AN OCEAN RACE BETWEEN NEW ZEALAND SHIPS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 798, 3 August 1877, Page 4

AN OCEAN RACE BETWEEN NEW ZEALAND SHIPS.

—o — A long distance match by sea has just : been decided, which cannot fail to interest • a great number of our readers in New Zealand. On the 10th March last two iron •clippers left Lyttelton Harbour, Canterbury, New Zealand, bound for London, the “ Cru•sader,"‘Captain Davies, and the “Rangitihi,” Captain Scotland. Both vessels being about the same tonnage, and both having the reputation for fast sailing, heavy bets were laid on their respective performances on the passage home. In fact, their start caused in the comparatively limited community of Canterbury almost as much excitement as does the Derby at home. Each coaStingfsteamer captain as he came into port forwarded to the local papers a report ofUhe two ships’ progressj’as far as they were sighted, namely at dusk on the 12th March off Banks’ Peninsula, up to which time they were well together, and betting was even on them, each ship having its own enthusiastic fpartizans. The race has terminated in one of the most remarkable runs ever made by a sailing vessel from the Antipodes, fthe “Crusader,” Captain Davies, having reached the English Channel within 65 days ot her leaving](Lyttelton Harbour. ’ This passage is an unprecedented one and worthy of record,Jbeing in fact little if at all in excess of what a steamer’s run would b e ■over the saine T “Crusader” is a fine looking craftjof 1,053 itons register, and is one of Messrs' Shaw, Savill and Co.’s Passenger Line of Packets. The “ Rangitiki” has not yet put in au appearance, although the “ Crusader” has been in London over a fortnight.