Lave bor, ,o,ox
NO So1u'" a., was nHv 70 ,eaoe ner ahenor-
age. when she ana shortly after . O'Clock. She
set her lib. her mansail being already up and