EXCITING RACE BETWEEN THE AIREDALE AND PHŒBE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 888, 9 December 1870, Page 2

EXCITING RACE BETWEEN THE AIREDALE AND PHŒBE.

The following graphic account of an exciting race between the steamers Airedale and Phoebe, from the Manukau to Nelson, was supplied to the Evening Post by a passenger on board the former vessel : On Friday morning, Nov. 11, about 10.30, a steamer was reported as approaching Auckland from the north, and, 10 the surprise of every one, it turned out to be the Wonga Wonga with the San Francisco English mails. So unexpected was her arrival that the Pncebe, whose lum it was to carry the mails inter-pro-vinciaily, Was not ready to start by that night's tide. The Wonga Wonga having come alongside the Auckland jetty just about high water, a little after noon, of course the tide would not again serve for crossing the Manukau bar till night; and the bar is not one which many captains like taking at night. The Phoebe, therefore, was advertised to start from the Manukau Wharf at 11 a.m. on Saturday. The Airedale had been advertised to leave on Friday, at noon; but, at the request of the Colonial Treasurer, Mr Vogel, had been put off till noon on Saturday, in order that he might go by her. Captain Kennedy, 1 believe, offered to start on Friday night, taking the mails, but the offer was declined by the authorities, and so the mails and passengers were detained to await Mr Vogel's advent. It was soon known that there was to be a friendly contest between the two vessels, as to which should first, deliver the press telegrams at Nelson. The Airedale being still kept back for Mr Vogel, the Phcebe got away first from the wharf at 11.24 a.m., and it was not until 22 minutes past 12 o'clock that a.telegram was received from Mr Yogel saying that he could not go, and that the Airedale was therefore able to start. It is to be hoped that' all the evil wished the honorable guutlemau bv angry passengers will pot fall on his devoted head ; but really, I think, high officials, instead ol showing their importance by detaining ateamers, as is so often done in New Zealand, would gain more respect, personally and officially, from the travelling public did they but attend ■ puftttaitfiy to tk.e ap-

pointed hours for the departure of the boats they intend to travel by. In this case the delay caused by Mr Vogel gave the Pbsebe a good hour's start, but, as the Airedale cast off from Onehunga, wharf, she had ber backers that she would deliver her telegrams at Nelson first. The Phoebe was out of sight, but on our clearing the bar she was sighted more than hull down to the southward, and evidently meaning to go. Various were the speculations as to when we should catch her—, for that we should catch her nobody seemed to doubt—and a few hours showed that, although under all plain sail and hard steam, the Airedale was not to be denied. Clouds of smoke proved that the engineers of both steamers had orders not to spare coal, and the careful trim* ming of the sails, that both captains really meant to have a quiet trial of their ship's powers. Slowly, but surely—rfor a sterq chase is proverbially a long one—did the interval between the ships decrease, uutil the hull of the Phoebe became visible from the Airedale's bridge, and then from her deck, uutil both reached Taranaki stead, within an interval of not more than IjX) yards between them. As soon as ever the Phoebe slowed, her engines, the Airedale ran past her, and, picking up the surf boat, landed her mails first, greatly to the satisfaction of our passengers, who had become quite excited by the race. The Airedale, however, having to land and ship passengers and cargo, was obliged to anchor; but the Phoebe dodged on and off, delivered her mails, and at 20 minutes to 2 a.m. passed the Airedale's stern at full speed fur Nelson. An hour was occupied by the Airedale's discharging and shipping cargo, and all the passengers were on board except some ladies, who detained us for another 25 minutes, greatly to our chagrin. We got away at ji>e minutes past three o'clock, just one hour and 25 minutes after the mail boat, and daylight showed her a very long way to the southward, and her lea 4 was so great that it seemed hard to be* lieve that she could be caught. Still Captain Kennedy had perfect conn leuce in his yacht like steamer, of whose guod. qualities he is not a little proud, and he said he would still deliver his telegrams first. Through the long hours' of the morning the chase continued, evidently to the Airedale's advantage, for she steadily overhauled the mail boat, but it seemed as if the run to Nelson would scarcely be long enough to enable her actual y to pas* the Phoabe, and so it proved, for the latter still led when Nelson Koads were. reached, though the Airedale was so close that it took but three or four minute» to pass her. Now came a new .contest, for neither boat —it beiug nearly low water .—could enter the harbor. When some distance from the roads we could see that Captain Worsp had lowered his larboard quarter-boat to near the water, and put a man in her. Our starboard-boat was at once made ready, and everyone, crew and passengers, where on the alert for the last tug in the contest. Captain Worsp ran in as close as he could to the harbormouth, and dropped his boat, well manned, bhe immediately hoisted sail to a fine, fair wind, and stood lor the mouth of the harbor. Captain Kennedy reached in closer to the Boulder Bauk, and dropped his boat, in which four sturdy fellows bent to their oars, with the second otiicer, and Mr Pringle, the purser, with the telegrams, lustead of taking the same course as the Phoebe, the Airedale steered straight for the Lighthouse on the Boulder Bauk, and directly the boat touched the Bank the officers and crew left a boatkeeper, jumped out into Use water, and ran up 10 the Lighthouse boat shed. Here we lost sight of tuein lor some minutes, but soon they appeared crossing the inner harbor iu the lighthouse boat, which they had borrowed, and very shortly afterr wards landed at the wharf, Willie the Phoebe's were still afloat some distance below the harbor mouth. A car in wait? iug soon took Mr -Piingle to the Telegraph Office, aud it was only after a. quarter of an hour's iurther lapse that another car drove up with the Phoebe's duplicate copies. Thus ended a well-contested race for about 280 miles, in which both boats behaved well, but, as. premised at first, so the brave liulo Airedale proved she was not be denied ; she airly 0.. t-steamed and sailed her competitor twice —first from Manuk.au to iaranaki, gaming an hour on her ; and next from larauaki toiSeisoo, gaming an hour and twenty-two miuutes. Nur must X omit, as a lair chronicler,, to note that

Capt. Kennedy out-man«uvred bis friend by sending his boat's crew across the Boulder Bank, instead of round to the Jiarbor mouth at Nelson. "May his shadow never be less," and when the good ship Airedale has such another race, may I be in her to see it, and may bhe always be as well handled.