Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-20

shrunken to size that would hardly dig
Nifty it with the name of river in America.
1t is about as wide as the Eastern branch
of the Potomac at the navy yard bridge,
and never more than three crews are en-
tered in any one contest. AS more than
that number are generally entered in every
race each event must be rowed in heats.
The first day of the regatta Is devoted to
rowing the trial heats. On the second day
are rowed the finals, and the pSizes are
presented to the winners after the last
race on the second day. The river is here
the dividing line of two counties or shires
Berks and Bucks. The stations count from
the Berks shore. Before the regatta the
captains OF the various crews meet to
draw lots for their positions.
To the American oarsman accustomed to
lake courses, or TO courses where there is
but little difference in the advantage of a
particular station, this may seem a matter
Of little importance, but the Referee, the
leading boating authority in England has
frequently complained of the fact that the
result of the race depended more upon the
drawing from the hat than upon the exer-
tons of the oarsmen. 1t is said that the
crew drawing station No. has never won
a race. AS the crews row up stream, and
there is sharp bend in the course, the
current on the outside or No. 3 course, is
so much stronger than on the inside sta
ton that 1t has been estimated to be equal
to the advantage of two boat lengths With
crews evenly matched it would be an i'm
pcs siblity for the crew rowing on the
This has been the disadvantage of the
Henley course for years. yet there are SO
many advantages of delightful surround
fngs, quiet water, nearness to London, and,
consequently, convenience to the whole is
land, that oarsmen have been content to go
to Henley every year in preference to the
fairer course at Putney, where the Metro
politan regatta is rowed a couple of weeks
later.
As Dickens Saw 1t.
Of IHrIau
terested in knowing that Dickens located
the attempted murder of Eugene Wrayburn
at Henley. and his pages graphically de-
scribe that beautiful region. The assault
occurred on the east, or Berks, side of the
river. He was rescued by Lizzie Hexam
and taken across to the Red Lion Inn, on
the west or Bucks, side, just below the
stone bridge, and here they were married.
The Henley regatta is an amateur tour
nament, and the ruling as to an amateur
oarsman is much more strict than in this
country. The English definition of an
amateur requires that an oarsman shall
never have worked as an artisan for sup
port, even for day; ne must never have
been employed in the construction of boa IS;
he must never have been an instructor in
boating or athletic sports of any character,
and he must never have competed with
professional oarsmen. The requirement re-
garding foreign entries is strict. Applica-
lions for admission must be filed by for
eign crews three months in advance of the
date required for entries of English crews.
This Is to give the regatta committee time
to verify the affidavits made by those de-
string to enter that they are in true anna
teur standing. The rule was adopted in
1875 when it was learned that one Of the
speedy Show iecaemette four from this
country, who had entered the Henley, had
worked for living. The Englishmen were
determined that such slip should not be
repeated.
OF course. the gatherings at Henley are
similar to those at the college games and
athletic sports in this country-hosts of
pretty girls in gay attire. sporting their
favorite's colors, as many athletic young
men. equally loyal. But there Is one mark
ed feature absent from similar American