Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-09
GRAND CHALLENGE CUP RACE.
The Great Event in English Rowing
Circles.

| The Great Event in English Rowing
Circles.
| HENLEY, July 9.-The grand challenge
cup first competed for in 1899; the
Leander Rowing Club, composed mainly of
| eX-Oxford and Cambridge oarsmen. are the
holders of this trophy. and the Leander
Boat Club holds the record for this race,
6m. 51s., made in 1891 over the Henley
course, one mile $50 yards.
Consequently, there was an increase of
interest In this event when it was decided
by drawing lots at the Town Hall, Henley,
Saturday last, that Cornell was to meet
the Leander crew. the most prominent
oarsmen Of Great Britain, this afternoon.
Last year the race for the grand challenge
cup was rowed in I'M 22s. and as the men
from Cornell have frequently covered the
course in little over Z minutes, their ad-
mirers, in spite of the gloomy reports from
the training quarters of the crew. believed
that the winning crew would have to
break the record.
1t has been pronounced to be Impossible
to imagine a more picturesque scene than
the one furnished on the waters and banks
of "Old Father Thames between Regatta
Island, which is the starting line, and Hen
ley bridge, short distance above the fin
ish.
Henley is situated thirty-six miles from
London, about an hour of railroad train
riding. in an ideal English country district
ard on regatta days crowds of eXcusionists
banks of the Thames near Henley, in
order to witness this unique aquatic carni-
val. The competing oarsmen, of course,
were the main attraction; but their hun
dreds of admirers, male and female are
the people who make up the picturesque
crowds at Henley.
At a rough estimate, fully 10000 persons
were present at the regatta which began
today, continues tomorrow and ends on
Thursday. Every garnet rentable has been
secured days, weeks and even months
ahead of this, the opening day of the re-
gatta, and important personages connected
with Cornell University, after wandering
for hours about Henley and it's neighbor-
hood, We're unable to obtain beds until
some kind of makeshift accommodation
was provided for them at the training quar-
tiers of the Cornell crew.
Many Americans on Hand
The number of Americans present in
Great Britain is by all accounts the largest
ever recorded. Anyhow, the crowds Of
Americans at Henley during the three days
Of the regatta will utterly eclipse any
thing of the sort ever dreamed of. The
visitors from the United States took Old
Father Time by the forelock and secured
the best apartments and most comfortable
house boats 1t was possible for money to
procure, and they determined to root"
for the boys from Cornell as long as their
lungs held out. In fact, the average
American rarely knows how dearly he loves
his American country until he finds himself
in strange land and prepared to witness
struggle like the one here Besides,
''Old Glory" never looks more beautiful
than when waving defiantly among the
flags Of other nations and when the pulse
QuickeDs with the anticipation of a gallant
struggle with the best muscle of Great
Britain, the home of healthy sport
This morning every hotel, cottage prf-
vate residence, house boat, steam launch,
electric launch and rowboat of all sizes and
descriptions was occupied In some shane or
other. Both the Berkshire and the Buck
inghamshire shores of the river, popularly
known as the Berks and the Bucks, were
alive with people and the waters swarmed
with small craft taking part in this grand
aquatic picnic.
The blending Of color was really marvel
GUS. Flags of all colors. sizes and shapes
mingled with costumes of every descriD-
ton and hue Imaginable topped off with
mushroom growth of MAI y-colored para
soils and umbrellas.
River damned With Boats.
From the ancient stone bridge above the
finish to the starting line below Regatta
Island, the water near the banks of the
Thames was damned with house boats,
launches. steam yachts. college barges, row.
boats, canoes and every other sort of craft
known to aquatic humanity. crowded to
the utmost with male and female rowing
enthusiasts. and all clothed in the very
latest Of boating costumes Of rain or sun