The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-12 00:00:00

SECOND CLASS.

I 1. Ranger l2 London E. W. Roberts, Esq.
2. Whisper
No. I was on the southern shore.
At about one o'clock the commodore gave the signal to
start., and on the firing of the gun the sails of all were
hoisted with electrical rapidity, the Belvedere getting her
gaff-topsail set first; they all rounded nearly level, the
Secret from lying nearer the wind (which was north-west)
being rather astern. The whole match down to the turning
point, Chapman's Head, was sadly devoid of interest, it
being, from the excessive calmness of the day, almost a
drifting match ; this degree of langour was increased by the
unchanging position of the yachts, which, but that the wind
was a leading one, would not have been enabled to complete
their distance within the time allowed them. In the first
reach (Erith) the little Ranger had the heels of them all,
the pride of place, however, being soon wrested from her by
the Secret; in Long Reach by the Inn also, and the yachts
passed Nurthfleet in the following order :—Secret first by a
quarter of a mile, Ino second, the little Ranger a plucky
third, the Prima Donna fourth, and the Belvidere and
Whisper holding a private controversy out of our ken.
The following is the time at which the yachts rounded the
flag buoy at Chapman's Head:-
1. Secret
2. Ino
3. The Ranger on her quarter
4. Prima Donna
5. Belvidere l2i min. past 4
6. Whisper ...
The boats now felt the early flood, and with it that which
bad been prayed and whistled for all the morning—viz. a
capful of wind. This infused new life into the heels of the
boats and the hearts of the lookers on, the backers of the Ino
and She Belvedere thinking that the match had only now
commenced, and that the merits of their respective boats
, :would now at last be tested,:and ensure a different result. The
I 7
Belvidere was auddenly.thrown out of the betting by going '
aground on, the .Bligh Sands, and in, that position enduring
the mortification or seeing the little Whisper .. walk by her."
The lino, now the breeze has freshened, completely shakes off
the Ranger, which again Is passed by the Prima Donna, and
'the race from this point it is evident, bar accidents, is in the
hands of the Secret, Ino, and Prima Donna. And now the
amateurs watch keenly the way in which they make their
tacks and boards, many fancvir
n; that in "reaching" the Inn
would show superiority. Tliis idea was entertained only for
a brief space, as all allowed that the Secret went closer to
w
windward than any of them, and the in which she and
the Inn were handled was the theme of
universal
niversal admiration.
The wind had now most opportunely round slightly,
being west, and a point to the southward, rd
p , this with its in-
creased power enabled the yachts to perform the distance in
less time than was at first expected, but caused no alteration
in the position of any them, as they came in at Greenwich
in the following order and time:—
Secret
Ino .... 9 min. past 9
--- Prima Donna l4 min. past 9
Ranger
Whisper
The above table is as accurate as we were able to furnish,
in consequence of the failing light, and is within a fraction of
the actual time. In consequence of the lateness of the hour,
the prizes were not publicly awarded ; but the first prize
was given to J. W. Smith, Esq., owner of the Secret; the
second ditto to Henry Gibson, Esq., owner of the Ino; and
the prize for the second class was bestowed on E. W. '
-Roberts, Esq., the owner of the Ranger.
The Secret, by this victory, has added another to her
many well earned laurels and has established her reputation
as a boat for all weathers. She was well sailed and steered
by Richard Short, Esq., an old member of the Royal Thames
Yacht Club, who took the helm. While awarding this
praise to the Secret, it would be an invidious and unfair
omission, did we not state that the handling of the Trio
throughout the match, more particularly the latter part,
under the direction of H. Gibson, Esq, was considered as a
master-piece in the noble art. The little Ranger also ob-
tained much applause for the dashing manner in which she
stuck to her bulkier opponents. With respect to the Belvi-
dere and the Prima Donna, their admirers insist that their
positions would have been far more forward had they not,
from alterations not yet completed, been thrown oat of trim.
Enough has,however, been this day shown to prove that
• with one or two novelties on the list, the club for their next
match may produce a carte never surpassed, and of a
I character the most inviting.

REPRESENTATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF Ox-
n
poi/D.—There will he a contest for the representation of this
I.lg general electie. Mr. Estcourt
University at the appr.oacbi
having intimated his intention of retiring from Parliament.
The names of the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone and Sir W.
Heathcote are severally spoken of as being the most likely to
occupy the vacant seat. We may add, flint the character
and abilities of those gentlemen are such ay 10- qualify eithtr
of them tbr this distiquished position.