The Sun.
London, England, 1804-01-18 00:00:00

GRAND ROWING MATCI!.

rr has long been doubted by the Amateurs of
Rowing, whether the LcNdon or Grayeierui Watr.
men were the best men. A few weeks ago Major
WARR I NGTON having been rowed by a party of the
latter from Gravesend to Sheerness in a very shore
space of time, had frequently mention the. circum-
stance, and offered to match six of them against the
same number of. Watermen wherever they might be
found. Captain DURAND matched six of the Lon..
don Watermen against them for zoo guineas aside,
and yesterray was the day fixed fur the decision.—
As it was supposed that the Gravesend men excelled
in rough and the London in smooth water, to equa-
lize the matter, the distance was divided accord..
ingly ; and it was agreed,, that the parties should
start at a boat moored off Capt. DUR AND') wharf,
near Rotherhithe, and row round the Nore Light,
and back at the same.place ; a distance of not less
than to . miles. _

The six London Watermen set off on Saturday
last to Gravesend, that they might have time to
practice before-hand, in the water that they had not
been accustomed to. They were conveyed thither
in Capt. DUR AND'S yacht, on board of which were
her_owner, hii son, and Major WAaßrtzo-ron. It
was near night before they reachea Gravesend, when
they all went on shore in the iiegor Cutter, the
boat iii which:they intended to tow for the wager,
As soon as the Gravesend men saw the Cutter, they
refused to perform the wager, and-said, it was im,
possible .any boat they could produce, would be able
to make the same way through the water, and
that they -shult.3 only be disgraced in rowing the
match. They also objeaed that no steersmen had
been appointed, which was always customary on
those 'occasions. Captain Duatsrto answered them,
by producing the articles of the wager, in which
there was no stipulation for sreerrnen; and, with
respea to the boat, each party was to find his own,
Captain DtrRAND was willing, however, to enter
into a fresh agreement, although the old on was
play or pay, which was accordingly done. It was
then agreed, that the wager should be deferred un..
til the last day-of the month, when the six London
Watermen should row against the same number of
Gravesend men, round the Note Light and back to
Cuckold's Point, for two hundred guineas, and each
boat to provide itself with asteersrnan. A second
wager was also made, that the same persons were
to row the same distance over again without a
steersman.

The names of the London Watermen, 'Chosen by
Captain DURAND to tow the match, are, John
Shepherd, Edward Brutnwell, William Prizeman,
Allan Griffin, Isaac Wood, and J;irnes Howell ; they
Are considered the best men on the River, and the
odds are six to four in their favour. Captain DU-
RAND will accompany the march• all • the 'way in a
cutter, to be.rowed by ten picked men.
Whilst Captain DURAND was at Gravesend, he
matched his Yacht to sail with the Fox 'Gravesend-
boat, from Ramsgate round the Isle of Wight and
back, for 200. guineas. N,.) time i.fixed for the per-
formance of this wager, Captain nu RAND having
reserved to himself the eptioli of starting whenever
the, wind should blow strong ; that being the weii-
tdic,r.htst calculated for the trim of his Yacht.