AN EXCITING RACE, WITH A VERY CLEVER, FINISH.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 269, 19 November 1870, Page 2

AN EXCITING RACE, WITH A VERY CLEVER, FINISH.

We take the following interesting account from the Nelson Evening Mail: — A smartly contestedra_e for the honor of being the first to delvsr the English telegrams in "Nelson, jto.k place between the steamers Phoebe and Airedale,, the starting point being Manukau h&rbor, and the winning post the telegraph office at Nelson. The race was a close one throughou1, and was only won by superior jockeyship 01 the part of the Airedale. The two boats Sarted from Manukau on Saturday, thePhabe at 11.30 a.m., and the Airedale at 12.30 pm„ and then the running commenced in eariest. After a short delay at Taranaki, the Phooe left at 1.45 and the Airedale at 3.5 yesteriay morning, the two, after steaming their hrdest, arriving off the lighthouse together at 4.40 p.m. Now came the question of communicating with the shore. Captain Kennedy lad his orders to land the telegrams first if pssible, and when he has made up his mind to a thing, he is a bad one to beat, so, while tie Phoebe rattled away down towards the entance of the harbor, the Airedale, which was seen to be unusually near the bank, filled up by the lighthouse, a boat was at rnce lowered and then the object of the manceivre was at once seen. As soon as the boal approached the boulder bank Mr. Pring!e th) purser, and the second officer jumped out, dashed across to the lighthouse, launched the lighthousekeeper s boat, and puled across the harbor to the wharf. Here a crowl was collected to hear the news, but no; a wo.-d was to be got out of the. imperturbable Pringle, for his duty was not completed uriil his despatches were safely lodged at the tdegraph office, so getting into a cab hi started for town, and the race commenced by steam was concluded by horse power, and by 5 o'clock the war news was fljiug through New Zealand. Meanwhile'the Phcebe's bat had landed her men on the rocks, but vith such a start as the Airedale had obtaired it was useless to contest the race any firther. They do a smart thing in Yankee Lnd now and then in the shape of obtaining .nd circulating news, but after yesterday's eperience we are inclined to think that Cptain Kennedy and Mr. Purser Pringle ha\. not much to learn from even our cute cousns.