The Yellowstone journal., 1894-10-22
BEAUTIFUL THAMES.
n IS BY FAR THE MOST ELEGANT WA
TER PARK IN THE WORLD.

4 Pleasure Stream on Which In the sea-
son There Is Always a Crowd and Yet
Plenty of Room-The Trip From Oxford
- Richmond a Delightful Experience.
The river Thames is the most impor-
tant as it is the most beautiful water
mark in theswOrid. It Is to London and
the adjacent counties what the Charles
river should and can by the diligence
of public spirit be to Boston and the adj
jacent towns. With the hope of stirring
this public spirit and showing what the
English do with their beautiful river,
and how they manage 1t, how they pay
for it's maintenance as water park, ]
present what follows:
The Thames, counting all its turn
ings and twistings and not measuring
BY a direct line, runs something like 200
miles from its source to the sea On Its
hanks are 10 counties, including Lon
don, having . population of $500, 600
people and ratable valuation Of about
$500, 900, 900. 1t drains, with its tribu-
Aries, an area Of more than 5, 900 square
miles. Until it enters the county OF
London it is distinctly river Of pleas
uYe. From the western border OF the
county Of London to the sea, distance OF
sixty odd miles, it is q highway Of COM
merce By its aid London has become
~ greatest port in the world.
II is of the Thames as q pleasure
Stream that propose to write, but it is
veil to understand at the outset that the
river from start to finish as a water
park and as q commercial highway is
under the control of a single authority
called "the Thames conservancy.
Dor purposes Of administr alton the river
y technically divided inJo two parts
xhe upper and the lower. The upper
portion is practically W nat / have al
ready indicated as tb water park or
Dleasure section, and nth that portion
suly am now conce' ned.
One sees the upper Thames at its best
from the middle of May to the end of
September. Between those dates the
6ip down stream, say from Oxford to
Richmond, a journey of 100 miles, Is
enc of the most delightful experiences
that can come to a lover of outdoor pas
time The best way to see the stream
= to row or punt or paddle down the
liver, stopping overnight at any pleas
ant inn you may come to and making
0he journey in easy stages of about 20
miles . day. In this way you see some
0f the loveliest portions of the English
country to the best advantage and un-
der ideal conditions. This journey is a
Avorite one with thousands of people,
end the facilities for undertaking it in
comfort are abundant. In fact, the
Ghames abounds in facilities for out
Aoor pleasure. At every few miles there
0e lighthouses and inns, and almost
anywhere you can put up ON the banks
fsr days picnic. From end 10 end Of
the course, now on one side of the
stream and now on the other, there is a
towing path for the free use of the pub
lac. Wherever the path shifts from one
ade of the stream to the other there l.
ferry station.
There are some 40 locks on the
Thames. At each lock there are keepers
always on duty, and they reside i'll pret-
ty cottages on the banks. Most of the
locks are supplied with inclined roller
ways, over which small boats can be
easily taken if you prefer not to wait
tOT u lltSsfA-t Allbu-h Nli. lbih.
Many of the Thameside towns have
an annual rowing regatta, each of which
makes for its district the great fete day
Of the year The chief of these regattas
Is that at Henley, whose fame Is known
10 amateur oarsmen the world over. y
Thames fete day affords one of the most
delightful spectacles that can be imag-
ined The course j. literally covered
with small boats. The bright costumes
Of the occupants give a sprinBling Of
welcome color to the scene. The festIy-
Hy is indeed water carnival. The
houseboats, which make an important
part of the fleet, line the banks and are
decked with flowers and bunting and
st night every craft Is gayly illuminated.
On these occasions the old saying that
''the English take their pleasures sad
y" is again disproved, for jollier and
more delightful fiesta is nowhere TO be
found in Europe, Besides, no matter
how great the crowd, S,er how high the
spirits of it, the order of the day il
perfectly kept Perhaps the rough ele-
ment of the community does not care
for these water sports. Perhaps the up
per river is too far from the haunts OF
me turbulent. but whatever the cause
me fact remains that gala days on the
fhames are as notable for good manners
~ for good fun, and no matter how
hnge the throng (there may be a seem
ingly solid mile of small craft packed
across the river from bank TO bank yet
NE whole business is so well managed
that when the time comes to clear the
course for racing the way is easily made
BY the regatta authorities and the off,
GERS of the Thames conseryancy. -Bos-
ton Herald.