The Sun.
London, England, 1868-07-20 00:00:00

LAWS OF BOAT RACING.

The following are the now laws of boat racing settled
by the committee of the Thames Regatta :-
1. All races shall be started from boats moored for the
purpose, the sterns of the competing boats being held by
men appointed by the committee.
2. The starter shall ask the question, "Are you ready?'
and upon not receiving a reply in the negative, .he shall
give the signal to start.
_ _

3. If the starter considers the start unfair, he shall at
once recall tho boats to their stations.
4. Any boat not at its post at tho time specified, shall be
liable to be disqualified by the umpire.
5. The umpire may act as starter, if he thinks fit ;
where he does not so act, the starter shall be subject to
the control of the umpire.
6. No fouling whatever shall bo allowed; the boat com-
mitting a foul shall bo disqualified.
7. The umpire, when appaaled to, shall decide all ques-
tions as to a foul.

8. A claim of foul must be made to the judge, or to the
umpire, by the competitor himself before getting out of his
boat.

9. It shall be considered a foul when, after the race
has commenced, any competitor, by his oar, boat, or any
part thereof, or person, comes in contact with the oar,
boat, or any part thereof, or person of another competitor.
10. In case of a foul, the umpire shall have the power—
(A) To place the boats, except the boat committing the
foul, which is disqualified, in the order in which they
come in. (a.) To order the boats engaged in the race,
other than the boat committing the foul, to row over
again on the same or another day. (c.) To re-start the
qualified boats from tho place where the foul was com-
mitted.
11. Every boat shall abide by its accidents.

12. No boat shall be allowed to accompany a competitor
for the purpose of directing his course or affording him
other assistance. The boat receiving any such direction
or assistance shall be disqualified at the discretion of the
umpire.

13. The courso for th 3 races shall be between Putney
Aqueduct and Chiswick Eyot (except for the champion-
ship, which shall bo from Putney Aqueduct to tho Ship,
Mortlake), through the centre arch of Hammersmith-
bridge, and:any competing boat not passing through tho
contra arch of Hammersmith-bridge will be disqualified.
14. Each boat shall keep its own water throughout the
race, and any boat departing frotra its own water will do so
at its peril. .

15. A boat's own =lot is its straight course, parallel
with those of the other competing boats from the station
assigned to it at starting to the finish.
16. The umpire shall be the sole judge of a boat's own
water and proper course during the race.
17. The jurisdiction of the umpire extends over the race
and all matters connected with it, from the time the race i
specified to start until its final termination, awl his decision
in all cases shall be final and without appeal.
18. Any competitor refusing to abide by the decision, or
to follow the direction of the umpire, shall bo disqualified.
19. The umpire, if he thinks propel, may reserve his de-
cision until he has consulted with the Committee.

20. Tho umpire shall b 3 appointed by the committee.
21. No amalgamation of north and south country crews
will be allowed.

22. No competitor will 43 allowed to enter for more than
two races.

23. In the four-oared racos each boat must carry a bona
fide coxswain.

21. Tho holder of the Championship will not bo com-
pelled to start in the trial heats.
25. Tho entry fee of each competitor shall ba 2s. Gd
and the competitors entering shall sign a memorandum to
the effect that they will abide by the rules of the coin
mittee.

26. The committee reserve to themselves the right to
refuse any entries, and from time to time to amend and
make new rules as they may think fit.

ILLNESS OF THE RECORDER OF LONDON.—(This
Day).—lntelligence was received to-day at the Lord
Mayor's Court to the effect that the Right lion. Russell
Gurney, M.P., Recorder, had been seized with illness in
the course of yesterday.

Sl'o-11771\7 G NO7 ES.

e- ---

Meetings here, there, and everywhere, ate taking place
throughout the United Kingdom almost every day in the
week, and, as I have frequently said, will bring a darof
reckoning which will be next doer to rule to most of the
shareholders and other parties interested in race meetings
of the present day. It is preposterous to suppose that
some half dozen places can be supported in a single
week, and that is generally the average during the
season. It is, however, the cursed railway speed
at which the present generation is living, which is bound
to swallow us all up iu a short space of time. There are
only a limited nutnbar of animals in training, and how on
earth can they be expected to run ovary day in the week.
Look at one of the handicap books of each week's en-
gagements, and the same horses are engaged all over the
country. The best policy, in my opinion, would be for the
Clerks of Courses at the principal meetings to call a meet-
ing and try to make satisfactory arrang3m3uts throughout
the country. At present they cut each other's throats
without the slightest advantage to any on) of themselves.
There were five meetings last week, Pontefract, Reading,
Odiham, Stamford, and Liverpool, and it would b 3 a diffi-
cult task to say which was the greatest failure of the let.
My advic,, and that is a straight tip, is for the different
Clerks of the Course to lay their heads together, and try
to do better for the future.

Huntingdon is one of the most charming spots in the
country, and if I am only fortunate enough to 'select the
winner of the Huntingdonshire Stakes, next Tuesday, I
am quite sure a journey down there will afford many of
your subscribers a groat treat. Out of the twenty-three ac-
ceptances, it is probable some ten or twelve runners will bo
found at the post. The four-year-old filly by Newmin-
ster out of Irish Queen did a good performance in winning
The Ascot Trial Stakes, but that was only a mile, and I
doubt if she can stay the two miles here. I have no fancy
for the others down to Lord Palmerston, who, if he repre-
sents the Chaplin-Machell interests, must have
a great chance; but half a dozen of the others, with leas
weights on their back, seem to bo batter in, and of these I
have most faith in