The New York herald., 1872-09-21

the afternoon Of the day before yesterday, has
done much towards determining who is the
foremost ,oarsman Of this country to-day.
Two families, 90 long used to being repre-
sented in the front ranks of American aquatics
that their names are not only national, but in
ternational; each, like the Horatii and the
Curatii of old, selected from their numerous
sons him most likely to battle successfully for
the high prize of the championship, and no
ground Of fault has either at the way in which
the race was rowed or at him who came in the
winner. To be beaten only hundred feet In
q race over five whole miles tells story that.
till recently, has been rare one-far too
rare-in the annals of our aquatics. Now, at
last, men are rowing together-as was seen
not only in this contest, but even moro
plainly in the splendid College race
month before last, at Springfield
are really matched, and it begins to look as II
we are hereafter to have some races well
worth going to see. When, as is frequently
seen on the Thames, men cannot manage, in
one mile or two, and sometimes even more, 10
put single boats length between them, and
each seems to put in every stroke oil the power
that lies in him. there is treat to the locker
on, however little he or she may know of row.
ing, beside which the trial of strength and
skill in any other pastime we have is tame and
insipid.
We have seen James Renforth, the greatest
oarsman England ever knew, row Harry Kelly
from Putney to Mortlake, four miles and three
furlongs, and, try all he would and improve
his every advantage, the best he could do was
to lead his sklful rival by but Eeven seconds.
Walter Brown, as he lay on the umpire's
boat, intently watching every single
movement Of either, and better able, per-
haps, than any other American to de-
termine their relative merits, concluded that
were he in the strife he could sandwich him
self between the two and stay there but that
that was all. Both Renforth and he have gone
now, and Thursday result encourages US to
believe that not only will John Biglin we'll
fill the place that Decker and Daw, Josh Ward
and Hamill and Brown each for while held
before him, but VIII, syep when the time
t6mes-and we doubt if it is o year o&-keep
Joseph Sadler, who has taken Renforth's post
in England ahead of Kelly, very closely occu-
pied over the whole distance, however longit
may be, to win, if win he does at ALL But
twenty nine years old, an inch taller than
Brown, larger bone, trihe heavier, less de-
veloped in parts not brought into play In
those that are; deep of chest, very
strong in the loins, and with excellent
legs, he adds to judgment naturally far
sounder ON experience in difficult positions in
almost every sort of boat and race, extending
over ten whole years; an acquaintance with
every prominent course in the United States
familiarity with coaching and training
Springfield testifes and most liberal allow
ance Of nerve and thorough, downright pluck
that altogether fairly promise, if he will keep
his name as fair and good in the future as, he
has done in the past, and will continue to inn
prove in the one item of skill in the use of
these very frail craft to not only keep him in the
position he has so well earned, but especially
with SO many good rowing years before him, to
yet give England an opportunity to look across
the water for the single man who can outrow
the best she owns, even as she now has to
look for the champion four of the
world Moreover, he is especially favored
in having this same young rival who
did such brilliant work the other day, ever on
the watch for chance to seize hom his grasp
the much-coveted prize which he has but just
wrested from him. If he is the more powerful
and has the untiring endurance that his record
and his looks both show, he has wonder
fully 1.-the antagonist, almost as skilful with
the oar as Grace is with the bat, and with all
the wisdom and experience of numerous and
Justly distinguished older brothers ever at his
elbow and just aching for the opportunity
to show him how to win and if the
record Of these older brothers is fair
criterion Ellis Ward will be likely for twenty
years to come to be constantly on hand, ready
to cut out for all aspirants for the American
sculling championship all the work any one Of
them may want to take care Of Harry Kelly
was SO much struck with his rowing last year
on Saratoga Lake that he broke out in warm
praises Of it, and so much reason had he
that it is not odd that Coulter and Mekeil.
Scharf, of Pittsburg; O'Neil, Butler and
numerous lesser lights have not sought him
out and made him show whether he Of one
them is the better man. - -, -
It cannot be long till the facilities our
country, with it's thousands of miles of rivers
and almost innumerable lakes and ponds,
offers for fast rowing will be more generally
seized, and, now that we build about as good
boats as the English (for Biglin's shell was
built by Elliott of Greenpoint, while Wards
came from Jewett, of England; now that the
amateurs have defined, however justly, who
belongs to their number; now that we have
had more than one visit from the pick Of th9