The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-08-01
LOCAL MATTERS.

THE REGATTA YESTERDAY EvEN1sG-THE
OR1oLE VrCroRIous.-The boat-race on the
canal Yesterday evening WIS q successful
affair, and afforded amusement to hundreds
of spectators who lined the tow-path
and hills from Hollywood to the Armory
bridge. The boats were the Orio1e, Sylph,
and Couuette, built for pleasure-riding
rather than regatta service, yet they were
light enough to be propelled by the anna,
teur oarsmen with very considerable speed.
The Oriole was manned by Thomas Chris
tian, Otway Allen, and w. P. Lee. Daniel
Mendoza acted as coXswair, and the boat
carried two hundred and forty eight pounds
of extra weight. The Coquette crew con-
sisted OF Willie Habliston and Ben. Da-
shell; WiIham Miller, coxswain, and about
seventy-tive pounds extra weight. The
Sylph was manned by f. V. Samuels and
william Christian; John Price, coxswain.
The boats were started from "the lone
pine' about mile beyond Hollywood.
They were started at intervals OF thirty Sc
conds by DR.. Mcdowell Massey-the Sylph
first, Coquette second, and Oriole third.
This plan was adopted as the str cam was
too narrow at that point to admit OF the
boats being placed abreast. At Hollywood
the Sylph was still in the lead, the Coquette
close upon her, and the 'Oriole some fifty
yards behind the Sylph. The crowd on
Oregon Hill cheered Justify as the boats
came up, and this put all the boys on their
best metal and encouraged them to make
their longest and strongest strokes. Near
the spring which is on the north bank OF
the canal Just above the Tredegar the
Orio!e shot ahead OF her competitors. and
getting well in the lead kept it down
4 hr;J J,o f,prnoftp and
Sylph were pretty well together as they
passed the site OF the old lime-kiln on Gam
ble's Hill, and it was nip-and-tuck with
them to within twenty-five or thirty
YARDS OF the bridge, when the Co
queste got slightly ahead, and 20 passed un-
der the bridge. Tse Oriole made the two
msSes in ten minutes and thirty-one seconds
the Coquette in ton minutes and tifty-three
seconds, and tl6e was not more than one
second between she Sylph (Which was third
;and the Coeuctte. Thomas W. NcCT~
acted as Judge 1T the bridge.
All the crews did well, and their rtfCrtS
were viewee and appreciated by merry
friends and wel-wishers. The Treehsar
bridge was covered with men and boys an
til you cotaG not see piece of TIMBER OF
which it WAS constructed. There were
MANY ladies on CANDLES Hiil ana the
Armory bridge was densely packed lHte the
Tredegar bridge. The crowd On the tow
path rushed pell-mcll down towards the
Armorf bridge, resolved to see the ending
OF the snce, and Mt times it seemed as il
some parsons would be pushed OH Euto the
water. 49,.
1t may be truly said OF the crews OF the
Sylph and Coquette that under different
circumstances they would have dome better,
as it was they did mighty we'll But one OF
Mr.. aIabliston's oar-locks Slipped out OF
place several times and inconremenced him
not n little. On the other hand. one OF the
oaranen of the SyIph was taken quite sick
upon reaching the pump-house, and for
the remainder OF the race was not able to
pu{l with his accustomed vigGE-
Che James River and KanavTha canal was
not built, it is true. specially Tor boat
racing, but the result Of Yesterday evening
trial proves that very good tsaS OF speed
may be madeupon the bosom of ITS yellow
ish waters. '..-@. '''' ..-.
The weather is little wsrnl, but II the
oarsmen can stand it another <entest would
be appreciated by the public
/