EAST DONYLAND​ / ROWHEDGE

THE NEW YORK TIMES - Wednesday 11 September 1895 - (Excerpts from the article) - “THE VALKYRIE FINISHES IN THE LEAD - Won the Second Cup Race by 47 Seconds, after Fouling the Defender - AMERICAN YACHT’S STARBOARD SPREADER BROKEN - Regatta Committee Will Consider the Protest To-day and Decide Who Is to Blame for the Accident - SMOOTH SEAS AND A TEN-KNOT BREEZE FOR THE RACE - Defender Sailed a Splendid Race in Spite of Her Handicap, and Nearly Caught the Valkyrie - A Big Crowd Watches the Interesting Contest from the Excursion Steamers - Defender Clearly the Better Boat in Reaching - A most unfortunate occurrence marred the second contest for the America’s Cup, which took place off Sandy Hook yesterday. All the conditions were favorable for a close and beautiful struggle between Defender and Valkyrie III.

The sea was as smooth as a mountain lake, and there was a moderate southerly breeze, which increased in force as the day wore on. The conditions were wholly different from those of last Saturday, and were decidedly favorable to the Valkyrie, if her reputation as a light-weather yacht is well founded.

This is not saying that the conditions were unfavourable to the Defender. She is believed to be quite as good in light weather as in a breeze. Consequently, if there was ever to be a close race between the two yachts yesterday was the day for it.

The two racers were early at the cruising ground around the old red lightship, and appeared to the most critical eyes to be fit to race for a kingdom. The lean blue hull of the Defender cut great scars of silver and white in the gloriously blue water as she flashed here and there in her preparatory movements for the start. The round white side of the Valkyrie hurled clouds of foam hither and thither as she raced about the starting point, stretching her lovely white wings and getting the creases out of them in readiness for the fight of her life.

The two yachts had their huge yellow mainsails spread, and their airy club topsails aloft. Forestaysails and jibs were pulling like old-time fire laddies with only one hydrant in sight,  and little baby jib topsails - most telling canvas in a light beat to windward - were puffing their lily cheeks as if they would burst themselves with energy.

Watching Each Twist of the Wind - The rival Captains were watching every twist of the wind, while the assistant Captains were each watching every twist of the opposing yacht. The amateur whose business it is to count seconds, had his watch in his hand and his eyes on the Luckenbach.

Bang! went the preparatory gun. Signals, blue peters, red balls, and other objects flashed confusedly before the eyes of the puzzled landsmen. Now the eager skippers began their manoeuvring for the best position. Capt. Hank Haff ran the Defender off to the southward and westward of the starting line. The Valkyrie was right after him.

Both came around presently and headed toward the starting line. They were running free with the wind on the starboard beam. the Valkyrie ahead and to windward. Old salts said: “Here is where Hank Haff will luff out and be on the Englishman’s weather quarter as they cross the line.” But it was not so to be.

The steamer Yorktown of the Old Dominion Line had just come out to the mark, and she deliberately lay right in the path of the two yachts, making one of the most unpardonable interferences ever seen in American yachting waters. The Valkyrie was able to cross the steamer’s bows, but the Defender had to put her helm hard up in order to avoid running foul of the big iron vessel.

When this incident had passed, the spectators, who for a few moments had been breathless with anxiety, heaved a sigh of relief. But worse was yet to come. The starting signal was almost due, and the two yachts were standing to cross the line. They were plainly bound across on the starboard tack, and now, owing to the Yorktown’s interference, the Defender was in the lee berth and unable to luff across the Valkyrie’s stern.

Both yachts were getting sheets aft and hauling on the wind, when, to the intense amazement of all the spectators, the Valkyrie suddenly put up her helm, and fell off from the course. In an instant she was ramping down on the Defender at a pace that threatened to cut her down if something was not done, and that very quickly.

Smart Jockeying for the Start - When the two yachts were close together, the Valkyrie luffed sharply, and it looked as if her skipper, in his smart jockeying for the start, had tried to run down and blanket the Defender, then luff up and give her the back draught of his sails, thus killing her way while he sped on across the line.

But he miscalculated his distance, for, when he luffed, his main boom swung clear over the Defender’s weather rail, and struck the starboard topmast shroud. Instantly the tackle at the foot of the shroud parted, while at the same time the starboard spreader broke, and the topmast, with the clubtopsail and jibtopsail pulling at it with steam engine power, was left with only the backstay to support it.

The stout spar bent like a trout rod, and every one expected to hear the fatal crash that would tell of Defender’s utter disablement. But with the instant, almost instinctive judgment of an old sailor, Capt. Haff whirled the spokes of his wheel around, putting his helm hard up.

The Defender’s head swiftly fell off to leeward. At the same instant shouts of command were heard, and the jibtopsail sheet and halyard were let go, the downhaul was manned, and half a dozen nimble Deer Island lads flashed out on the bowsprit like shooting stars, and smothered the fluttering canvas as it came down.

Bang! went the starting gun while this was going on, and the Englishman was up and away like a frightened schoolboy who had thrown a stone. He was close-hauled on the starboard tack, slipping through the smooth water like a fat, white duck, and not caring much whether the other duck was lame.

Yankee Yacht Not Dead - But the Yankee yacht was not dead yet, by any means. She came up on the wind as soon as her head sail was in and started across the line. She flew a protest flag, meaning that she claimed a foul, and wished to have the Earl of Dunraven disqualified for spiking her. But she had no time to tarry then. Her crew were gazing at the Valkyrie’s stern, just one minute and two seconds ahead, and it is not a pretty stern, anyhow.

Up the mast, clawing the masthoops like an angry cat, went a white-garbed sailor man. There was one fellow up there already, sitting on the strut waiting for just such trouble as this. That is what he was there for. Down below on the deck skilled hands were making the shroud fast again at the chain plates, and the two men aloft began to put a stout lashing on it to hold it to the broken spreader.

After a time that seemed almost endless to the anxious patriots who were watching Valkyrie’s jibtopsail tow her ahead, the Defender’s people thought they were in shape to put strain on their topmast once more, so away went the baby jibtopsail aloft, and the patriots almost screamed with delight as they thought: “Now our yacht will catch the Englishman.” But conservative sailor men, who have seen strained topmasts before, waited a little to see.

Alas! the wounded stick could not stand the pressure, and down came the little worker from aloft. And now a great, gloomy silence settled down over the accompanying fleet, for a new sight was seen on the face of the water. Inch by inch, foot by foot, yard by yard, the Valkyrie crept out to windward. An English yacht was beating us to a weather mark in a light-weather contest.

There was no talk of outpointing now. It looked as if the Valkyrie was outpointing the Defender, for on each successive tack she was further to windward. But it was all done by speed, and the little joker aloft was the winning sail. The windward mark was reached about 1 o’clock, and then not only the eye but the watch loudly proclaimed that the Valkyrie was half a mile dead ahead.

Valkyrie Breaks Out Balloon Jib - Round the fluttering red-and-white flag flew the Englishman, and in a little while out broke the great swelling balloon jibtopsail. Every eye was now fastened on the Defender. A dozen sailors were forward passing out a long, festooned piece of canvas.

“Hurrah!” cried the patriots, “They’re all right. They’re passing out the balloon jibtopsail, and, when that goes up, down goes John Bull!”

Presently the sail, in stops, stole up the jibtopsail stay. Suddenly it stopped. It did not reach the masthead by many feet, nor did it come down to the bowsprit. A groan broke from the patriots. It was only a baby jibtopsail, and what could a little Billy Edwards like that do with a great Charley Mitchell of a balloon jibtopsail like the Englishman’s?

“She’ll run away from our boat on the second leg,” was the general verdict.

Did she? Why, the Defender just broke out a balloon forestaysail and hung in the wake of the Valkyrie like that villain that “still pursued her.” If she had had a good old-fashioned jib stowed in her locker, she would have been on the Englishman’s heels at the second mark. The manner in which Defender sailed on the second leg was simply glorious, and was proof beyond all possibility of question that in running off the wind she can get so far away from the Englishman that the latter cannot find her wake. Lamed as she was, she actually ran the ten miles in 16 seconds less than the Valkyrie.

Then came the reach to the finish. Now patriotic hearts rose. The yachts had to swing their sails all over to starboard on this leg, and so the strain was off the Defender’s injured shroud and spreader. True the topmast had been strained, but now there were a good shroud and a backstay to support it. It was not many minutes before the true speed of the American champion began to show itself.

“She’s gaining! She’s gaining!” cried the patriots. And so she was at a  most amazing pace. No one called the yellow dog bad names now, and no one wondered whether it was bad luck to have the commander’s wife aboard. It was plain to see that our yacht could beat the Britisher, and every one said: “Whether the committee gives him this race or not, we’ll keep the cup, and that’s what we’re all here for.”

Defender’s Steady Gain - Slowly and steadily the Defender lessened the gap, but it was too big to be closed in ten miles. If the last leg had been fifteen miles the Defender would have crossed the line first. But it was not so to be, and a little before 3 o’clock the Valkyrie with her creamy sails making crescents against the warm blue sky, wide streamers of silver spray spreading from under her lean forefoot, and a smother of swirling foam shooting from under her counter, went tearing across the line, while guns thundered, whistles shrieked, and people cheered, just to show an Englishman that Americans can take a beating and come up smiling.

But there were cheers for the Defender, for had she not shown the world a grand up-hill fight? They say an Englishman never knows when he is whipped. Does an American? Or does he stop fighting because he thinks he is whipped? Over the line flashed the pale-blue streak, and the Defender finished second by the narrow margin of forty-seven seconds, corrected time. Not since the Columbia broke down and the Livonia won a race away back in 1871 had an English yacht finished first in a race for the America’s Cup. And so it was all over, except the talking and the decision of the Regatta Committee, and the patriots went home pretty well satisfied that they had the faster boat of the two.

The Regatta Committee posted this notice in the Clubhouse last night, but no action will be taken on the protest until to-day:

The Defender protests the Valkyrie on the ground that she bore down on her just before reaching the starting line, thereby causing a foul, which resulted in the carrying away of her spreader and the springing of her topmast. REGATTA COMMITTEE.”

THE YACHTS GETTING UNDER WAY - Sailed Down to the Starting Point Under Plenty of Canvas - The yachts left their anchorage off Bay Ridge in tow before 8 o’clock. At that hour the sun was trying to “scotch” the clouds in the east, but there was a heavy cloudbank in the west, and down through the Narrows the outlook was obscured by what sailors call thick weather. That is to say, there was a mist over the water.

However, there was a nice little breeze coming up from the south, and an hour later the mist had cleared away, leaving only a smoky haze. By 8:30 the yachts were well in the lower bay. Few steam yachts were then on the move, and a fleet of sailing yachts, both sloops and schooners, were beating down by Fort Lafayette.

On account of their great draught, the yachts had to go down through the ship channel, which took them down by the point of the Hook, while the attendant procession of steamers and tugs took a short cut through the Swash Channel. Still they had so much of a lead that they reached the lightship ahead of nearly everything. They were at the lightship before 10 o’clock, and as sail had been made leisurely on the way down, clubtopsails were already aloft.

An Immense Spread of Canvas - Some idea of the immense spread of canvas carried by these yachts may be had from the fact that it was noticeable as the steamship Lahn passed the Valkyrie that the latter’s clubtopsail towered away above the former’s lofty masts. The Valkyrie seemed to be carrying a larger clubtopsail than that she used Saturday, but the Defender’s was the same. Indeed, the Defender carried the same suit of sails she had on Saturday, and there was the same contrast between the white clubtopsail and the dark-colored mainsail. She, however, instead of setting the intermediate jibtopsail carried then, followed the Valkyrie’s example, and ran up a baby jibtopsail.

There was a moderate south wind blowing, perhaps, nine miles an hour, while the sea was almost as smooth as a millpond.

HOW THE RACE WAS SAILED - Details of Defender’s Lively Chase After Valkyrie - The sea was as smooth as glass outside Sandy Hook, and the wind was light, and coming from the south, and every one who got out to see the second race between the Valkyrie and the Defender remarked that it was perfect Valkyrie weather. Saturday was supposed to be a good day for Valkyrie. The wind then was light, lighter than it was yesterday, but there was quite a sea, or, as an old salt put it, there were holes in the water, and nobody knew just where these holes were, and consequently kept tumbling into them.

There was no sea to bother the Valkyrie yesterday. The wind at the start was blowing about six miles an hour, and it gradually increased, until at the end it was blowing about twelve, and the light-weather boat, as she is regarded here, was expected to distinguish herself if she ever did.

After the Regatta Committee on board the Luckenbach had signaled the course and sent off a tug to lay the outer marks, the yachts began to manoeuvre round, and wait for the preparatory signal. This signal was given promptly at 10:50, the advertised time, and both yachts were then north of the line and both on the starboard tack.

The Defender was more to the eastward, and, directly after the gun was fired, she came about on the port tack, heading up toward the Valkyrie.

Valkyrie tacked, too, and, as the boats drew together, she was on the Defender’s windward quarter. Both yachts had their jibtopsails in stops, and, after holding on this tack for a short time, they wore round and headed to the northward again. They held this way for about two minutes, and then, jibing over, they hauled on the wind, and began to stand down for the mark.

Excursion Boat in the Way - Then the steamship Yorktown, with a crowd of excursionists on board, for some reason or other steamed in between the two yachts.

After the Yorktown had got out of the way both yachts were heading toward the committee boat, or westward end of the line, on the starboard tack. The Valkyrie was in the lead and to windward of the Defender. Capt. Sycamore had the tiller, while on the American boat Capt. Haff was at the wheel.

Both Captains were watching each other and watching their own boats. They were ready to take any opportunity that offered them to get the better position at the start. So far the honors were with the Valkyrie.

As they approached the line Capt. Sycamore bore somewhat off his course, and then luffed up sharply again, evidently with the intention of spoiling the Defender’s wind.

Capt. Haff  held the Defender straight for the line, and as the Valkyrie came up in the wind again her big steel boom swung out and caught in the starboard topmast shroud of the Defender, pulling it out of the spreader. For a moment it looked as though the topmast would be carried out of the American boat.

Defender’s Topmast Buckles - The stick buckled under the weight of the clubtopsail and the jibtopsail, but in an instant Capt. Haff threw over his wheel, the yacht spun around on the port tack, and, the strain being taken off the disabled shrouds, the stick was saved. Then the Deer Island sailors had to do some lively work.

The jibtopsail was taken in, two men were sent up on the spreader, and while the starboard shroud was slack they lashed it out on the end of the starboard spreader and made it as firm as they possibly could. In the meantime the Valkyrie had shot across the line well down toward the western end. She was on the starboard tack and was footing fast. They had to make quick time on the Defender in order to avoid being handicapped. The starting gun had been fired, and but for the mishap they would have been across the line right in the stern of the Valkyrie, and the two boats would have been having it nip and tuck for the windward work.

The damage was quickly repaired so far as possible, and while the two men were still on the spreader trying to complete their work, the Defender was put about again, and she headed for the line on the same tack as the Valkyrie. The times taken as the two yachts crossed the line were:

Valkyrie - 11:00:13

Defender - 11:01:15

The Defender had lost a minute at the start. The minute would not count against her, because she had two minutes in which to cross the line, but she had lost a good position, for if the mishap had not happened she would have been but a few seconds worse off than the Valkyrie, whereas she was now considerably to the leeward of the English boat.

Making Most of Their Advantage - On the Valkyrie they were making the most of the advantage they had thus far gained. The men were all lying up to windward as flat on deck as it was possible for them to get. Capt. Sycamore, at the tiller, was crouching down to leeward of the big stick, and he was glancing first up at the headsails and then casting an eye to the leeward to see the Defender.

On the Defender nearly all the crew were in their proper positions. Hank Haff was kneeling down in his old position to leeward of the wheel, C. Oliver Iselin was tending his jibsheet, Mrs. Iselin was in her old position in the companionway, with her head just above deck, and Mate Miller and two seamen were trying to fix up the damage done and make the shroud as strong as they possibly could. A seaman went forward and hoisted the red flag standing for the letter “B” in the starboard rigging. This was the signal that the Defender protested, and those on the committee boat signaled back that the protest was noted.

This tack was a very short one, and thirty seconds after the handicap gun had been fired the Defender tacked to port. The Valkyrie spun round five seconds later, and the two yachts were then heading westsouthwest in toward the Highlands. Capt. Haff probably tacked so quickly in order that the men on the spreader might be able to work easily without there being any strain on the shroud. The Valkyrie, in the meantime, was holding on her course and pointing high and quickly widening the gap between the two yachts.

The Defender was without her jibtopsail, and it was a day that jibtopsails counted for a good deal. The Valkyrie’s jibtopsail was drawing beautifully. Capt. Haff gave the Defender a rapful, intending to romp her off and outfoot the Englishman with the idea of possibly making up what he had lost to windward. They held on this port tack until they had passed the Scotland Lightship, and then, at 11:24:30, the Defender tacked to starboard and was followed fifteen seconds later by the English boat.

Valkyrie Considerably Ahead - It was seen then that the Valkyrie was considerably ahead and about 300 yards to windward of the Defender, and the Defender was in a mighty bad place. Her wind was being broken and every minute she was getting further and further away from the English boat. The outlook was anything but bright, but those who were watching the race consoled themselves by saying that but for the accident things would be different.

Valkyrie was doing remarkably well, and she was proving that in the weather for which she is supposed to have been built she is a very slippery craft. She was footing fast, pointing high, and going through the water leaving very little fuss, and making very little wave forward. The Defender was going along in the old style for which she has become famous, but in her crippled condition she was unable to cope fairly with the Englishman. This tack off shore lasted for just five minutes, and then both spun round on the port tack, heading again in toward the shore. The damage had been repaired as far as possible on the Defender. A big bunch of rope on the end of the spreader marked where the shroud was lashed to the spar. But lash it as firmly as they could it was nothing like as taut as when it was passed through the hole and held in place by the bolts.

As soon as they got well away on this tack, one of the Deer Island sailors went out on the end of the bowsprit, and everybody watched to see what was going to happen next. Then another followed, and another, until there were six men out there, and they were seen passing out a sail. “They are going to set a jibtopsail,” shouted a Defender enthusiast, “now we’ll see how she’ll beat the Englishman.”

The sail was passed out quickly, run up the stay, and at 11:33:15, a No.2 jibtopsail was broken out. The men got back into their positions, and for a short time it looked as though all was well, but after carrying the sail just two minutes, the men went out again, and the sail was taken in. The strain was too much for the mast in its weakened condition. Men went up on the spreader again, and more lashing was done. This constant moving about on board the Defender was a serious handicap to the boat, as it upset the trim of the craft, and she was not steady, and then the shrouds not being as taut as they ought to have been. It was impossible to get the club topsail perfectly flat, and that was not drawing as well as it might.

Defender’s Wonderful Race - Taking all these things into consideration, the Defender was sailing a wonderful race, and some who saw her good performance when reaching last Saturday remembered that the second and third legs of the course yesterday were both reaches, and they thought it quite possible that the American boat would make up then what she had lost to windward.

Capt. Haff kept on giving the Defender a good rap full, and she footed as fast as the Valkyrie, but was sagging down to leeward. It was the only thing for him to do under the conditions. The wind was freshening, and some yachtsmen hoped it would freshen so that the Valkyrie would have to take in her jibtopsail, or that the two yachts would have to take in their clubtopsails, and then they would be on even terms.

At 11:53:50 the Defender tacked to starboard, and the Valkyrie followed just ten seconds later. The Valkyrie was then a third of a mile in the lead, and she quickly increased this to half a mile at noon. They held on this tack for just seventeen minutes, and at 12:10:30 Capt. Haff threw the wheel on the American yacht over and brought her about on the port tack. She was heading then toward the Jersey coast again.

The Valkyrie followed the Defender just fifteen seconds later, Capt. Cranfield evidently intending to keep right on the American boat’s weather as long as he possibly could. The wind was holding true. It was just what the Englishmen had been asking for, and it was getting stronger and stronger every minute. It was still a light breeze, though, but the yachts were making wonderful speed under the conditions.

The port tack was a short one, and at 12:18:30 the Valkyrie tacked to starboard, being followed five seconds later by the American boat. The Defender was then right in the Valkyrie’s wake, but was at least half a mile behind. Both were then on the starboard tack, standing out to sea. Two thirds of the distance to the first mark had now been covered, and the Defender was not being beaten nearly as badly as many had expected she would be, and, allowing for her crippled condition, it was generally conceded that in light weather the two boats are wonderfully close when going to windward, and that the boat that gets the weather position at the start will probably hold it to the end if the wind holds true.

The Yachts Begin to Heel a Little - The wind by this time was blowing about ten knots an hour, and under the freshening breeze both yachts began to heel a little, the Valkyrie appearing to be a little more tender than the Defender, but this could be caused by the extra sail which the Valkyrie was carrying.

The fleet of excursion steamers gave the yachts a good show. They kept well astern of them, and there was no cause for complaint from either boat. The fleet of patrol boats headed the procession following the two racers, and kept the course clear as the yachts went off on the different tacks, Mr. H. M. Flagler’s steam yacht Alicia looking after the starboard tack, and Mr. John H. Hanan’s steam yacht Embia taking care of the port tack. They had little difficulty, however, in keeping the excursionists back, as all seemed to be disposed to give the boats a fair show.

A man was sent aloft on the Defender again shortly after they went on this tack, and the spreader and mast were carefully examined. He came down again, however, without doing anything. By 12:30 the stake boat was in sight. The Valkyrie was then being driven for all she was worth, and every stitch of canvas was pulling for all it was worth. Little flecks of white foam made their appearance on top of the tiny waves, and down in the southward where the yachts were going to there was every indication of the wind being much fresher.

The Valkyrie made much more fuss in the water than she did at the start. The water boiled up under her bow, and on her lee side that big wave began to make its appearance, and behind her she left a long, foamy wake. She was going fast, too, and was heading straight for the stake. About half a mile astern of her the Defender was flying after her.

Stern Chase for the American - A stern chase at any time is a long chase, and an unpleasant one, too, but under crippled conditions like those of the Defender yesterday it must be exceedingly unpleasant to see the leading boat gradually getting further and further away. The excursionists were quiet, too, but they were watching every move made on the two yachts, and they were anxious to see what would be done after turning the first mark.   Through the Defender not setting her jibtopsail, it was thought that possibly her topmast was sprung, and in that case she would not be able to carry her big balloon jib topsail when reaching. This would be another serious handicap for the American boat.

As they drew near to the outer mark both yachts began to pinch in order to fetch. Capt. Cranfield kept on jamming his yacht out to windward, and Capt. Haff, too, was taking advantage of every little puff to shoot Defender up as far as possible in the same direction. It looked at first as though neither boat would fetch, but by a series of luffs and continued pinching both were able to do so without making another tack. The times taken as they rounded the first mark at the end of the ten miles beat to windward were as follows:

Valkyrie - 12:57:43

Defender - 1:01:35

The Valkyrie rounded the mark 3 minutes and 52 seconds ahead of the Defender. It had taken the Valkyrie 1 hour 57 minutes and 30 seconds to beat the ten miles. It had taken the Defender 2 hours and 20 seconds, so that on actual sailing the Valkyrie had beaten the Defender two minutes and fifty seconds.

“Rooters” Take Hope - The “rooters” for the Defender immediately began to take hope. Two minutes and fifty seconds wasn’t much to have to make up in twenty miles. Twenty-nine seconds had to be taken off from this, anyhow, that being the allowance the Valkyrie had to give the American boat, so that the Defender had only to make up two minutes and twenty-one seconds on two reaches of ten miles each - a little over a minute on each leg would win the race for her yet.

The second leg was to the northeast by east. The wind, still from the south, was over the starboard quarter. The Valkyrie eased her boom off as she rounded, took in her small jibtopsail, and sent the balloon up in stops. It was broken out just four minutes after she passed the stake - a very smart piece of work.

The Defender began to send a baby jibtopsail up in stops before she rounded the mark, and after she rounded broke it out. There was a groan heard on all sides as this small sail appeared. Every one had expected a balloon, but as the yachts were still on the starboard tack, and it was the starboard spreader that had broken, to have put a big balloon jibtopsail would probably have carried away the topmast.

One old skipper, as he watched the sail come out, remarked: “I’d have set the balloon and taken the risk. If the stick stood then she’d overhaul the Valkyrie. If the stick broke, then she’d be in no worse position than she is now.”

The staysail was taken in on the Defender, and a balloon staysail set in its place. The staysail and jib were both taken in on the Valkyrie, and then both yachts were speeding toward the second mark at the rate of ten knots an hour. The Valkyrie seemed to draw ahead. It was only natural that she should. Her immense balloon jibtopsail was drawing beautifully. It was not sheeted home as flat as it was last Saturday, and they seemed to have taken a wrinkle or two from the Americans on the way to handle this big piece of canvas.

The Valkyrie as she went through the water made more of a fuss than she had during any part of the day. She dragged a great big wave behind her, and this wave must have seriously retarded her progress. She threw considerable water with her bow and lots of it fell on the deck forward. The Valkyrie seemed to be heading off her course a little. This was probably due to the pressure of wind in her balloon, while the Defender was sailing straight for the mark, and at one time it looked as though she would get so far to windward of the Valkyrie as to break the Englishman’s wind.

Yachts Make Fast Time - The yachts made rattling good time on this leg, and by 1:45 the second mark was plainly in sight. Five minutes later the balloon on the Valkyrie was taken in, and a No.2 jibtopsail set up in its place. It took four minutes to change these sails, and the Defender was able to close up considerably of the gap between the two boats. The Valkyrie’s sheet was trimmed in a little and she hauled on the wind in order to weather the second mark. The times taken as the two yachts jibed were as follows:

Valkyrie - 1:58:10

Defender - 2:01:45

The elapsed times for the ten miles’ reach were: Defender, 1 hour 10 seconds; Valkyrie, 1 hour 27 seconds. So that the Defender had gained seventeen seconds on the broad reach.

Valkyrie Sailing Like a Witch - The Valkyrie was sailing like a witch. She heeled gracefully in the water and fairly flew on toward the outer mark. It seemed impossible to make up the time wanted in the short distance of ten miles with the English boat traveling as she was, but the Defender was making a desperate effort, and she was reaching as she had never reached before under those conditions.

Slowly but surely she began to cut down the space between the two boats. The excursion steamers gave her a wide berth, in order that she might have the benefit of every ounce of wind that she could get. They were hurrying on toward the mark as fast as they could go, and if the Defender could get near enough to win, she  would get a rousing welcome. The yachts were traveling so fast that some of the tugs and steamers were being left behind, while others, and boats that are reputed to be fast, too, were doing their utmost to keep ahead.

The lightship gradually loomed up in the distance, and it seemed altogether too near to those who wanted the Defender to win. To the Englishmen and to the admirers of the Valkyrie it still seemed to be miles away, and, as they looked ahead and then looked behind to see the American boat coming, they began to think that the race was lost after all. The committee boat steamed on and anchored in position to take the finishing line, and the steamers congregated around the line, everybody wondering which boat would win. The excitement was intense, and it was anybody’s race.

On came the Valkyrie, speeding toward the mark as fast as she could be driven by Capt. Cranfield, and behind her, rapidly closing up the gap, was the Defender, being driven as fast as it was possible to drive her, by Capt. Haff. Lord Dunraven and his friends on the Valkyrie were watching ahead for the lightship, and then they cast furtive glances behind to see how near the American yacht was getting to them. On the American boat Mr. Iselin was watching ahead, first looking at the Valkyrie and gauging how they were running up on her, and then glancing further on toward the lightship, evidently wishing it was a mile or two further away.

If the Defender could win the race it would be a great achievement, after the way she was handicapped at the start, and every body on board realizing this was doing his best to succeed. The water was just boiling under the two yachts’ bows, and it was piling along the lee rail of the Defender more than it had at any time during the race. The crews on both boats were flattening themselves on the decks as they never flattened themselves before.

A Fast Half Mile - It was only a half a mile to the lightship, and the Defender had already closed up about half the distance there was between the two at the outer mark. The Valkyrie kept on and on and passed through the lane of vessels that had congregated at the finish, and at 2:55:22 she shot across the line and was greeted by a tooting of whistles that is always given to the first yacht home. After crossing the line she came up in the wind and those on board watched to see the Defender coming along.

Everybody had his watch out, and everybody began to count off the seconds after the Valkyrie had crossed. The difference between the two yachts at the start, 1 minute and 2 seconds, soon went and the yacht was fast approaching the finish. It seemed for a while as though the allowance would cut an important factor in the race, but that, too, soon disappeared, and the Defender had not crossed the line. She was a beaten boat, and she crossed at 2:57:40, just 2 minutes and 12 seconds behind the Valkyrie. The last ten miles reach had been made by the Defender in 0:55:55. The Valkyrie’s time was 0:57:12, so that the Defender had beaten the Valkyrie by 1 minute and 17 seconds. The elapsed time of the two boats was:

Valkyrie - 3:55:00

Defender - 3:56:25

On elapsed time the Valkyrie had beaten the Defender 1 minute and 16 seconds, but the English boat had to allow the Defender 29 seconds, so that the corrected time was:

Valkyrie - 3:55:00

Defender - 3:55:56

On corrected time the Valkyrie beat the Defender 47 seconds. The Defender was greeted as if she were a winner. Guns were fired, whistles were tooted, and cheers were given for the American boat, and then all the excursion steamers crowded around the committee boat in order to see the official time, many hoping that a mistake had been made, and that the Defender was the winner after all. There was no such luck, though, for the figures hung out on board the Luckenbach showed that the Defender was beaten by the small margin already mentioned.

The two yachts proceeded up the harbor under their own sails. The City of Bridgeport, the Valkyrie’s tender, followed along behind her, towing along W. G. Brokaw’s schooner Amorita. Several members of the Amorita crew are on board the Valkyrie. The Bridgeport was kept busy all the way up the bay answering the salutes given to the Englishmen by the excursion steamers, and then these steamers would run along beside the Defender and cheer the American boat and crew. Mrs. Iselin waved her handkerchief in answer to the salutes, and the members of the crew cheered back. The yachts sailed up to Bay Ridge and anchored there for the night.

There were many spectacular features to the race. Not the least of them was the first - the fouling of Defender by Valkyrie. To some who saw it, it looked as though Pudd’nhead Wilson’s advice to follow suit or trump, but take the trick, had been read by Capt. Cranfield and taken by him to heart.

That incident, which has been fully described in another column, was followed by a series of views, beautiful as any of the kind ever witnessed, and all of which should have been painted.

One of the prettiest of the lot was when Valkyrie rounded the first mark, and broke the stops of her balloon jib.   The silky folds of that immense piece of canvas swelled up and out, and then dropped in, to swell out again. As the sunlight slipped along the folds, and shadows dipped into the hollows, the graceful fabric, from a bow-on view, took on the appearance of a languid skirt dancer just before the tune and step are taken. Then the sheet of the big sail was hauled aft, the folds ceased to flow, and, caught by the breeze, the sail swelled out, rounded and still.

THE ENGLISH YACHTSMEN RETICENT - Capts. Cranfield and Sycamore Would Not Talk of the Accident - To those adherents of the Valkyrie whose faith has lived in honest doubt as to the superiority of the Defender over the British racer, the result of yesterday’s contest was unsatisfactory, judging from the reticence which the English people saw fit to maintain. The Baltic, the New-York Times tug, steamed twice around the British boat.

As she appeared on the starboard hand, Capt. Cranfield and Capt. Sycamore hastened to the opposite side. The Baltic went around to port, and immediately both Captains dived below.

Representatives from both yachts went aboard the committee’s boat as soon as that vessel appeared. All information concerning the protest was refused by members of the committee.

The Defender was hailed, and Mr. W. Butler Duncan replied. When asked if the boat’s topmast was sprung, he said that the topmast was sprung, but that the mast was all right. In reply to another question, he said that the Defender would be ready for the race to-morrow, as scheduled. He refused to say whose fault had caused the mishap.

Mr. Iselin was seen after the race and asked if the boom of the Valkyrie carried away the topmast shroud. He said that it did, and that it carried away the jaws of the starboard spreader. When asked if the Valkyrie was not bearing down upon him, he replied:

“I do not care to make any statement until I have laid the case before the committee.”

Mr. Iselin said that he expected to be able to replace the topmast with a new spar to-day.”

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THE NEW YORK TIMES - Wednesday 11 September 1895 - “.... It was known all over New York not long after noon that a collision had occurred between the Valkyrie and the Defender in crossing the line. The circumstances were not known, but the presumption was against the Valkyrie simply because the Defender was the sufferer...... it has been felt to be deplorable that any question should arise between the yachts themselves or any doubt be thrown on the good faith of either skipper. As yet, none has been. I have not heard a suggestion that Captain Cranfield did not believe himself within his strict right. Still, the notion that the injured boat was probably right is general, and it is thought that, if Captain Cranfield had felt it his duty to give way a second or two earlier, a collision might have been avoided. One account makes a steamer primarily responsible for the accident at the start. The Defender should have been to windward of the Valkyrie when she came about above the mark, but the steamer forced her to fall off, and the Valkyrie slipped into the weather berth. Then as the Defender filled away after escaping the steamer the Valkyrie’s spreaders and weather boom caught the Defender’s shroud. In the preliminary manoeuvring the Valkyrie fouled the Defender. The fouling appears to be caused by the Valkyrie’s being forced too close to the judge’s tug, so that in weathering it her gaff or spreaders struck the Defender’s shrouds and carried them away.“

THE MANCHESTER GUARDIAN - Wednesday 11 September 1895 - “THE AMERICA CUP - A VICTORY FOR THE ENGLISH YACHT “- .... taken from the above New York Times article.... adding, “The American champion nevertheless continued to race under protest.”

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