AN OCEAN RACE.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 80, 25 July 1877, Page 3

AN OCEAN RACE.

(From the."llltistrated London News.") A long distance match by sea has just been decided, which cannot fail to interest a great number of bur readers m New Zealand. On the 10th of March last two iron clipper ships le'ftLyttelton Harbour, Canterbury, New , Zealand, bound for London, the Crusader, Capt. Davies, and the Itangitiki, Capt. 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 m the comparatively limited community of Canterbury almost as much excitement as does the Derby at home. Each coasting steamer captain as he came into port, forwarded to the local papers a report of the two ships' progress as far as they were sighted, namely at dusk, 12th March,, off Batiks' Peninsula, :iip to which time they were well tpgetheiv and betting was about even on 'them, each ship -having, its .own enthusiastic partisans. The race has terminated in* one of the most remarkable - runs ever made by a sailing vessel from the Antipodes, the Crusader, " Captain / Dayies, halving reached the English Channel within 65 days of her leaving Lyttelton Harbour. This'passage is 1 J an unprecedented one and worthy of record, beuig m fact little if at all m excess : of what, a steamer's run would be over -the same course. The Crusader is :a' fine looking craft of 1,058 tons register, and is one of Messrs Shaw, Savill ■& Co.'s Passenger Line of Packets; As she is the first . sailing ship that has perEdrmed, such a feat s we present our rekders with' a sketch of her taken ; from' a photograph. The Rangiifciki ha-s- not yet put m an ap-' pearance, although > the Crusader has been in .London over a fortnight.