The Sun.
London, England, 1828-07-22 00:00:00

GRAND ROWING MATCH.

Yesterday the Annual Prize Wherry, given by the No-
bility and Gentlemen comprising the Funny Club, was
rowed for by seven pair of oars, in two heats. The three
first boats of the first heat started for the second or grand
heat, amidst torrents of rain, and the contest was decided
in favour of John Mitchell, Strand-lane, and William
Robbins, Queenhithe.

NED NEAL'S BENEFIT AND PRESENTA-
TION OF A SILVER CUP.

Ned Neal took his benefit at the Tennis Court
yesterday, pursuant to public notice, and, to speak
theatrically, had a " crowded house." Lords and
Commoners, Patrons and Pugilists, attended in full
force, and some of the oldest frequenters of the ring
showed their nobs. The Sparring was excellent,
and drew down bursts of applause.
CRAYFER AND LATHAM commenced operations,
and played their parts wiih the vigour of young ones
who meant to seek fame in the very teeth of milling.
THE BRISTOL BAKER AND NED MURPHY had a
regular fight in metes, and the straight-forward
muggers with which each met the other not only
electrified the amateurs, but almost petrified the men
themselves, for they were repeatedly hit to a stand-
still, and could scarce lift an arm to return.
OLIVER AND BITTON showed off the fine science
of old ones, and their stopping and returns were of
the finest character. They were both well " brought
out," and their bread-baskets and concks were rattled
in turn in good style. Oliver winding up by sending
the good-humoured phiz• of old mahogany wagging
like that of a mandarin in a grocer's glass house.
THE PEA-SOUP GARDENER AND BILL MERRY-
MAN, OF LEADENHALL, did their best; but Soup
gets too old ; and although he put in some good
plants, Merryman was too vigorous a sprout for him
to expect to flourish to advantage.
TOM SPRING AND PETER CRAWLEY.—This was,
indeed, a treat. The commanding figures of the
men—their fine athletic frames, and the beautiful
attitudes in which they threw themselves, formed
perfect models for the Sculptor, and afforded a proud
specimen of the true John Bull breed. Peter
showed in his btf, but Tom kept on his cotton
toga. Stopping was the order of the day for the
first five minutes, and neither could fix his compli-
ment. Hit with the right, stop with the left, and
vice versa-.-all was the same ; both were awake,
and no advantage taken ; at last, in a sort of double
hit with his right,. Tom dropped the first nobber.
Peter laughed, and in a few more trials was even,
and hit for hit was proclaimed. In this way both
continued for some time, all looking to award the
palm of excellence ; but so even were the merits
balanced, that the best judges could not say, " 'tis
his." At last they got to a finishing rally, and
there were some beautiful counter hits—if any, a
shade in Spring's favour; but if a prize had been
depending, they must have had another bout, to re-
move the doubts of the cognoscenti. The men left
the stage amidst thunders of applause.
YOUNG DUTCH SAM AND 808 CASTLES next
took the gloves, and were not less applauded than
the two Dons who had just retired. Sam's talents
are well known; but in Bob, who has frequently
distinguished himself with the gloves, he found a
competitor worthy of his prowess. Bob opened
the ball by giving Sam a smeller which set his ogles
twinkling, and a fine lively rally followed, in which
Sam's blood was up, and both hammered away with
spirit. There were several rounds, in which the hit-
ting was pretty much upon a par, the science good,
and the knowledge of the art very finely displayed.
Next to Sam's display with Harry Holt, we have sel-
dom Seen his energies so decidedly called forth.
ABY BELASCO and HARRY HOLT alb.) showed the
advantages of science, and although the latter had
been out of practice for some time, he showed that
he remembered what he had not forgotten. Aby,
though fleshy, was active on his pins, and in stop-
ping and hitting proved that he was awake to all the
moves on the board.

JEM STOCKMAN and BRITTON (a nephew of Hen.
Pearce, the Game Chicken) were next on the stage.
The latter is a novice in the London School, but he
seems to have picked up no small share of know-
ledge among the Bristolimas, from whom he is a pro-
mising shoot. He is a fine formed young fellow,
well set, about nine stone, and stopped and hit in
very pretty style, and with his right dropt on his
customer straight and heavy. Jem fought with him,
but did not find out fighting quite the thing, lte
therefor:, bustled in to avoid Button's heavy lunges,
and threw him two or three cross-buttocks, which,
on the hard boards, were in no respect jocular. Still
the Young Chicken took it all in good part, and
would have gone on, but the Master of the Cere-
monies (old Paddington Jones) thought they had
done enough for a trial. A match will, in all pro-
bability, be made between these lads, and a shower
of pewter and browns showed that their handy-
works were generally relished.
PAT JENNINGS and another novice, named LaNE-
LARK, then mounted the stage, but wrestling super-
seded sparring; and Jennings • having the best of
this, the aseembly manifested strong displeasure,
while the proprieter of the Court, seeing that both
were serious, interfered, and prevented further mis-
chief.

NED NEAL and JEM BURN appeared to close the
games, when Ned expressed his regret that White-
headed Bob had not, according to his solemn pledges,
come to set-to with bim. He had said he would
forfeit five pounds if he did not come, and he had
only to hope he would make his words good in that
respect. Under these circumstances, he had obtained
the assistance of another antagonist (Jem Burn)
who had kindly undertaken to be Bob's substitute.—
(Applause.)