THE AQUATIC CHAMPIONSHIP OF ENGLAND.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1252, 23 March 1878, Page 3

THE AQUATIC CHAMPIONSHIP OF ENGLAND.

Higgins v. Boyd on thb Tyne. THE RACE. A few minuteß before ten o'clock the cutter which was to Bhow Boyd up the river put in an appearanoe. It had a crew of ten, Wrightson Forster officiating as stroke, and John Bright being located in the bow to give instructions to the Gateshead sculler as to the course he should pursue. Higgins's cutter, a seven-oared one, was next in the field, that trusty pilot, George Drewitt, being again entrusted with the direction of the Shadwell man. Precisely at ten Boyd pushed off in his craft, the Fanny Day, from his boat house at Gateshead, and rowed smartly up to the official steamer. He then indulged in several short bursts with the view of getting accustomed to the condition of the water, and he succeeded in pulling his skiff along well, and in feathering high enough to avoid the waves. Ten minutes later Higgins embarked in his new craft, the Beadman, and he, too, had one or two smart spurts, His performance in these little preliminary spins was not of the most encouraging nature. Although he bent well forward, and got a magnificent grip of the water, in recovering he did not miss the waves, which caught the blade of his sculls repeatedly. Two boats had been moored immediately beneath the High Level bridge at a distance of twenty-five yards from each other as the starting stations, and, of course, Higgins affected that nearest the Newcastle, or northern shore. At a quarter past ten o'clock matters seemed to have got in fair trim for a start. Shortly, however, difficulties began to arise. The umpire's boat had long been punted about in a most unceremonious fashion by a huge steamer heavily laden with spectators, which seemed to possess an unfortunate capacity for getting into the way of everything. This intruder, however, sheered off at length, and then it became apparent that Higgins's stake boat had got loose from its moorings, and was being driven down stream by the wind. Indeed, in a minute or two it had fallen quite a couple of yards to the rear of Boyd's station, and a readjustment of matters became necessary. The genius in charge of the craft, however, was exceedingly nervous, and his frantic endeavours to remedy the evil, whilst producing little effect, wasted much time. At length at 10.17 Higgins "peeled," amidst a burst of cheering from the spectators, and his example was inline-

diately copied by Boyd. Both men when stripped looked remarkably well, but the splendidly muscular condition,of Higgins was very apparent. Boyd, probably remembering the advantages he gained at the start in the two previous Championship matches with Higgins, seemed very anxious to get away, and barely had his opponent grasped his sculls after depositing his jersey in the stake, boat than the Gateshead representative broke away. Higgins made no attempt to follow, and Boyd slowly backed to his former position; The ill-fated craft from which Higgifas should have started, however, had become completely demoralised, and was drifting aboui anyhow, and at one time it was feared another long delay would be rendered necessary. Boyd was particularly careful not tO come back too far; and as he hesitated to grpt on perfectly, even jtermß with his opponent, Higgins shouted to mm to back a' ill fiirther. Boyd partly responded, and Higgins's boat having drifted slightly forward the two skiffs became perfectly abreast. This moment was happily seized upon by the pair for the commencement of hostilities, and catching the water almost simultaneously with a firm ctip, they broke away to an excellent start. For a few yards they rowed abreast, each striking at the rate Of about iO to the minute} arid then Higgins made a few inches to the good, amidst the shouts of the metropolitan contingent that their favourite waß bent on leading all the way. This boast seemed to have caught the ear of Bovd, and to have incited him to a desperate squirt. When nearly opposite the Mansion Houbo Quay he quickened up to 44, and at once forged slightly ahead. At Davison's Mill he had secured three-quarters of a length's advantage, and he kept up his rapid execution. The styles exhibited by the men now presented a wonderful contrast Boyd was striking heavily and recovering roughly, taking care, however, to feather 1 high enough to carry him clear of the BOiriewhat rough water which he had necessarily to 1 traverse on account of his having the outer position, Higgins was rattling along as close inshore as he could conveniently get, and his sculling was as perfect as could be desired. His boat travelled evenly, and as the Water over 1 which he pursued his way Was pretty smooth there was an absence of that splashing Which he had shown In Bis Short ti'iol spins at the starting point. It shortly became evident that Boyd was determined to get into Higgins'sjwater, for he continued his : desperate spurts, struggling apparently with his utmoßt might to increase the lead he had obtained. Higgins answered him once or twice, and frustrated his object, but the Gateshead man was not to be foiled, for he bored in towards the bank, and kept up his strenuous efforts. At Davison's Mill, having three-quarters of a length in hand, he \Vent for his opponent's water, and there was imminent danger of a foul. No touch, however, occurred, and Boyd once more put on a frantic spurt, and contrived to put an inch or so of daylight between the stern of his boat and the bow of the Beadman. Ignoring the fact that to rush into his opponent's course at ,the time was courting a foul to a dead certainty, he drove his skiff right in front of Higgins, and treated the Shadwellite to his back-wash. This caused the Thames representative to slightly lose ground, and Boyd at length got a clear half length's lead. Higgins now spurted, and once more the boats were in perilously close company. Boyd responded with all his might, and so effectually that at Skinner's Burn, about two and a half furlongs from the start, he had a clear length's lead. As Boyd persistently stuck in front of the southern representative, and a determined and successful spurt on the part of Higgins could result in nothing but a foul, affairs wore a very ominous aspect indeed, Higgins tried one or two sharp bursts, and drew up somewhat. Approaching the foot of Grindstone Quay he pulled up bo close that a foul seemed absolutely inevitable, but Boyd here gave way slightly, and once more no touch could be recorded. At this time Higgins was striking about 38 to his opponent's 40. The men were now rapidly approaching that imposing structure, the Redheugh Bridge, which was covered with a dense mass of spectators, who betrayed the greatest excitement on beholding the peculiar condition of matters. Boyd was, as he had been doing for tome distance, still boring the Thames sculler into the bank, and it became patent to everybody that a catastrophe could not possibly be averted if the Gateshead man persisted in his unworthy tactics. The long-expected accident came at last. Higgins very properly put on speed with the object of getting out of the backwash of his antagonist, and his boat's stem struck Boyd's craft nearly amidships. Both men at once ceased rowing, and the spectators, both on the umpired boat, the shore, and the bridge, shouted and roared in the excitement of the moment. Higgins alleges that Boyd seized his boat and crushed her so that she was seriously damaged, and began to fill with water at once. The Thames man shouted out to his opponent, and as Bovd attempted to pull away seized the Fanny Day by the stem and held on to her with a tight grip. Boyd tugged at his sculls furiously, and actually towed Higgins's skiff right through the Red-heugh-bridge. He then gave a desperate wrench, and suceeded in getting free, at once going away at his top speed. The Shadwell sculler's craft was now completely waterlogged, and she seemed on the eve of sinking at any moment. Mr Bush and scores of others cried out to some men who were in the neighbourhood in their boats, to hasten to Higgins's rescue, as he was totally unable to swim, and the damaged skiff was soon surrounded by craft and upheld by their occupants. At the time of the disaster the distance accomplished by the men was exactly half a mile, the time from the start being precisely four minutes. A delay of seven minutes ensued, and another skiff having been proenred Higgins embarked in her, and rowed leisurely up river. Meanwhile Boyd had gone on, and the vast crowds assembled along the river banks though they cheered him vociferously, were evidently amazed that he was completely unattended. When passing the Dunn-street Gangway the Gateshead man was hailed by the spectators with shouts of "What's got Higgins" to which he replied, '' He's sunk." The commotion caused by this announcement can only be faintly imagined, and people tore about in an almost delirious style. It was whilßt thiß intense excitement was at its height, that Higgins, closely followed by two cutters and the steamers, hove in sight, and as he passed along he was greeted with shouts of derision and epithets the very reverse of complimentary. Fortunately the vituperations of the multitude wore so numerous that they became blended in one hoarse roar, and a good deal of language of a sanguinary cast was thereby lost to the public ear. Higgins, Bculling very easily, and in a finished style, went steadily ahead, and passed beneath the Dunn street gangway. On observing him do this excitement again prevailed on the umpire's boat, as it was imagined that he would be disqualified on account of not keeping to the specified course. The King's Meadows were occupied by thousands of people, who were exceptionally virulent in their abuse of the unfortunate Thames representative as he passed. By far the greater number of spectators, however, had congregated in the meadows in the vicinity of Swaddle and Whiship's boathouße. They took matters very coolly, evidently suspecting that something serious was amiss. Boyd was Bitting in his skiff beneath Scotswood Suspension bridge, and on the umpire's steamer bringing up just below that erection, he rowed up to her bows, and shouted out that he claimed the race on the ground that he had finished first, and that Higgins had not completed the distance in the boat in which he started. It was now noticed that his righthand scull had a broken blade, but no information was vouchsafed as to how that damage had been occasioned. Higgins next pulled up to the steamer and said, " Mr Ireland, he put his hand over the boat's nose, and I said j You are pinching a hole into her, you coward; let me go.' He then scratched me all along the boat."

Mr Ireland elected to reserve his decision until he had reached the " Newcastle Chronicle " office, and the boat then returned down stream. So far satisfied were some of the spectators as to the verdict which would be pronounced, that they at once commenced settling operations for slight considerations. An enormous crowd had gathered in front of the "Chronicle " buildings, and it was with gome difficulty that the referee and those who

accompanied him could enter. On reaching an upper apartment Mr Ireland at once said, " Higgins has won on the foul." The result was quickly communicated to the throng outside; who received it with loud cheers, ming' led with groahd. Mi Christopher BarraßS entered the room in the "Chronicle." office; immediately after Mr Ireland had given his decision, and, walking up to that gentleman, acknowledged that the decision was a perfectly fair and just one, shaking hands with the referee and thanking him for officiating. The conduct of Mr Barrass was all the more honourable and gentlemanly o.n account of unworthy insinuations having been whispered by some Whose notions of fairness were peculiarly eccentric. Higgins, by his victory of Monday, retains his title of Champion of England, gains the "Newcastle Chronicle" Challenge Cup for the second time, having only to win it once more for it to become his own property, and carries off the stakes of £4OO. ~