The yacht race on Saturday was another great success. The weather was all that could be desired—a fine afternoon, with the heat of the sun tempered by a nice sailing breeze; and eleven yachts competed. 'The course was up the river to a stake-boat moored in the Seven-mile Reach, and back to the starting line, which was between the Yuen-fak and the Customs' Signal Station at Pootung. The yachts assembled off the Bund shortly before two o'clock, and on the fall of the Blue Peter they crossed the line in the following order, as supplied by Captain Dobie, of the Yuensfah Charm Mag Snipe Fairy The tide was nearly half-flood and the wind northerly, a good working breeze, though occasionally it fell light and then freshened in puffs. All the boats had their mainsails fully set and the majority in addition used small foresails. With the wind and tide in their favour the boats were enabled to make the run up without ing, but the variation of the wind e turns into the various reaches necessitated frequent jibing, which, though a new feature so far as this year's races are concerned, was invariably skilfully managed by the various boats. The Pinafore, Arrow and Lillie, passed the Samli before the junks off the city were cleared, and the Marion and Charm did likewise before the Arsenal was reached. The Pinajure was then lead-with an advantage of about a couple of hundred yards of the Arrow, the Zillie waa third, the Marion fourth, Charm fifth, Sami sixth, and the others well together in the distance. With no other vessels to obstruct the view, and all sailing pleasantly along with' their large white sails and jibs brightened by the rays of the sun, they looked exceeding pretty; it was a sight, indeed, to please the eye, and one which can only now and then be produced so effectively, They sailed gaily along in the order named until the second reach above the Pagoda was reached, where the, Charm deprived the Marion of fourth place, and the boats in the rear singled out more than they had hitherto done, making the picture even prettier than it was before. No other change took place in the position of the first half-dozen boats, and the Pinafore rounded the stake-boat two minutes and half ahead of the Arrow, the Lillie was four minutes after the Arrow, the Charm about the same time after the Lillie, the Marion one minute after the Charm, and the Samti, Woodcock and Snipe all rounded within five minutes after the Marion the others being some distance behind we did not take their time, The Pinafore here lost the advantage she had held all the way up, and the Arrow took the lead. In a similar manner the Charm secured third place fromthe Liltie; all the boats, however, were well together, but
altered. The tide was still running foo the conditions of sailing, were materially and with a head wind the boats had to make short tacks on the Pootung side of the river to avoid as much as possible the strength of the tide. About a mile from the stake-boat, the Fairy, which apparently did not start with the intention of competing in the race, joined the leading boats, and shortly afterwards the Charm overhauled the Pinafore, which fell back into third place, The three leading boats, namely, the Arrow, Charm and Pinafore ran away from the others, and at the Pagoda it was certain the honours of the race rested between them. The Charm had decidedly the best chance, as she started six minutes after the Arrow and Pinafore, and they each had to give her a handicap allowance; therefore barring accidents the race was hers. Opposite the Arsenal the wind, as it usually does the evening, died sway." The Arvow maintained a lead of about three hundred yards from the Charm, which was about the same distance ahead of the Pinafore, and these positions were maintained to the fini: Though the Arrow was the first boat in, the Charm was the winner of the race, independent of her time allowance.
Subjoined is the time at which the Arrow. 6 53 6 Pinafore. G 59 45 Charm 6 66 7 Lillie 7 12 26 Marion '7.25 50 Snipe 40 40 The others did not report themselves.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.