THE LYTTELTON REGATTA.

Evening Star, Issue 3704, 6 January 1875, Page 3

THE LYTTELTON REGATTA.

(From the Times.) The champion sailing race, for LIOO and a cup valued at L2O, had five good entries, but unfortunately the interest in it was marred by an unpleasant contretemps. The Albatross was much fancied, as also was the Peerless, a fine schooner of a much later model than any of the others, and which, but for the accident she met with, would have rendered a good account of herself. The accident happened this wise. The Alert went round on the port tack, and met the Saucy Lass with the Peerless close astern of the bitter, both being on the other tack. The Peerless was overlapping the Saucy Lass and apparently attempted to go about to get clear of the Alert, which would not give way, and the result was that the Peerless’s jib-boom went through the after leech of the Saucy Lass’s mainsail, splitting it, and at the same time carrying away the jib-boom of the Peerless. At the same time the Alert, still on the port tack, but luffing, ran into the Peerless, losing her jib-boom and one of her head-sails. This was a most unfortunate contretemps, and altered the character of the race. The Alert quickly rigged up a temporary jib-boom, but it was of little use to her, and the Peerless could not do anything in the way of repairs. The Albatross, well up to windward, now led, with the Saucy Lass second, and the Peerless last but one. The Albatross continued to increase her lead to the finish, while the Peerless, notwithstanding her injuries, gradually overhauled the other boats, and was running in second, but went outside the committee’s ship, instead of inside, and the Alert coming up, weathered the ship, and was second past the post; the Peerless, third ; and Saucy Lass, fourth. When the allowance of ten seconds per ton was made, the Albatross stood first, Alert second. Saucy Lass third, Peerless fourth, and Emerald fifth. The cause of the accident will, no doubt, be a fruitful source of discussion among seafaring men, but the general opinion was that the Alert should have put down her helm and thus avoided a collision. For the yacht race, of L2O and a cup, the Annie Ogle was a, strong favorite, but she carried too much sail in the earlier part of the race, and in beating down the harbor this had the effect of canting her over too far and causing her to fall away to leeward. The Ripple (Dunedin), which won, and the Advance were both well handled.