ROWING.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1437, 11 May 1912, Page 12

ROWING.

[Bi "MrnooßT."] CRUSH OF OLYMPIC INTERESTS. To-day.—Riplc-y v. Thoroughgood, at Nowcastlo. Australian Chanvpion InterState Eights, nt Perth, W.A. July 18 and 19—Rowing Events, Fifth Olympiad, at Stockholm. , July 23.—Arnst v. Barry, World's Sculling Championship, on tho Thames. Those Expenses—Barry In n Naw Light. Following on advice of tho arrival of "Dick" Arnst on tho Thames comes a cable message to the effect that Barry will not sign articles to row unless £700 expenses (viz.. A'soo for Arnst end JE2OO for himself) aro forthcoming. This expressed decision may be to foTco sportsmen—friends mid opponents alike— to awaken to tho fact that "no money means no rac?." This is quite a different characteristic to what we have previously read and heard of tho Englishman. Barry would not como to Sydney with a guaranteed gate of j>soo, and now Arnst finds himself at considerable cost in England to grasp wh.it might after all prove a, shadow. With confiding condescension the champion, as others have done, has hawked tho title to tho country of his ..would-bo conqueror, only (o hml that there is a serious hitch. In this part of the world there u no instance where & challenger could not, or did not. have the money ready to complete his part of the agreement. It is a peculiar situation, and Arnst has at present all the worst of it, because Barry, oe an individual, cannot lose, while Arnst is faced with heavy responsibility, due to hie undoubtedly rash acceptance of something that appeared ever eo glittering when for away. The cables of the next lew dayo, or weeks, should he most interesting, and all will hope that Barry will get hie money, and Arnst hie race. There is, however nothing quite euro about it. Those hitches will occur; possibly they make the preliminaries more interesting. Australian! at HenJoy—lnternational Rowing Prior to the departure of tho Australasian representatives for Stockholm, a strong wish was manifested that the crew should compete at tho Royal Henley Regatta during tho first week in July, and there meet tho elect of the leading amateur rowing clubs of England nhd the Continent, but apparently there were conditions governing the regatta which could.not be complied with. The proposal was dropped, and, instead, a strong endeavour was made to match the Australians against a crew from tho Leandcr Club, the leading rowing club at Home. Sir George Reid's Letter an the Subject. This also hoa proved futile, notwithstanding the efforts of the Agent-General, Sir George Roid, who writes as follows:— •"Commonwealth Offices, "Westminster, "London, S.W., March 8. "Sir,—l am directed by tho official secretary to confirm a cablegram sent to yoii on March 7 ■in the following terms :— " 'English Bowing Association cannot arrange match. . Perhaps it would be as well for mo to explain the position in detail. I noticed in ci Sydney paper which came to hand this mail, that it was anticipated the challenge sent through the High Commissioner would be delivered to the Amateur Bowing Association in the hrst place, and riot to an individual club. I did not approach tho Amateur Rowing Association, because I had' private information to the effect that that body was not empowered to act in such a matter, and therefore tho Lcander Club was challenged as .being the most suitable crew in the circumstances: The Lcander Club decision, and the reason for arriving. at it, have already, been.. ctoMiininicated to you. In your further cablegram' of February ID you particularly instructed that the challenge. should be. referred to tho Amateur Rowing Association for an earlier date than that suggested in , your previous cablegram. I know, then, it would be of littlo use approaching the association, unless save to comply directly with the instructions you forwarded.' So before doing this various private attempts were mado to see if the leading clubs could, come 'to Borne arrangement. However, these efforts were not successful, eo I then wrote to the hon. secretary of the Rowing Association in tho following terms: — " 'I have been requested by the NewSouth Wales Rowing Association to ask you whether it would bo possible to arrange an eight-oar raco on the Thames over a three-miles courso in July or August. I may explain that a representative eight-oar crew is bein? sent abroad primarily to compete in the Olympic Games at Stockholm, and it is particularly desired that whilo abroad they may have the opportunity of competing against an English crew on the Thames. I communicated with tho Lcander Club Borne little time back, but for various reasons that club was unable to entertain the proposition. I notified the N.S.W. Rowing Association of this by cable, and have received a cablegram in reply asking thr-J, your association should be approached. I had a personal conversation with your president this morning, and put the case before him, arid doubtless ho will have conferred with you on the subject br tho time you get this letter. I should be glad to heir your decision on tho matter. "This morning, Starch 7, a reply has been" received as follows: — "'I am iu receipt of your letter of March 5, inquiring on behalf of the New South Wales Rowing Association as to the possibility of arranging an eight-oar-ed race with an English crow over a three-miles*course on the Thames in cither July or August. It is with much regret that 1 must inform you that it is impossible for my committee to arrange euch a match, as the matter does not come within the province of the A.R.A. This association is a purely legislative body. It lays down rules for the guidance and protection of amateur oarsmen, and the advancement of- amateur rowing, but it takes no part in the formation or selection of any crew. '"Mr. C. M. Pitman has riven you the I reasons which prevented the Leander Club from accepting the challenge of the New South Wales R.A., and I am afraid that those reasons will apply equally (o, every first crew. '"In the ordinary courso of events, Honley Regatta is tho culminating point of our rowing year, and our best oarsmen havo by that timo boon in more or less continuous training for many months, so that it is essential for them to havo a prolonged rest. This year tho Olympic. Games of Stockholm, at which we hope to he represented, will make a still further demand upon the endurance of our men. Under these circumstances, I feel sure that you will agree that it woulTl be impossible to get together an English crow worthy of competing with the New South Wales Rowing Association.' "I do not Kβ that more can be done in tho matter bv this office, as both the Amateur Rowing Association and tho leadin? club have declined to carry tho matter further. "So far as Henley is concerned, even if the clew arrived in time to get into complete training, the conditions governing rowing at Henley would, I fear, prevent them competing.—Youra faithfully, Gordon Inglis." Frer.i theabovoitwilltoseenthat there is very little chance of cur representatives meeting an English crew on the Thames. However, latest advices are that ! England will bo strongly represented nt Stockholm, where our men wiH havo the chance of measuring blades with a crew Australia has long desired to meet. Tho reason of the non-acceptance of ft challenge by the Leandcr Club, as mentioned by Sir. C. M. Pitman, is due to certain conditions having to be arranged and complied with. The late date of the challenge did not permit of time for j the=e conditions being considered. Tho above is to be regretted, but possibly some way may be -found out of tho difficulty after tho arrival of the Australians. I