The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-09-17

forded them by foreigners than that which
the Queen witnessed at Sandwich by the Wal
looms In 1928, the Thames and its banks
were in a state of great excitement at race
between French vessel and Dutch. Inc
matter was seuous the former had been pur-
sued into the river by the Hollander, and
they were firing at each other the whole
way. They never stopped till London
Bridge brought them to stand
still Countless heads looked down upon them
from the houses and from the footway on the
bridge, and plumed and half-armed men
! pazed eagerly at them from the Tower.
| While the competitors kept up their popping
at each other (for it was little more) and
spectators animatedly discussed which would
prove the victor, Walsingham, the Lieutenant
| of the Tower-a most unexpected umpire
rowed up to them in his wel-equipped barge,
and took possession of both. The London
apprentices drank Eastcheap dry, to show
their ecstatic approval.
Taylor, the Water-Poet, is constantly quoted
as having stated that in his time there were
40, 600 watermen plying at various points
on the river between Windsor and London,
and that one-half of these were engaged in
summer time in ferrying playgoers over from
Blackfriars to the Globe Theatre on Bank
side. This number must have, at least, one
zero too many. On the other hand, it may
include every man who took an oar for pas
time or profit In the first James time
there was such o universal launch of young
amateurs from London and surrounding
places ON to the river, that a law was passed
to prevent inexperienced rowers perilling
other peoples lives by carrying passengers
without license-which was only given to the
duly trained.
Still, youth would get ahoat The London
apprentices pulled in sport against the water
men, and matches" grew out of that rivalry.
The Templars appeared upon the stream, and
apprentices and watermen soon learned that
gentlemen were as expert at the oar as any
member of the craft. Then forth went upon
the river the lively Westminster lads. not at
all ''sicklied DER with the pale cast of
thought but fresh as youth, good health,
and good humor could make them. Out of
these elelnents sprang still greater rivalry
than Of yore. Not only rowing matches but
rowing p20n1eBddes, so to call them made the
river gay and noisy. There used to be as
much license on those occasions, and long
AFTER when boat met boat, as there ever was
at a French Carnival. 1t grew at last to be
as unpleasant for a modest lady to trust her
self in pleasure-boat as it was to go to the
play. License on the stage was about as un-
bridled as license on the river.
Of that olden time, one fragment alone
survives in Doggetts Coat and Badge, or
rather in the money given in lieu Of costume
which is now rarely to be seen.
DdIGS VIII SHOW HOW erroneous t0e luea Is
that we can owe regattas-still less, rowing
matches-to the supposed excitement caused
by Lady Wortley Montagu's account of the
regatta at Venice, which she tc0uld write to
her husband, and which he spread abroad.
Doggett's CO0t and Budge were first rowed
for in 1716. Lady Wortley Montagu's letter
on regattas was written in 1740. 1t could
hardly have produced the effect described, or
| the sentiment about the thing grew very
i,,4p n4i fIaE E,c4,
| land did not take place till 1775 Long ago
as that seems, there are few still living who,
any one of whom, as a baby, may have been
held at the Duchess of Portland's garret-win-
dow by Mrs. Boscawen, and have seen that
new spectacle.
Dublin had not the sense to see the quality
| of Dogget as an actor. Cibber has photo
graphed him for posterity in his Apology"
and Congreve wrote parts for him. Doggett
did not establish his still celebrated anniver-
sary match to win the patronage of the Hano-
verian King; for the actor who came to us
! in Williams time, 1851, retired from the
| stage before Queen Anne died, namely, in
| 1713. Three years later, when George the
First was on the throne, Doggett founded
his especial match. 1t was rowed on the first
of August, the day of the Hanoverian success
sion The prize was an orange-colored coat
! (of the old waterman fireman cut an old
!
right sleeve, carrying figure of Liberty
! (some say, or the White Horse of Hanover,
| which was later device). The Drury Lane
| bill (the house was then at the end of its
summer season. had an announcement of the
prize being given, in honor of the Kings
''happy accession" ''to be rowed for by six
watermen that are out of their time within
the year past. They are to row from Lon
don Bridge to Chelsea. 1t will be rowed an
nually, on the same day, forever. They are
to start exactly at o'clock" They did start
at the time when the tide was strongest
against them, one of the requirements
of the match, and one which continues to try
the strength and muscular endurance of Jolly
young watermen. Dog9ett left wherewith to
carry on the match forever" which may be
a rather long period. 1t was originally rowed
from the Swan at London Bridge to the
. Swan ut Chelsea. These Swans and four in
tervening SacdnS have disappeared and the
match is now rowed under certain modifca-
tions. The prize or prizes are in money! and
are given to the winners, with some ceremony.
at Fishmongers' Hail. In 1774, Dibdin pro-
duced at the Haymarket his ballad opera, Tie
Waterman, or, THE Isl, Of August Bannister
playing ''Tom Bug; and the coat and badge
were won without any reference to Doggett,
who was the original donor
Between the establishing of the match and
the introduction of the regatta in 1775, Lady
Wortley Montagu had written the descriptive
letter which is so often referred to. But her
Venetian regatta on the Adriatic wave had
not its fellow on our Thames. Chariots of the
Night, drawn by sea horses, changing to
Chariots of Aurora, with sumptuously dressed
doll ,1oxg