The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-04
ROWING IN ENGLAND.
Match Between Higgins and Elliott
for the Championship.
HIGGINS THE WINNER
lie Wins f4OO and the Newcastle Cham
picn Challenge Cup.
AN INTERESTING EVENT.


The straightaway scullers' race over the Thames
champion course from Patnsy 70 MorlIake. in best
and best boats, for f200 side ana the Championship
Of England Challenge Cup, between John Higgins and
william Elliott camc or yesterday afternoon and
Was won by Higgins IN gallant style. Tho articles Of
nsreemsnt compelled the men TO be In their boats
ready 10 start one hour before high water, which
necesstated start about three o'clock The race
was rowsd according 10 such OF the Thames National
rules as were applicable, cutters being allowed to
company the race. Higgins was the favorise At tho
staxt, tho betting being to on him.
RACE.
Elliott led at the start, but when opposite the soap
works, something mile from the starting place,
Higgins went 10 the 'front.' and keeping there won,
with the greatest case by Pm la about nve hun.
drsd yards distance. The tins OF the was Gam.
BsG
John Higgins, Of Shadwell, was born on the I'd Of
May, 1874. and upon reaching mans he indus-
triousy followed the arduous trade of coal whipper
This avocation makes the dom upon
the muscular force OF those engaged In IT,
Higgins owes much OF the power he shows In rowing
to tho severe training he has undergone tho pursuit
OF bis daily toll Until he thirty years Of ago Hig
gins had thought or devoting himself pursuit
Of professional scuiling, bat form incidentally
SHOWN IN semi-iriendy competitions IN the vicinity OF
Shadwell gave inklng Of his capabilities, and he
was matched with r. W. Burwood third class Thames
scuIler. Tho match October 90 1874 and
Higgins won easily aslonish even those
friends who had most highly rated bis abilities Mr..
Charles Bush, who was always tina look out
for rising talent, advised that q rough gem
was hidden IN the smoky regions OF Shadwoli. and
very shortly after Htggins'.racc with Burwooc the
rising scullsr joined tho team enjoying Mr.. Bush's
patronage. In tho summer OF 1875 several attempts
were made to pro matches for him. and at length
Two engagements In which ne was In terested wsro.
concluded. Tho nrst OF these matches found him
with A. Strong Of Barrow p urness, for an an-
tagonst. and October 10. 1876, Ire mado terrible
example OF the unlucky Barrow scuilsr. who. to
well worn sporting phrase, was never 'in Il" with
him fortnight atterward Higgins took his second
benefit, as Con Brian, of shadwell, who then con-
tended against HIM, devoid OF the smallest pre-.
tensions 10 rang as sculer OF class, and Mr..
bush's representative simply played with him from
the frat. 10 notice Higgns' later performances
would be simply 10 narrats his an gonsm to Boyd
and only couple Of his efforts remain to be noticed
After defeating Boyd in Juno, 1870, Higgins was
anxious 10 row sadler tor the championship but tho
shrswd Joseph preferred t&ke on with Tr,cksst of
Australia, who at the unlucky moment pus In an an
vas compelled 10 stand outside the champs
However, although, when muen above himself In
condition. he Knocked under 10 Blackman at the In
ternhsional Regatta In November, 1876, he showed
wlat sterling good sculler he is by fairly hunting
but viii &c has ha crsa %
ances OF tue race were such to place the justice
u the decision past reasonable doub. higgins IL
ave foet seven inches IN height and hs weighs about
William Elliott, who Is a pi,man and halls from
Psgswood, near Newcastle, was born In November
stands i've feet seven and nall incnes high weiPhed
recently los pounds, and 10 very powerful. we'll
developed man. mis- chest measurement being about
iortyons inchss One OF his earliest successes was
debating George Martin in q two AGO In skins
hs match Win winism Robson, ofNewcase he sun ~
Tered deieat George Furiess, Of South Shields was
his next opponent IN an open boat race. ESQ., from
tho Mansion House TO tho Meadows House. on the
Tyne, ana Elliott won easily Iu the Leeds Regatta
1875, Elliott had start VI Of r. W. Boyd
prize, defeating tho Gaaeshsad scuIler Who VAS at
scratch, much 10 general surprise, the nnal heat;
OF tho FEELING Shore. Two miles the Tyne, on May
., 1870 for ESQ., ana was defeated, Finnean on whom
on Marcn l6, 1871 ne rowed against Alex Hossrrn
Vhc Champion OF the Wsar) two miles aud u quarter
gu tho Tyne tue boats Tor ESQ., ana with comparative
defeated him by four lengths IN the same montn
he competed unsuccossiully Tor the Champion ship
Challenge Cup on the Tyne, beng beaten in tho nrst
this event Ne was taken charge OF By Mr..
James Taylor. Of the Trafalgar Inn, New
the North, and under his able Elliott proved
Sapidly-so much SO that his friends matched him
side. 10 row IRON me High Level Bridge to scots
wood Suspension Bridge. the Tyne, Elliott did
rot aisappont those tnat had formed high opinion
bis capabilities, winning aftcr splendid race. Alter
this lac rowcd aud defeated Robert BagnaI, OF tho
ouseourn, over the Tyne Champion Course Tor floo
aide, ON January Id, 1878, aud then his krvag
match With William Nicholson, OF Stockton -on- \
Tees Tor f20o side, 10 decide which the two was
With WOW TO trying to bring back the Champion
ship once more 10 tho Tyne Ihis came or ON Mon
re0sh and EIoI served by his great strength. won.
ana by no less than 900 yards. Imu ediatey aftcr,
~ss war .a match .n was ,a,nsa wa Bssns for Goo
June .; also the one with Jhomas, for flUU n
sdc over the Thames championship course. Tor which
Elliott was trained by james Taylor, who, with j. X.
Hymcs, accompanied him IN his framing In n double
scuIhIg boat Seldom had Thames ana Tyne match
produced such hollow race as the between Elli-
md Thomas, the latter nSver bong In tho hunt
and mad Eilolt rowsd all the way out Lc could nave
won by aquarter Of o milo In style Elliott rows
more like Lumsden Than Reniorth, and lacks I'm ,sh
repeatedly dipping his LETT scul deep ana ne sol.
mcnse strength and can pull boat along ut trcmcn.
sous pace.
raE AQUATIC CHAMPIONSHIP
With regard to mo aquatic cham pionship. We may
remark that tho records OF II extend period Of
nearly fortyse years, and that Is only recently
that the championship oil the Thames" has merged
ipto the championship OF England" All RECORDS
until within the last twelve years relate 10 tho nrst
sss match tho Thames IRON Westminster Co Ham
mcrsmith, between Charles Campbell and Williams In
1881. Campbell was the victor, and bc must nave
bccu good man. as he defeated Robert Coombcs he
nrss uns (Novenbor l. 1881 that this celebrated
rover ssp'red 70 champ ,ousn,p nonora Blu. coombes
cbamponship match rowsd over tho presens course,
and he heiu the ute until 1852, when no was beaten
by Tom Cole. Joseph Messenger, OF Teddinutop.
bowed over Cole ~ 1854 1887 he found bis su.
poror tu Harry Kelley. WHO defeated him oasiiy rus
latter was unuesy enough 10 meet sthe greatest
scuer Of all time." Robert Chambers, who became
champion IN 1859, and Who rowed cha pionshtp
matches thnn any other man. defeating Tom White.
George Evcrson aud X. A. W. Green tine Austra,lapi
IN rapid succession Iu 1865 Kelley more became
mampion, conquering Cnam0crs, aud IN July, 1896,
thePusney scniier won the greater title Of
The Word,"b w coming 10 The Iyne and dressing down
James hamili tine AmoricnnL IN Two days contesI
Kelley then announced his fetif sment from rowing
and Chambers Joined ISSUE with Ssdlcr IN Novcm.
Der, 1866, an Unsatisfactory race being rowed and
GhamheYn M a n Inul his hsa.a.