the Amateur Rowing Association, a body which has control of
all other amateur rowing in England. The Henley Stewards and
the Amateur Rowing Association (or A.R.A.) are in complete
harmony. Their rules are identically the same, but the
Stewards being the older body are not subject to the A.R.A.,
and in the improbable event of a difference occurring they
would be entitled to act independently. The A.R.A. was
formed in 1882 for the purpose of drawing up a definition of an
“amateur,” and for the purpose of having a body who could
if necessary select a national representative crew to meet any
foreign or colonial invaders. It has long since dropped the
latter portion of its original programme, and the A.R.A. as at
present constituted is an association to which all the principal
amateur boat clubs are affiliated. Its objects are to maintain
the standard of amateur oarsman ship and to promote the
interests of boat racing. It is governed by a committee which
occupies in the British rowing world a position not unlike that
of the stewards of the jockey Club in racing matters. The
constitution and objects of the A.R.A. are clearly defined in
the rules, and their definition of an amateur is so much stricter
than that of some other countries that it is advisable to set it
out in extenso. It is as follows:—
No person shall be considered an amateur oarsman, sculler or coxswain—
(1) Who has ever rowed or steered in any race for a stake, money or entrance fee;
(2) Who has ever knowingly rowed or steered with or against a professional for any prize;
(3) Who has ever taught, pursued or assisted in the practice of athletic exercises of any kind for profit;
(4) Who has ever been employed in or about boats or in manual labour for money or wages;
(5) Who is or has been by trade or employment for wages a mechanic, artisan or labourer, or engaged in any menial duty;
(6) Who is disqualified as an amateur in any other branch of sport.
The rules of the A.R.A. also comprise the “Laws of Boat Racing,” which govern the race from start to finish; and the “Rules for Regattas,” which deal with a large number of matters such as the definition of the different classes of oarsmen, seniors, juniors and maidens, the making of entries, the powers of regatta committees, &c.
A large number of regattas are held under these rules in all parts of the country during the summer months. There are also several matches and other competitions rowed under special rules, the most important of these being the Wingfield Sculls (founded 1830), or amateur championship of the Thames, rowed in the month of July over the championship course from Putney to Mortlake (414 m.).
If the number of entries at Henley Regatta, the extension of the sphere of influence of the A.R.A. and the public interest in the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, may be taken as tests, rowing has more than held its own among the various competing forms of recreation in the world of British amateur athletic sport.
Rowing in the United States.—The earliest record of a boat race in the United States is that of a contest in light barges in the year 1811 between the “Knicker-bocker” of New York and the “Invincible” of Long Island, in which the former was successful. The evolution from racing in heavy pleasure boats to racing in specially constructed craft proceeded with great rapidity, and by the year 1834 a large number of small clubs in New York had combined, under the title of the Castle Garden Boat Club Association. In 1837 the first regatta took place at Poughkeepsie, the race being between “six-oars” for a prize of $200. In those days there was no real distinction in America between amateur and professional, and in spite of rules and definitions the distinction between one who is qualified as an amateur and one who is not has remained in America much less certain and precise than in the United Kingdom.
Yale and Harvard Universities became centres of aquatic energy very early in the history of American rowing. The first racing boat at Yale, a six-oar, was bought in 1844, and in the following spring Harvard purchased an eight, and in 1852 a race was rowed between a Harvard crew and three Yale crews at Lake Winnepesaukee, which resulted in a victory for the former. In 1859 Harvard again defeated Yale in a six-oared race, but on the following day at Worcester City Regatta the same crews entered for a prize and Yale defeated Harvard. In 1864 at a college regatta Yale defeated Harvard, but in 1866 Harvard with a very fine crew showed their superiority over all the other colleges. In 1869 Harvard sent a challenge to Oxford and Cambridge to row a four-oared match on the Thames from Putney to Mortlake. It was accepted by the former and the race was rowed on the 27th of August. The race aroused great public interest, and the banks of the river were crowded from end to end of the course. The crews were: Oxford, F. Willan (bow), A. C. Yarborough, J. C. Tinné and S. Darbishire (stroke); Harvard, J. S. Fay (bow), E. G. Lyman, W. H. Simmons and A. P. Loring (stroke). Harvard led at first, but Oxford eventually rowed them down and won by three lengths.
The trip of the Harvard four to England aroused the rowing enthusiasm of other American universities such as Princeton, Cornell, Columbia and Pennsylvania, and during the next ten years considerable improvement was shown in American rowing. In 1875 no fewer than thirteen university or college crews competed in a race, in which Cornell finished first, Columbia second and Harvard third, the ships used being six-oars without coxswains. In 1876 the eight-oared match over a four»mile course between Harvard and Yale was instituted, and in 1878 a four from Columbia University went to Henley and won the Visitors Challenge Cup. In 1879 and 1880 there were a very large number of inter-collegiate matches and regattas, in several of which Columbia maintained the reputation which they had gained at Henley. In 1881 a Cornell four started at Henley for the Stewards Cup, but were easily beaten. During the next few years there was considerable difference of opinion between universities as to the correct style of stroke, and in 1832 a Yale crew, coached by Mr Davis, did some fine performances, rowing a very fast short stroke in a very long boat. They Were, however, eventually beaten by Harvard after an exciting race, in which it is only fair to them to record that the erratic steering of their coxswain contributed in no small degree to their defeat. The next year, 1883, Yale tried an even faster and shorter stroke, but were easily beaten by Harvard, who rowed with great length and steadiness. This year saw the end of the very fast short stroke, and although the “strokes” of the various crews since that day have differed in minor degrees, they settled down to a longer steadier method of rowing which is spoken of in England as the “American style.” It differs from that adopted by English oarsmen in that there is an absence of swing and body work, and in that the oarsmen appear to rely almost entirely upon their long slides and hard leg work. In the early “nineties” Cornell was almost always successful at home, and in 1895 they entered for the Grand Challenge Cup at Henley. Owing to a misunderstanding at the start the Leander crew were left at the post in the first heat, but on the next day Cornell suffered defeat at the hands of Trinity Hall. In 1896 Yale entered at Henley under the tuition of Cook, but were somewhat easily beaten by Leander. The result of these two expeditions to Henley was an attempt to introduce the English style of rowing in America. The experiment was not altogether successful. Mr R. C. Lehmann, who had met with considerable success in England as a coach both at Oxford and Cambridge, went to Harvard for two seasons. The attempt to instruct the American oarsmen in the English methods of swing and body work, instead of the American stroke, resulted in their falling short of perfection in either style, and they were beaten by Yale upon each occasion. Mr Lehmann's visit, if it failed to give pace to the crews he coached, resulted, however, in improving the whole spirit of American college rowing. Mutual confidence and friendly rivalry took the place of the atmosphere of suspicion and almost of enmity which had at times existed between Harvard and Yale. In 1895 an Inter-collegiate Rowing Association was formed by
