Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-25
TRIAL OF RELIANCE
New Cup Defender Out for
~. Spin.
UNDER EASY SAIL
DESIGNER HERRESHOFF AT THE
WHEEL.
Run Intended to Give Builders a
Chance to Look the
Yacht Over.
UNDER EASY SAIL

BRISTOL, r. l., April 25.-The new cup
defender, the Reliance, was given her first
trial sail today. The weather was not all
that could have been desired, there being
only a light breeze from the west, but as
the run was mainly to give her builders 4
chance to look over their finished work.
manship there was wind enough for their
needs and enough to send the craft down
the bay at moderate speed. The crew of
the Reliance were on deck by sunrise, and
with the exception of half an hours respite
for breakfast, they worked constantly until
after o'clock in an effort to have every
thing In the best of shape for the yachts
first spin. The decks had been washed
down, the mafnsail uncovered and both
head sails set up in stops before the men
went to breakfast. The sun rose clear
but before long it disappeared Under dark
fair weather were not particularly favor
able. A very light wind came out of the
northwest. This was a favorable sign, as
IT was taken to indicate that before the
middle of the forenoon it would breeze up
and give the yacht chance to show her
speed from Narragansett bay with started
sheets.
The Reliance started at 9:35 o'clock. The
breeze had shifted to the west and was
very light The yacht swung away from
her moorings under three lower sails and
:" oihiiiS tolSstfl OeSlSHeI heTTeSIlOn
was at the wheel. The yachts tender,
Sunbeam; the steamer Park City the tender
of the old cup defender Columbia and the
steam yacht Corona. with Commodore
Bourne of the New York Yacht Club on
board, and press tug followed.
Boat Seems a Little Stiff.
QUAKER HILL, PORTSMOUTH, r. l.,
April 25.-The trial sail of the Reliance was
observed from this point When the yacht
f,.o, ~
wits under mainsail working topsail and
jib. and was headed toward Hog Island
Light. The staysail was soon broken out
and later jib topsail was also set. The Re-
lance seemed rather stiff, for with the
heavy mainsal boom and gaff swung well
on the portside, she had scarcely any heel
w hen the great sail was set for the first
time this morning it was evident that Cap
tam Barr did not like the set of it exactly,
so 1t was lowered and the foot hauled out a
bit on the boom Then the sail was again
hauled up, the crew working hard to get it
taut on the luf That part of the sail set
fairly well, but the leach tapped badly The
Reliance was an hour getting out of the
harbor, and while she was drifting along
the crew changed the working topsail for a
very small club topsail.
At 10:40 m the wind strengthened a hit
and trimming In her sheet the Reliance
headed out into Narragansett bay.
Does Well Beating to Windward.
QUAKER HILL, Portsmouth, R. l., April
2o.-lt was little beat down to Prudence
Island, so a half dozen short bitches were
made In the light air the Reliance tackled
inside of twenty seconds with ease and
gathered headway very quickly. As she
snpped along there appeared scarcely a
ripple astern, so clean did she leave the
water She had all of the HerreShoff char
acteristics of moving fast in very light
breezes. With the exception of the main
sail her sails filled fairly we'll
The slaekening of the mainsaiI along the
leach seemed due to considerable extent
10 the absence of battens Other big
yachts have carried three or four Still
the Reliance's sail was badly puckered
along the foot, and today it looks as If
II would have to be altered
Before the Reliance reached Prudence
Island the wind had worked around into
the southwest and increased to about four
Hes hour, giving a still further heat
down the bay
The No jibtopsail which was hoisted at
frst was changed to a babyjb Although
the wind was light and shifting it looked
from shore as if the Reliance sailed Within
four points OF it. The fiat floor forward
appeared to kick back quite little water.
SO tnat there was considerable fuss under
her ooWs. But at this time the boat was
not heeied much, in fact, stiffness in light
airs promised TO prove characteristic
BY ll:O am. the yacht had worked down
as far as the southerly end of Prudence Is
i'h'Au' loNhi1lS last making great prog
ress in the light air.
Breeze Freshens
BY noon the breeze had freshened and the
Reliance heeled down for the first time and
began to move very fast. Getting over un-
der Conanicut Island she swung round on
the starboard tack and romped along at a
lively rate Then she took another hitch
over toward jamestown with all her sails
pulling well. except the staysail. which
happed badly at the leach.
When under jamestown the Reliance
lacked TO starboard. The wind was then
blowing about eight knots and the yacht
made fine picture she went flying down
toward Newport.
NEWPORT X. l., April 25.-The Reliance
arrived here at 12:i0 pm. and anchored
near the torpedo station.