The Shambles Light was weathered by 'Aline' at 6.18, and by 'Livonia' a minute afterwards. 'Gybe oh! Up topsails and square-sails,' was then the order of the day, and with the young flood tide in their favour they made quick tracks homewards. About seven o'clock the 'Aline' carried away her square-sail-yard, which might have seriously damaged her chance of winning, but fortunately for her the wind about the same time became so much more northerly that 'Livonia' had to take in her square-sail also. Off Darleston the wind backed to the old quarter N.W. by W., and 'Livonia' at once got up her square-sail again and gradually lessened the distance, previously about half a mile, between herself and the 'Aline.' They rounded St. Catherine's at ten o'clock, the 'Aline' being then about half a mile astern. When round, they came again upon even terms, as 'Livonia' had to luff and to lower her square-sail. The wind continued strong, and in the reach to the Nab they tore along at great speed. Nearing the Nab both prepared for the beat back to Cowes, and took in fore-topsails and main-topmast staysails; 'Aline' also took in her main topsail. 'Livonia' passed the Nab at 11 o'clock, 4 mins. ahead of the 'Aline,' when sheets were hauled taut in all round for the beat to windward. 'Aline' was rather the quicker in stays, and, as she kept gaining little, by little she was close up to 'Livonia' by the time they had reached the Stourbridge Shoal. 'Aline' continued to work the Island shore by short boards, but 'Livonia' made one or two longer tacks over to the north shore, and when they again neared each other off Osborne, 'Aline' just cleared her rival to windward, immediately went round, and planted herself on her opponent's weather-bow. This was fatal to 'Livonia's' chance, even of the honour of coming in first, for 'Aline' had her pinned and never let her go in the few more tacks which were made before they crossed the winning line, 'Aline' at 1.45 A.M., and 'Livonia' a minute and a half later. It was a remarkably closely contested and fast-sailed race, the wind being strong, and the tide favourable both ways. The time occupied was 12-3/4 hrs., and the length of course was 120 miles; but as it was a beat all the way to the Shambles, and again from the Nab to Cowes, the distance actually sailed was considerably greater, and the average speed over the bottom could not have been less than 11 knots an hour, which was exceptionally fast. The performance of 'Livonia,' however, was disappointing, as it was considered that, being so much the larger vessel, and built expressly for speed, she ought in such a wind and sea to have easily given the 'Aline' a fair and square beating all round. Her defeat by the 'Aline' led to the insertion of the following amusing couplet in 'Punch':-- Oh! 'Livonia,' I wouldn't own yer Now I've seen the grand 'Aline.'