The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-01-31
MACLEOD CLAIMS THE RAGE.
SAYS HE BEAT THE w. &. IRWIN
BY TWENTY MINUTES.
Fuller Details of the Great Ocean Race
Between Vessels of the New Years
Eve Sugar Fleet.

The victory of the w. G.. irwin in
the great race of the New Years eve
fleet to San Francisco, which ended on
puted by Captain Macleod of the brig
Lurline. who claims to have reached
an anchorage twenty minutes before
the Irwin let go her mud hooks. pco-
pie here however believe that the ir-
win was there first. Anyhow. the Lur-
line was not properly in the business.
The San Francisco Examiner devotes
considerable space to description of
the race. and prints a series of dia-
grams showing the relative positions
of the six vessels each day. The En-
aminer says:
On the day of sailing shipmasters
and others in Honolulu wagered con-
siderable sums on the chances of the
various contestants, the Transit and
the w. G.. Irwin being the favorites.
Members of the crews also laid wag-
ers. Il fact that no doubt materially
aided in the rapid handling of the con-
testing feet.
During the first day out the fleet
of five vessels that sailed from the Is
land capital kept on practically even
terms. The wind was strong and IA
vorahe and continued so for the en-
tire voyage, fact which accounts for
the quick passage of sixteen days.
At daylight on the following morn
ing the Transit and the Archer had
dropped out of sight. On the folloV
ing morning the Transit and Archer
again showed above the horizon and
behind them was another vessel, which
proved to be the Lurline. This was Il
new factor in the race and one that
proved Il potent one before the contest
ended.
On the sixth day the Irwin. Albert
and Archer were within ten miles OF
each other and their respective cap
tains felt that they had shown II clean
pair of heels to the other contestants
Again were they disappointed, for on
the ninth day out the Lurlne doomed
up in the van with the Irwin. Archer
and Dimond close up. and the Archer
and Albert nowhere in sight.
As the racers neared the California
coast the excitement among the men
became intense. for the coming of the
| daylight each day saw a changing OF
the positions of the vessels and. as the
| horsemen say. it appeared to be any
body's race.
The twelfth day saw the speedy
Lurlne still in the lead. with the Ir-
win close second. The Dimond had
crowded up to third place. Both the
Archer and Transit were in sight. ten
| l,a Ehn A nj
had not been seen for. week. but as
events proved she will still in the run.
ming.
There was little change in these po-
| sitions during the succeeding three
days, save that once, on the morning
of the 18th day out, the Archer was
discovered in the lead. Before night
she had again dropped several miles
astern of the leaders.
Old shipmasters say that the per-
Torrance of the six vessels is without
comparison in the history of any port
or ocean and may be reckoned as one
of the things that occur once in a
| thousand years. Mate McAlman, Car.
penter Kittle and the crew of the ar
cher made a clean up on the result OF
the race, as they wagered all of their
available cash at good odds on defeat
ing the Transit. The big four masted
schooner was a favorite i'm the betting
but finished last.
The race ended as described eXclu-
sively in Saturday evenings Star. II
is admitted that had the weather been
heavy the Transit. with her schooner
rig. stood the best chance to win. but
in light airs the Twins spread of can.
vas proved most effective.