THE NELSON REGATTA.

Colonist, Volume XIV, Issue 1383, 27 December 1870, Page 2

THE NELSON REGATTA.

' Taking a slight liberty with an old song, we may say— " The morn was fair, the sky was clear, Soft winds came o'er the sea ;"■ — Et cetera. So it was yesterday, in spite of sundry gloom? forebodings which gathering clouds and some rain drops on the previous evenings awakened in the minds ot those who looked forward to the regattta day as a day of alfresco enjoyment. It was a cloße holiday, the sun was bright and warm, and the refreshing sea breeze which rippled the water, gate zest and life to the sailing enterprises, and to the ' spectators alike. A large number of people assembled on the Haven-road and the wharfs ; and ' the heights adjacent were crowned with tents, and by aconsiderable body of spectators, who, from that com* manding altitude, could enjoy a wide and charming prospect. Par off, in the buck ground, rose the lofty Mount Arthur range, the snow nearly all melted beneath the summer sun; between Jay a broad expanse of blue sea, leaping and glittering in tiny wavelets. To the south rose more mountains; and our readers can easily imagine half a column of glow* ing description, and word-painting, which would be very appropriate to the occasion, and as easy to write as to imagine, only space is precious. Among the spectators were included a considerable number of strangers, chiefly from Wellington, who naturally enjoyed the weather, the sunshine and the scenery, and were eloquent in praise of Nelson, itt beauty, and its climate. . Shortly after eleven the gun fired for the first race. Two-oaebd Race ; three miles. First prize, £8 ; second prize, £1. Mr. Harley's Eclipse. Mr. Morrison's Forrester. Mr. Logan's Blue-tailed Fly. The two first-named boats refused to run against the Fly, which is a regular wager boat, and there was consequently no race, the rule being that two most start, or no race. Yacht Eace ; eight miles. First prize, Silver Challenge Cup, and £15 ;* second prize, £7. Mr. Day's Bed Jacket ... 1 Mr. Gibbons's, jun., Petrel ... ... 2 Mr. J. S. Cross's Minne-ha-ha .. ... 3 Mr. Brown's Claymore ... 0 Mr. HadfieWs Cosette ... 0 Considerable interest was felt in the regatta, mainly on account of the large and handsome silver cup won last year by the yacht Red Jacket, from Canterbury, and which, if twice won by the same vessel, became the sole property of the winner. -To compete with this crack little vessel several yachts were built here; but, unhappily, were so long in being finished as not to allow of time to practise, to know tae temper and character of the boats, so as to be fit competitors with a craft like the Red Jacket, which seemed to know her owners, and everyone of whose spars, sails, and ropes, her well-varnished sides, and completest trim, are selected and managed with a view to swift* ness. Indeed, one iron boat, of handsome lines, is still on the stocks, and thus another opponent to the Red Jacket, was kept out of the field. Some talk existed to the effect that the Flying Fith, the first winner of the cup would make her appearance and again contest thn prize, but no Flying Fish came. When the gun fired, the five yachts made a fair start . from a starting point near the mouth of the harbor, ' ' the Minne-ha-ha leading, the Red Jacket next, Petrel 1 following with Claymore close behind and Cosette ' as rearguard. On reaching the wharf on the way np the harbor, the Minne-ha-ha led by twenty yards, 1 behind her came the Red Jacket and the Petrel close up. At the fourth board both rounded the flag-boat, the Red Jacket preceding the Minne-ha-ha by about 1 twenty five seconds. Then, on the run down the harbor, squaresails were hoisted, the Petrel and the Red Jacket being the first to get them set, the latter holding the lead and steadily increasing the distance between herself and compeers. Bed Jacket 1 was first out of the harbor, Petrel following about ' ten seconds later, having gained about fifteen seconds 1 from the time of rounding the buoy to the harbor mouth. Outside, the Red Jacket ran away from the 1 others, and still forged steadily a-head. At 12.44, the Red Jacket, rounded the buoy near the W bluff, the Minne-ha-ha three and a-balf minutes later, the Petrel a good deal behind the other. On rounding the last buoy the Red Jacket was a long way a-head, : and improved her advantage, coming in about five minutes before the Minne-ha-ha and Petrel which ' kept well together throughout, and at the winning 1 point were only a yard or two apart. The others 1 were considerably in the rear. The sailing qualities of the Red Jacket were much admired; but it was felt that as regarded the race 1 there was uo competition, as her opponents had no chance after she fairly had all sail set. Ships' Boat 3 Race ; twice round. . Charles Edward's Boat ... : 1 Murray's Boat ... ;. 2 The Murray's boat took the lead and kept it, coming in on the first round a long way a-head ; but, owing to a misunderstanding as to going round the. ' second time, her crew stopped at the starting point, and the other boat went on. A protest was entered. Coasters ; eight miles. First prize, £8; second prize, £3. Mr. Thome's Planet ... ... ... 1 Mr. Harvey's Mary 2 Mr. Charles's Sisters ... ... ... 0 The Planet, a favorite cutter, won easily. Whaleboat Race, five. oars; five miles. Prizes, £10 and £3. Mr. Freeman's Phantom ... ... '1 Mr. Logan's Tito Kowaru ... ... 2 Mr. Cross's Queen ... 0 There was a pretty start. The Phantom (a new boat, built by Mr. H. Freeman) coming in first, closely followed by the Maori cannibal; and the Queen a bad third—two minutes and a-half behind ■ the winning boat. Fibst-class Open Sailing Boats ; four miles. Frizes, £7, £3, and £1. Mr. Franzen's Bruce ... ... ...: 1 Mr. Wimsett's Rose ... ... ... 2 Mr. Harley's Eclipse ... ... ... 8 Mr. Moore's Leather Jacket 0 •- Mr. At kinson's General Trochu ... 0 Mr. Ricketts's Rosell 0 Mr. Lamb's Francis Flowerdav 0 Eight started, two or three of them getting too dose •to each other. The race lay between the Bruce and the Rose; tho Eclipse a fair third. A protest was entered by the Rose against the Bruce. Second-class Open Sailing Boats; two mile*,. First prize, £4; second prize, £2 ; third prize, £1. Mr. Clark's Toothache 1 Mr. Black's Bonita ... ... ... 2 Mr. Westrupp's Spray ... ... ~. 3 Mr. Yarrall's Dolphin ~ 0 Mr. Gi'bertson's Ada ... 0 Mr. J. Cross, jun.'s Rapid 0 Mr. Liston's Minnow ... 0 The start was good. Toothache won easily. Scullee's Race, without or without outriggers | three miles. First prize, £5 j second price, £1. Mr. Morrison's Ruby ... ... ~,1 Mr. Freeman's Little Duke 2 Mr. M'Rae's Nemo ... ... ... 0 Mr. Erickson's Norma ... ... ... 0 All got well way, Little Duke leading, but he and Ruby did not go round the third buoy, and had to put back in order to do so, giving Erickton an oppor* tunity of passing them, which he did, coming, round fiist, but with his boat half full of water, necessitating getting out at flag-boat to bale ont. This loci; him the race, which was won by Ruby. Ahateub Whaleboat Race; three miles, Prize*. £sand£2. . Mr Stallard's Phantom. ~.1 Mr. Coombes's Queen ... ... ... 2 Mr. Logan's Tito Kowaru 0 Tito refused to start because " backing up" was not allowed. A protest was lodged against one man in • If the Bed Jacket* the present holder el the arjp. «in», the «MMy prise of £lftaoltaW|rae»« ■

the Phantom, as not being an amateur j and another against one in the Queen, on the same ground, and the race did not nome off. Bots' Two-oaebd Raob; one mile and a-half. Prizeß, £2 and 10s. Mr. Morrison's Ruby 1 Mr. Freeman's Little Duke 2 Mr. Erickson's Norma 0 Mr. M'Rae's Nemo 0 The boys rowed well. Volttntebe Whaleboat Race ; three miles. First prize, £8 ; second prize, £4. Mr. Wigzell's Phantom (Fire Brigade) 1 Mr. Sinclair's Queen (City Rifles) ... 2 Mr. Taylor's'Tito Kowaru (Artillery)... 0 This was the best and closest race of the day. There is some tale cf a foul, and whether foul or not, there was a bump, but it did not affect the race. The Phantom's crew was composed of members of the Fire Brigade, who showed their acquaintance with muscular exertion; the Queen was manned by the City Rifle*, and the old rebel Tito was taken charge of by the Artillery. Phantom came in about 100 yards a-head, and the Queen took second place, about the same distance in advance of Tito. Amatedb SctriXEßs' Race, with or without outriggers ; one mile and a-half. Mr. Morrison's Ruby 1 Mr. M'Rae's Nemo 2 Mr. Erickeon's Norma 0

There were not sufficient shore sports, and, wanting these, the mass of the people found ifc rather wearisome to wait about for the result of boat matches, which were interesting enough to the initiated, but quite devoid of the amusement which the rising generation affect, therefore, these youngsters, who had assembled in legions, had rather a bad time of it, and collapsed much earlier than would otherwise have been the case, urging their parents homewards prematurely and discontentedly. Where were the greased pole and the men tumbling from it into the water one after another? Where the swimming matches ? Where the duck hunt ? This last sport, at all events, should have been placed at the foot of the programme. It would have kept the people in happy expectancy, and sent them home well pleased at last.