The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-07
HENLEY COURSE AN ARCADIA
River Filled With House Boats and
Lined With Beautiful Parks.

Copyrighted, 1896, by Associated Press1
Henley On-Thames, July 6.-The an
nual rowing regatta at Henley-on-
Thames may be likened to the yearly
race meeting at Epson where the derby
stakes are run for and the grand chal-
Iege cup, for which a Cornell crew
competed unsuccessfulIy in 1895 and
Yale is competing this year may be
compared with the blue ribbon of the
turf as being the trophy of all, in it's
class, which oarsmen are proud to take
part in winning.
The regatta was established in 1889.
when the present series of aquatic COM
bats were inaugurated and the grand
challenge sup, purchased by public sub
scription, was first raced for and won
by a crew from Trinity college, Cam
bridge.
The blue ribbon of the river, allow
ing the grand challenge cup to be so
called, is a handsome silver vase of
Etruscan shape, eleven inches high,
thirteen inches in diameter and weigh
ing about three hundred ounces. The
cup proper rests upon a stem of bull
rushes surrounded by richly chased
representations of waves and the body
of the cup is decorated with water lilies
and other aquatic plants.
Upon the diverse side of the grand
challenge cup is a reclining figure of Old
Father Thames, holding in his hand an
urn from which is issuing water, indi-
eating the source of the river.
The reverse side of the trophy is a
shield bearing the inscription: Hen
ley Regatta, Grand Challenge Cup.
1899"
Finally, the handles are bullrushes,
merging into border of rushes and lily
leaves and around the body of the cup
are inscribed the names of the crews
who have been it's temporary possess
ors.
This year the Henley regatta stew
ards have added to the beauty and val
ue of the grand challenge cup by plac-
ing it on base of silver and ebony.
The new base alone cost $1,000.
The entrance fee for the Grand" as
the cup is generally termed, is six
guineas (about S31.50), and, upon re-
ceiving the prize, the captain and the
successful crew individually and col
lectively engage to return it to the
stewards on or before June 1 of the
following year.
The regatta at Henley lasts three
days begins each day at noon and lasts
until or .. m, and not infrequently
ten races are rOWed in a day.
The rules of the regatta are very
stringent. Under them, no person is
considered an amateur who has at anv
time rowed or steered in any race for
q stake or entrance fee, who has ever
rowed or steered against professional
for any prize, who has taught athletics
of any kind for profit, who has ever
been employed on or about boats for
money or who has ever been a. me-
chanic, artisan or laborer, or engaged
in any mental labor.
Every competitor at Henley must
wear complete clothing from the
shoulders to the knees, including a
sleeved jersey.
The Cornell men, in practice. ap-
peared in the usual American sleeve
less jersey, merely a strip over the
shoulders and very wide armholes.
This caused an cutlery, and all sorts
of dfsagreeabIe paragraphs appeared
IN the newspapers.
On the other hand, the young men
from Yale, from their first appearance
on the Thames, have appeared in the