The Sun.
London, England, 1857-08-06 00:00:00

ROYAL THAMES NATIONAL REGATTA.

The great annual regatta at Putney under this title,
at which a number of valuable prizes are given, open to
all the a orld, commenced yesterday. The weather in
the early part of the day was dull and uninviting, arid,
although it cleared up in the afternoon, the assemblage
of visitors was far from being 5.,0 numerous as heretofere.
There was oee very important race upon the card,
the Champion Race for 100/.' in four-oared boats, for
which crews ft ona Manchester, Newcastle, Elswrck, and
elsewhere had entered. This had, as usual, occupied
the attention of rowing men of all grades for some time
past, and large sums of money depended upon the result.
It was decided in three heats, with an interval of time
for refreshment. There were also gentlemen's gigs' and
scullerte contests, making, in all, eleven races.
The sport commenced at half past 1 with
THE CHAMPION FOUR-OARED RACE.
FIRST HEAT.
The Newcastle (white)
Wandsworth (red and white) 0
Five Friends of Manchester (blue) 0
THE NEWCASTLE CREW.

1. J. H. Clasper, J 3. R. Chambers,
2. A. Maddison, H. Clasper, stroke.
W. Short, coxswain.
THE WANDSWORTH CREW.

1. S. Peters, I 3. T. Eticharcl,
2. A. Salter, W. Walker, stroke,
W. Peters, onx3wain.
THE MANCHASTER CREW.

1. Williatafton,
2. Crawshaw,

3. Williams,
M. Taylor, stroke.

W. Postlewa,ite, coxswain.

The Newcastle men were bucked at slight odds to win
the heat, and were taken at even against the field for the
first prize. Much had been said about the Manchester
men, but the renowned Claspers were too much in re-
pute, and it was said that the Wandsworth were in very
fine condition, which certainiy turned out to be the case.
The Manchester men hail the worst station on the
Surrey side, and the ClaTerii were in the middle., The
start was taken with amazing rapidity by all, and the race
throughout maintained at a great pace. The Manchester
men drew a slight lead, and off the committees' barge,
stationed a few yards beyond the Star and garter,
had the bow of their boat a ceeple of feet in advance, the
Newcastle men were second, and there were nearly half
a length between them and ' the Wandsworth. At this
point the Newcastle men, who were sitting firmly t
their work, drew level with the Manche3ters, and in the
next few succeeding strokes gradually took the lead
from them. The Manchester men, who took a very
wide course, were directly afterwards outrowed by the
Wandsworth men, who so *vigorou4y'applied themselves
that it was thought it would have been their race; but
the rowing of the Claspers was perfection, and they
gradually stole away to a lend of neatly two lengths at
the finish, amid very warm applause, which was richly
deserved.

SECOND HEAT.
Hammersmith (grpon)
The Champion's Crew (blue and white) 0
The ShakespeAre Crew (rpd)
THE HAMMERSMITH CREW.
1. J. Holder. I 3. R. Ponder:
2. T. Hoare. G. Green, stroke.
T Hoare, coxswain.
THE CHAMPION'S CREW.
G. Driver. 3. A. Ralph,
2. T. Day. H. Kelly, stroke.
J. Driver, coxswain.
THE SHAIISPEARE CREW.
1. ET, Ault. 3 E. Wenship,
T. Bruce, stroke. 2. S. Wood.

J. Richards6n, coxswain.

The Sbakspeare crew (Manchester men) were the fa-
vourites in this beat ; Kelly's (the Champion's crew)
were considered very indifferent ; while at the same time
there was a strong party behind the Hammersmith men,
who, it was said, wouli astonish the "native?."

The race was amazingly fine. They all went away at
the same instant, and then the Hammersmith pulled
out a lead of about a foot. The Champion's crew was in
the middle and astern, r3d being the second heat. In
the course of a few more strokes, and before they had
proceeded 200 yards, red and green were dead lel, and
blue and white nearly half their length astern in the
centra, Green now began to take a slight leaf, and
blue and white to overhaul red ; and as they neared the
Crabtree the leas of both these boats were made appa-
rent and decided. The pace and style of the race was
still first-rate, blue and white (the Champion's crew)
again and again coming up to the quarter of green (the
Hamtneramith boat) the latter winning by only half a
length.