The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-12

| l84S only to change once more, when the
Ladies' Plato qualification was altered. in
| 1857 From 1857 the qualitica lions for all
tho loading prizes of the regatta have been
| SUBSTANTIALLY unchanged. There had
been open SOULS prior to that but the
actual Diamonds" were founded in that
year In 1851 there was real watermen' 8
race for ESQ in various purses for fours--
first, second, and third. This was tho
soil airy occasion Of the introduction OF pro-
fessiOnal rowing other than scratch racing
| for the umpire's crew into the royal re-
gatta; in all other years il has been ANA
teur, But in those other years there used
to be scratch half course race between
two watermen's fours drawn from the crew
of the watermen who carried the umpire,
and this continued until the watermen's
crew gave way to steam launches.
"The Thames cup was founded In 1867
at first MS sort Of junior race for eighfs,
r WIS altered to is present status (of
race opsn TO all Fights not entered for the
Grand Challenge cup) in 1860. The Wyfold
cup, which has been since 1895 in pe sition
analogous to the Thame cup, e., for four
onrs not competing for the first elf ss four
oar cup, known as the Stewards cup,
began life in ISa7 20 challenge cup for
the eight OF tho year which YVES best of
the challengers' for the G. c. G., Thus, a
chalc niger might SECURE both Grand and
Wyfcld, but the next year must abandon
the Wyfold and defend the Grand only.
This WIS qualification 30 anomalous that
II il s,rll wonder the stewards soon cnst
about for now ideas, and in due cours'
obtained the donors leave to amend the
qualification and 10 make it a four-oar cup.
In 1899 there WAS presentation prize for
four oars without ooxswains, as IN expert
ment-for coxswainless fouTs were lust
then corning into favor everywhere.
ut was not until 1879 that coxswains
were officially dispensed with for the Stew
ards fours The Visitors and Wyfold re-
tanned pilots for a year longer. In 1879
n Public Schools cup for fours WIS es.ab-
lisheG, but it was short lived and was soon
passed on to NARROW regatta, and the Town
cup promptly followed it, to ease the pro-
gramme. CoSswHins used to hey catoh-
weights until 1899, when rul's were passad
for weighing all crews officially, giving
them coIswcins Of seven stonr minimum
in an ascending scale, according to the
average avoirdupois of the crews which
they a 9cred This was n great boon to
the universities, fer previously matropoli-
tan end provincial clubs had been free to
carry feGtherN eight boys, while the uni
vcrsti could Use only mon as pilots.
The lptcst challenge priz at the regatta 10
the Nj kalJs cup for poirs, founded in 1898
Ivy tho father cf the two celebrated ex-
chnmpic rs. Il Ia retrospective, like the
DIANE nd SOULS cnd bears tho insariDion
Of al prior winners OF the silver goblets."
Thus the regatta grew in wisdom and
popularity, each decade producing come
new experience which led to improved
regulations tc keep pace with the times.
he greatest change Of all took place in
$50, when the course was altered to its
present location, getting rid OF the old
Popla Point bend and at last giving
practically straight reach for racing, but
retaining to an inch the old length of course.
This was accompanied by definite stalk
ing out OF the entire course. The effect
of this was to minimize the Bucks shelter