(From "Sport axp Gosstr.")
Only four boats started in the senior class yesterday, the Winsome, handled by rt. H. Sampson, the Spoondrift and the Violet, in the absence of the Commodore and the Vice-Commodore, being steered respectively by Mfr. T. A. Clark and Mr. A, L. Hall, Mr. Smedley with a full crew of shifting' ballast endeavouring to steer the Lucile to victory. On a strong flood tide with the wind from the N.E. the A Class boats got away covered almost by the proverbial blanket, The Winsome, in the middle of the stream, had perhaps the best of the start and, getting a better wind as well as a slight slant in the tide rip, worked out a lead of some dozen lengths before the junks were reached. 'The Spoondrift, whose skipper considered "discretion the' better part of valour," started with a reef down, and though she held her position second to ithe leader until the junks were fairly negotiated, this loss of sail aren materially told against- her in the long run, as the Ginishing times clearly indicate. Running before the wind, surprising tosay, the Violet held her own with the "skimming dishes" Janda judicious blanketing of the Lucile doubtless helped her in achievig a saving of time in the handicap race against this craft. The Wineome was in great hurry at the start of the race, bat having achieved a lead did not seem to worry much about increasing same, and by an unnecessary gype in Arsenal Reach lost considerably. The stakeboat was rounded in the following order Sheets being hauled in for the beat back Lucile was overhauled in the Pa: reach by the Violet, the Winsome, excellently sailed by Mr. H. Sampson, having somewhat increased her lead. This reler was maintained up to the finishing Tine which was crossed in the following times Violet 4h. 59m. 20sec Winsome 4h. 52m, secs, Lucile 5h. Im. 55secs, Spoondrift'... 5h. 6m. 45secs.
Which with rating allowances of Spoon-rift, scratch, giving the Violet 29 secs., the Winsome 5 minutes and the Lucile 7 mins. 10 secs., makes the corrected times Winsome 2h, 17m, L5secs.
Violet 2h. 28m, Slsecs, Lucile 2h, 24m, 45secs.
Spoondrift...... 2h. 36m, 45sece, The Winsome accordingly once again secures the Rating Prize. The Commo-dere's boat, however, even in his absence has once again succeeded in holding her own on the usual handicap allowance, for with the Winsome allowing 8 minutes to the Violet, Lucile, and Spoondrift the corrected times are as follows:— m, 20secs, 28m. 55secs, 28m. 48secs, start at 2.15 p.m., the Madenp, Merlin, and The B, Class boats went amy toa lovely {Levon being the only competitore, An race to the stake boat resulted in the Madcap gaining a slight advantage, the Merlin hanging close on her quarter with the Leven well within hail. The corrected finishing times were as fall 28m. d5secs.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.