Boating Part 36

1880 On November 18 a sculling regatta organised by an American firm, 'The Hop Bitters' Co., was commenced on the Thames. It lasted three days, and prizes amounting to 1,000_l._ were given and won as under:--

1. Elias C. Layc.o.c.k, Sydney, N.S.W. 500 2. Wallace Ross, St. John's, New Brunswick 300 3. George Hosmer, Boston, U.S.A. 140 4. Warren Smith, Halifax, Nova Scotia 60

WINNERS OF DOGGETT'S COAT AND BADGE.

1791 T. Easton, Old Swan 1792 J. Kettleby, Westminster 1793 A. Haley, Horselydown 1794 J. Franklin, Putney 1795 W. Parry, Hungerford 1796 J. Thompson, Wapping Old Stairs 1797 J. Hill, Bankside 1798 T. Williams, Ratcliff Cross 1799 J. Dixon, Paddington Street 1800 J. Burgoyne, Blackfriars 1801 J. Curtis, Queenhithe 1802 W. Burns, Limehouse 1803 J. Fowler, Hungerford 1804 C. Gingle, Temple 1805 T. Johnson, Vauxhall 1806 J. G.o.dwin, Ratcliff Cross 1807 J. Evans, Mill Stairs 1808 G. Newell, Battle Bridge 1809 F. Jury, Hermitage 1810 J. Smart, Strand 1811 W. Thornton, Hungerford 1812 R. May, Westminster 1813 R. Farson, Bankside 1814 R. Harris, Bankside 1815 J. Scott, Bankside 1816 T. Senham, Blackfriars 1817 J. Robson, Wapping Old Stairs 1818 W. Nicholls, Greenwich 1819 W. Emery, Hungerford 1820 J. Hartley, Strand 1821 T. Cole, sen., Chelsea 1822 W. Noulton, Lambeth 1823 G. Butcher, Hungerford 1824 G. Fogo, Battle Bridge 1825 G. Staples, Battle Bridge 1826 J. Foett, Bankside 1827 J. Foss, Fountain Stair 1828 R. Mallett, Lambeth 1829 S. Stubbs, Old Barge House 1830 W. Butler, Vauxhall 1831 R. Oliver, Deptford 1832 R. Waight, Bankside 1833 G. Maynard, Lambeth 1834 W. Tomlinson, Whitehall 1835 W. Dyson, Kidney Stairs 1836 J. Morris, Horselydown 1837 T. Harrison, Bankside 1838 S. Bridge, Kidney Stairs 1839 T. Goodrum, Vauxhall Stairs 1840 W. Hawkins, Kidney Stairs 1841 R. Moore, Surrey Ca.n.a.l 1842 J. Liddey, Wandsworth 1843 J. Fry, Kidney Stairs 1844 F. Lett, Lambeth 1845 J. Cobb, Greenwich 1846 J. Wing, Pimlico 1847 W. Ellis, Westminster 1848 J. Ash, Rotherhithe 1849 T. Cole, jun., Chelsea 1850 W. Campbell, Winchester 1851 G. Wigget, Somer's Quay 1852 C. Constable, Lambeth 1853 J. Finnis, Tower 1854 D. Hemmings, Bankside 1855 H. White, Mill Stairs 1856 G. W. Everson, Greenwich 1857 T. White, Mill Stairs 1858 C. J. Turner, Rotherhithe 1859 C. Farrow, jun., Mill Stairs 1860 H. J. M. Phelps, Fulham 1861 S. Short, Bermondsey 1862 J. Messenger, Cherry Garden Stairs 1863 T. Young, Rotherhithe 1864 D. Coombes, Horselydown 1865 J. W. Wood, Mill Stairs 1866 A. Iles, Kew 1867 H. M. Maxwell, Custom House 1868 A. Egalton, Blackwall 1869 G. Wright, Bermondsey 1870 R. Harding, Blackwall 1871 T. J. Mackinney, Richmond 1872 T. G. Green, Hammersmith 1873 H. Messum, Richmond 1874 R. W. Burwood, Wapping 1875 W. Phelps, Putney 1876 C. T. Bullman, Shadwell Dock 1877 J. Tarryer, Rotherhithe 1878 T. E. Taylor, Hermitage Stairs 1879 Henry Cordery, Putney 1880 W. G. Cobb, Putney 1881 G. Claridge, Richmond 1882 H. A. Audsley, Waterloo 1883 J. Lloyd, Chelsea 1884 C. Phelps, Putney 1885 J. Mackinney, Richmond 1886 H. Cole, Deptford 1887 W. G. East

RIVERS AND COURSES.

_RIVER LEA._

Distance from /---------^--------- LIMEHOUSE HERTFORD m. f. m. f.

Hertford 27 7 0 0 Hertford Lock 27 2 0 5 Ware Lock 25 7 2 0 Ware 25 2 2 5 Hard Mead Lock 24 3 3 4 Amwell Lock 23 4 4 3 Stanstead Lock 22 7 5 0 Rye House, Hoddesdon 21 4 6 3 Feildes Weir Lock 21 2 6 5 Dobbs's Weir Lock 20 3 7 4 Carthagena Lock 19 6 8 1 Broxbourne Lock 19 1 8 6 Aqueduct Lock 17 5 10 2 Cheshunt Mill 16 7 11 1 Waltham Common Lock 15 7 12 0 Waltham Abbey Lock 14 7 13 0 Romney Marsh Lock 14 3 13 4 Enfield Lock 13 1 14 6 Ponder's End Lock 11 2 16 5 Pickett's Lock 10 2 17 5 Edmonton Lock 9 2 18 5 Stone Bridge Lock 8 2 19 5 Tottenham Lock 7 3 20 4 Tottenham Railway Bridge. 6 7 21 0 Lea Bridge. 5 0 22 7 Homerton Lock 4 2 23 5 Duckett's Ca.n.a.l Junction 3 1 24 6 Old Ford Lock 2 6 25 1 Bow Railway Bridge 2 3 25 4 Bow Bridge 2 1 25 6 Bromley Lock 1 4 26 3 Britannia Lock 0 1 27 6 Limehouse Cut Entrance 0 0 27 7

_LENGTH OF RACING COURSES._

Barnes Regatta Course 1-1/2 mile Barrow, Walney Channel 2 miles 600 yards Bedford Regatta 3/4 mile Blyth, Flanker to Cowper Gut 2 miles Bristol, from Hotwells to Bristol 1-1/2 mile Boston, River Witham 2-1/2 miles Cambridge 1-1/2 mile Chester 1-1/4 mile Clydesdale 1-1/2 mile Cork 2 miles Derby 1 mile Dublin 2-1/4 miles Durham 1 mile 300 yards Ely, Littleport to Adelaide Bridge 2-1/2 miles Exeter 2-1/2 miles Halton Water 1-3/4 mile Henley-on-Thames 1 mile 2-1/2 furlongs Huntington 1-3/4 mile " for time races 3 miles Hollingworth Lake 3 miles Hereford 1 mile 536 yards Ipswich 1 mile 700 yards King's Lynn, Champion Course 2 miles " Prince of Wales's Course 1-1/4 mile Kingston-on-Thames, Seething Wells to Kingston Bridge 1-1/4 mile Lincoln, sculling and pair-oared 3/4 mile " four-oared 1-1/2 miles London Bridge to Old Swan, Chelsea 4 miles 3 furlongs Manchester 2 miles Moulsey (down stream) 1-1/4 mile Newark, Devonmouth to Magnus Boathouse 1 mile Oxford, Iffley to the Barges 1-1/8 mile " Abingdon Lasher to Nuneham Cottage 1-1/2 mile Putney to Barnes Bridge 3 miles 6 furlongs " to Chiswick 2 miles 4 furlongs " to Hammersmith 1 mile 6 furlongs " to Mortlake 4 miles 3 furlongs Richmond, Sion House to Richmond Bridge 1 mile 7 furlongs " Cross Deep, Twickenham, to Richmond Railway Bridge 1 mile 5 furlongs Stockton-on-Tees, Portrack Course 4 miles " " " above bridges 1-1/2 mile Stourport 1-1/4 mile Sunderland, North Hylton to Spa Well 1 mile Tyne, High Level Bridge to Waterson's Gates 1 mile " " " Meadow's House 1-3/4 mile " " " Armstrong's Crane 2 miles " " " West Point of Paradise Quay 2-1/2 miles " " " Scotswood Suspension Bridge 3 miles 713 yards " " " Lemington Point 4-1/2 miles Tewkesbury 2 miles Walton-on-Thames (up stream) 1 mile Warwick 1-1/2 mile Worcester 1 mile

_DISTANCES OF WEIRS ETC. OXFORD TO LECHLADE._

Distance from /--------^------- OXFORD LECHLADE BRIDGE BRIDGE m. f. m. f.

Oxford Bridge 0 0 36 0 G.o.dstow Lock 3 3 33 0 King's Weir 4 4 31 4 Ensham Bridge 7 5 28 3 Pinkhill Lock 10 0 26 0 Skinner's Weir 11 0 25 0 Badlock Ferry 12 4 23 4 Ridge's Weir 16 0 20 0 Newbridge 17 2 18 6 Shifford Weir 19 0 17 0 Dexford Weir 20 0 16 0 Tenfoot Weir Bridge 22 0 14 0 Kent or Tadpole Bridge 23 5 12 3 Bushey Weir 24 5 11 3 Old Nan's Weir 26 1 9 7 Old Man's or Harper's Weir 26 7 9 1 Radcot Bridge 28 3 7 5 Eaton or Hart's Upper Weir 31 3 4 5 Buscot Lock 33 3 2 5 St. John's Bridge 35 2 0 6 Lechlade Bridge 36 0 0 0

_TABLES OF DISTANCES OF LOCKS ETC. ON THE THAMES._

Distance from /----------^--------- OXFORD FOLLY LONDON BRIDGE BRIDGE m. f. m. f.

Oxford Folly Bridge (stone) and Lock 0 0 110 1-1/4 Iffley Lock 1 1 109 0-1/4 Rose Island 1 7-1/2 108 1-3/4 Sandford Lock 2 5-3/4 107 3-1/2 Abingdon Lock 7 0-1/4 103 1 Abingdon Bridge (stone) 7 3 102 5-1/2 Culham Lock 9 5-1/4 100 4 Clifton Lock 12 2-3/4 97 6 Clifton Hampden Bridge (brick) 12 6-3/4 97 2-1/2 Day's Lock 15 3-1/4 94 6-1/2 Shillingford Bridge (stone) 17 7-1/2 92 1 Benson Lock 19 0-1/4 91 1 Wallingford Bridge (stone) 20 2-3/4 89 6-1/2 Wallingford Lock 20 6-3/4 81 7 Little Stocke Ferry 23 0-3/4 87 0-1/2 Moulsford Ferry 24 3-1/2 85 5-3/4 Cleeve Lock 25 5-1/2 84 3-3/4 Goring Lock 26 3 83 6-1/4 Basildon Railway Bridge 27 5 82 4-1/4 Whitchurch Lock 30 3 79 6-1/4 Pangbourne Bridge 30 4-1/2 79 4-3/4 Maple Durham Lock 32 5-1/2 77 3-3/4 Caversham Bridge (iron) 36 0-3/4 74 0-1/2 Caversham Lock 36 6 73 3-1/4 Sonning Lock 39 3 70 6-1/4 Sonning Bridge (brick) 39 5-1/4 70 4 Shiplake Lock 42 0-1/4 68 1 Wargrave Railway Bridge 42 2-1/2 67 7-3/4 Wargrave Ferry 42 4-1/2 67 4-3/4 Marsh Lock 44 5 65 4-1/4 Henley Bridge (stone) 45 4 64 5-1/2 Regatta Island (from this to Henley Bridge is the usual Regatta course) 46 7-1/2 63 1-3/4 Hambledon Lock 47 6-1/2 62 2-3/4 Medmenham Abbey and Ferry 49 6-1/2 60 2-3/4 Hurley Lock 51 2 58 7-1/4 Temple Lock 51 7-1/2 58 1-3/4 Marlow Suspension Bridge (iron) 53 3-1/2 56 5-3/4 Marlow Lock 53 5 56 4-1/4 Cookham Railway Bridge (wooden) 56 0-1/4 54 1 Cookham Bridge (iron) 57 2 52 7-1/4 Cookham Lock 57 5 52 4-1/4 Boulter's Lock 60 0-3/4 50 0-1/2 Maidenhead Bridge (stone) 60 6-1/2 49 2-3/4 Maidenhead Railway Bridge (brick) 60 0-1/4 49 1 Bray 61 6-1/2 48 2-3/4 Bray Lock 62 0-1/2 48 0-3/4 Monkey Island 62 0-1/4 47 3 Queen's Island 63 2-1/4 46 7 Boveney Lock 64 7-1/2 45 1-3/4 Windsor Railway Bridge (iron) 66 6-1/4 43 3 Windsor Bridge (iron) 67 1-1/4 43 0 Windsor Lock 67 4-3/4 42 4-1/2 South-Western Railway Bridge (iron) 67 7 42 2-1/4 Victoria Bridge (iron) 68 3 41 6-1/4 Datchet 68 7-1/2 41 1-3/4 Albert Bridge (iron) 69 6 40 3-1/4 Old Windsor Lock 70 4-1/2 39 4-3/4 Magna Charta Island 71 7-1/2 38 1-3/4 Bell Weir Lock 73 3-3/4 36 5-1/2 Staines Bridge (stone) 74 3-1/2 35 5-3/4 Staines Railway Bridge (iron) 74 6-1/4 35 3 Penton Hook Lock 76 1-1/2 33 7-3/4 Laleham Ferry 76 7-1/4 33 2 Chertsey Lock 77 7-3/4 32 1-1/2 Chertsey Bridge (stone) 78 0-3/4 32 0-1/2 Shepperton Lock 79 6 30 3-1/4 Shepperton 80 4 29 5-1/4 Halliford 81 0-3/4 29 0-1/2 Walton Bridge (iron) 81 7-1/2 28 1-3/4 Sunbury Lock 83 4-3/4 26 4-1/2 Hampton Ferry 85 5-3/4 24 3-1/2 Moulsey Lock 86 4-3/4 23 4-1/2 Hampton Court Bridge (iron) 86 5-3/4 23 3-1/2 Thames Ditton Ferry 87 4-3/4 22 4-1/2 Messenger's Island 88 5-3/4 21 3-1/2 Kingston Bridge (stone) 89 5-1/4 20 4 Kingston Railway Bridge (iron) 89 6-1/4 20 3 Teddington Lock 91 2-1/4 18 7 Twickenham Ferry 92 5-1/2 17 3-3/4 Richmond Bridge (stone) 94 0-1/4 16 0-3/4 Richmond Railway Bridge (iron) 94 3-1/2 15 5-3/4 Isleworth (Railhead) Ferry 94 7-1/2 15 1-3/4 Isleworth 95 2-1/2 14 6-3/4 Brentford Ferry 96 4-1/2 13 4-3/4 Kew Bridge (stone) 97 1 13 0-1/4 Strand-on-the-Green Railway Bridge (iron) about 97 5 12 4-1/4 Barnes Railway Bridge (iron) 99 0-3/4 11 0-1/2 Hammersmith South Bridge (iron) 100 7-3/4 9 1-1/2 Putney Bridge (wooden) 102 5-3/4 7 3-1/2 Battersea Railway Bridge 104 4-1/4 5 5 Battersea Bridge (wooden) 105 1-1/4 5 0 Chelsea Suspension Bridge (iron) 106 1-1/4 4 0 Vauxhall Bridge (iron) 107 1-1/2 2 7-3/4 Lambeth Suspension Bridge (iron) 107 6 2 3-1/4 Westminster Bridge (iron) 108 1-1/2 1 7-3/4 Charing Cross Railway Bridge (iron) 108 4-1/2 1 4-3/4 Waterloo Bridge (stone) 108 6-1/2 1 2-3/4 Blackfriars Bridge (iron) 109 3 0 6-1/4 Southwark Bridge (iron) 109 6-3/4 0 2-1/2 Cannon Street Railway Bridge (iron) 110 0 0 1-1/4 London Bridge (stone) 110 1-1/4 0 0

_ON THE RIVER MEDWAY._

Distance from /---------^--------- SHEERNESS TONBRIDGE m. f. m. f.

Tonbridge 46 4 0 0 Tonbridge Lock 46 2 0 2 Giles's Lock 45 5 0 7 Eldridge's Lock 44 4 2 0 Porter's Lock 43 5 2 7 East Lock 42 0 4 4 Nook Weare Lock 41 3 5 1 New Lock 40 4 6 0 Sluice Weare Lock 40 0 6 4 Brandbridge's Lock 39 3 7 1 South-Eastern Railway Bridge 39 0 7 4 Stoneham Lock 38 6 7 6 Yalding Village 37 6 8 6 Hampstead Lock 37 3 9 1 Wateringbury Bridge 35 4 11 0 Yeston Lock 34 2 12 2 Yeston Bridge 34 1 12 3 East Farleigh Lock 32 0 14 0 East Farleigh Bridge 32 0 14 4 Maidstone Lock 29 7 16 5 Maidstone Bridge 29 6 16 6 Gibraltar Lock 27 6 18 6 Aylesford Bridge 25 6 20 6 Snodland Ferry 20 4 26 0 Lower Halling Ferry 18 4 28 0 Rochester Bridge 14 0 32 4 Rochester Railway Bridge 14 0 32 4 Chatham 12 4 34 0 Chatham Dockyard 12 0 34 4 Upnor Castle 11 0 35 4 Gillingham 8 4 38 0 River Swale 2 0 44 4 Sheerness 0 0 46 4

_ON THE RIVER WEY._

Distance from /---------^--------- THAMES LOCK G.o.dALMING m. f. m. f.

G.o.dalming 20 1 0 0 Catshail Lock 19 3 0 0 Unsted Lock 18 3 1 6 Broadford Bridge 17 5 2 6 Shalford Railway Bridge 17 0 3 0 St. Catherine's Lock 16 5 3 4 St. Catherine's Ferry 16 3 3 6 Guildford Lock 15 5 4 4 Guildford Bridge 15 4 4 5 Stoke Lock 12 4 7 5 Bower's Lock 11 5 6 4 Trigg's Lock 9 5 10 0 Scud Heath 9 1 11 5 Worsfold's Gates 8 7 11 2 Paper Court Lock 7 3 12 6 Newark Lock 6 1 14 0 Pirford Lock 5 2 14 0 South-Western Railway Bridge 3 0 17 1 New Haw Lock 2 4 17 0 c.o.x's Lock 1 5 18 4 Weybridge Lock 1 0 19 1 Thames Junction Lock 0 0 20 1

APPENDIX.

_THE EARLY HISTORY OF BOAT RACING AT THE UNIVERSITIES._[23]

[23] Reprinted from _Land and Water_ of December 17, 1881.

The history of early college boat racing is not strictly that of the University boat race itself, but it is closely wound up with it, and it was, moreover, the origin of that aquatic rivalry between the two Universities which led to the first match of 1829.

Oxford had inaugurated eight-oared rowing; that introduced inter-college b.u.mping races. Cambridge followed suit and established similar races, and hence arose the constant study of aquatics which produced the first match. For these reasons, we think that the history here given will be read with interest by all University oarsmen, the more so because it, to the best of our knowledge, has never before appeared in print. No official record of their early races has been preserved; the oldest boating record in Oxford is the Brasenose Club Book, dating 1837. That of the O.U.B.C. commences with its establishment, 1839. The 'Charts' of the boat races from 1837, published by Messrs. Spiers & Sons, and which were not invented till after the year 1850, obtain the retrospective racing, prior to the time when they first appeared, from the MS. records of the B.N.C. book, the contents of which were communicated to the publishers by the late Rev. T. Codrington. But prior to 1837 all is blank. For the lost history here unearthed we are indebted to the reminiscences and diaries of oarsmen of those days still in the land of the living.

Oxford started college boat racing before Cambridge. It does not seem quite clear as to when b.u.mping races actually commenced. Two or three colleges had boat clubs and manned eight oars, and at first it seems to have been the practice for out-college men to join the club and crew of colleges to which they did not belong.

The eight oars seem to have been in the habit of going down to Sandford or Nuneham to dine, and of rowing home in company. From Iffley to Oxford they were inclined to race to see who could be home first. They could not race abreast, so they rowed in Indian file, and those behind jealously tried to overtake the leaders. Hence began the idea of starting in a fixed order out of Iffley Lock, of racing in procession, and of an overtaken boat giving place to its victor on the next night of procession.

In 1822, at all events, there were b.u.mping races. Christ Church seems to have been head. There was a disputed b.u.mp between B.N.C. and Jesus, and some violence seems to have occurred, B.N.C. trying to haul down the Jesus flag, and the Jesus men defending their colours. The dispute was finally closed by Post of B.N.C. saying, 'These cries of "Jesus" and "B.N.C." remind me of the old saying:--

Different people are of different opinions; Some like leeks, some like onions.'

(The oars of Jesus were decorated with leeks.) The quarrel was made up, and the crews went together to Nuneham in their racing boats.

Unfortunately Musgrave, one of the party, fell overboard and was drowned during the festivities. In 1823 there were no eight-oared races, the sad accident of the year before having cast a gloom over the pursuit. But several boats were manned. Christ Church refused to put on a boat in consequence of Stephen Davis, the boat-builder, rowing in the B.N.C.

eight, and Isaac King (who eventually took Davis's business) in the Jesus boat. Some strong feeling was displayed on this point. When the B.N.C. boat came up the river, the Christ Church men used to run alongside of it for many nights shouting, 'No hired watermen.' After this year no watermen rowed in the college crews. Exeter had a boat afloat that year, built by Hall of Oxford. She was called the 'Buccleuch' in honour Of the Duke of that ilk.

Among the Exeter men was one Moresby, who was a relative of a naval captain of that name, and through his advice Exeter ordered an eight-oar of Little, of Plymouth. She was finished in time to be put on in 1824, and became famous as the 'Exeter white boat.' Stephen Davis was sent with a carriage constructed for the purpose, to meet the boat at Portsmouth, whither she was brought by sea. As this boat was built of deal, a raft was provided to receive her--the first use of a raft for this purpose at Oxford. The oars sent with the boat were such as are used at sea, and made of ash. They were discarded in favour of ordinary oars, such as those already in use for fresh-water rowing. She was found to be too high out of the water, so Isaac King cut her down one streak.

The boat, as depicted in Turner's water-colour drawing of her, was taken when she was afloat and unmanned; her crew were painted in her afterwards; consequently she rides too high out of the water. The boats on the river in 1824 were, at the beginning of the season, Christ Church 1, B.N.C. 2, Exeter 3. Exeter b.u.mped B.N.C. under the willows on the first night; the next night of racing Christ Church took off, and Exeter became head by the other's default. The races were renewed another day, and B.N.C. b.u.mped Christ Church. This was the _last_ year in which the boats started out for Iffley Lock. The racing has. .h.i.therto been conducted on this principle; the start between the boats were just so much as the dexterity of the stroke could obtain. He, the stroke, stood on the bow thwart, and ran down the row of thwarts; pushing the boat along with his shoulder against the lock gates, he reached his own thwart, by which time the impetus had shot the boat clear of the lock, he dropped on to his own seat, and began to row. The oarsmen had their oars 'tossed' meantime. The boat next in order then followed the same process, and so on. The boats lay in _echelon_ while waiting for the start. Bulteel, who was stroke of B.N.C. in the disputed race of 1822 (above mentioned), and who afterwards was elected Fellow of Exeter in 1823, was especially skilful at this. The Exeter crew of 1824 were: Wareing, d.i.c.k, Parr, Dowgla.s.s, J. C. Clutterbuck, Cole, R. Pocklington (father of D. Pocklington, stroke of Oxford in 1864), Bulteel (stroke), S. Pocklington (c.o.x.) The Rev. J. C. Clutterbuck, now rector of Long Wittenham, near Abingdon, is well known as a conservator of the Thames, to whom the Universities and rowing men are much indebted for the clauses in the Conservancy Acts which give that body powers to clear the river for boat racing. The names of the other two crews of 1824 have not come fully to posterity, but among B.N.C. are Meredith, North and Karle (stroke); and in the Christ Church crew were Hussey, Baring and Smyth (stroke).

In 1825 the boats started in line along the bank, each having its umpire to regulate the distance between it and its neighbours (one length). The boats at starting were Exeter, Christ Church Worcester, Balliol (in this order). Exeter had discarded their old love, and had got a 'black boat,'

larger than the old 'white boat,' but not so fast, according to later experiments. However, they elected to row in her at first, and Christ Church b.u.mped them, also Worcester on a subsequent night. Later on Exeter reb.u.mped Worcester, and at the close of the racing the order was: Christ Church, Exeter, Worcester, Balliol. Smyth was again stroke of Christ Church, and R. Pocklington stroke of Exeter, in which Messrs.

Clutterbuck, Parr, Dowgla.s.s, Cole, and Wareing rowed again, with Messrs.

Harndon and Day as recruits.

The term 'Torpid' seems to have arisen about this date, and to have been applied to the 'second' boats of colleges, such as Christ Church, who launched a second boat in 1826. Later on the 'Torpids' took to racing among themselves as a separate cla.s.s, and under distinct qualifications.

In 1826 the following rules were drawn up for the boat-racing, and we give them verbatim:--

_Rule_ 186.--Resolved (1) That racing do commence on Monday, May 1.

(2) That the days for racing be Monday and Friday in each week, and that if any boat does not come out on those days its flag do go to the bottom.

(3) That no out-college crews be allowed to row in any boat, except in cases of illness or other unavoidable absence, and then that the cause of such absence be signified to the strokes of the other boats.

(4) That the boats below the one that b.u.mps stop racing, and those above continue it.

(5) That there be a distance of fifty feet between each boat at starting.