EXCITING RACE BETWEEN SAILING VESSELS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 79, 2 April 1895, Page 4

EXCITING RACE BETWEEN SAILING VESSELS.

A reporb from Newcastle, states th&b an j ' exciting race between four colonial barques I from Melbourne to thab port,wa3;_oncluded on Tuesday last, says tho "Daily TeleGraph" of the 27th vlb;, when the Royal Tar, Onyx, Excelsior, and G. M. Tucker arrived off tbe Nobby's in a bancb. On the \ 12th inst., the four vessels lefb Hobaon's | Bay, the former with about two hours' j start, tbe latter three boing all fcowed out' together. A starb of wind fvom a favourable | dirocbion wa3 had ab the outset, which j carried the vessels as far as Wilson's Pvo- f montory. From thence variables wore ex- 1 perienced. The vessels remained in com-1 pany throughout the passage, and the1! greatest excitemonb prevailed arnongefc tha different crews. It would bo diffieulb to say which of the four barques made the quickeab passage, as all were off Nobby^ | together. The first bo receivo a tug was. J the Royal Tar, which entered the harbour ab 9.30 a.m. She was followed by the*

Onyx at 10 a.m., Excelßior a. 10.25 a.m., and the G. M. Tucker at noon. The latter vessel had to wait outside till the tug from the Excelsior returned. The four-uiasters —Captain. Campbell,' Woeblinjaf, Henderson, and Holm—had an anxious and exciting time, scarcely taking time to rett throughout the run, each one being anxious that bis ship sbould be in first.