SCULLERS RACE BETWEEN THE ENGLISH AND AMERICAN CHAMIONS.

West Coast Times, Issue 310, 20 September 1866, Page 2

SCULLERS RACE BETWEEN THE ENGLISH AND AMERICAN CHAMIONS.

The antagonism of scullers of this country and those of other lands has ever been regarded with much interest in a national point of view.-- On the 16th of June, 1863, Richard Augustus Willoughby Green, the Australian, essayed his prowess over the English metropolitan aquatic course againsf Robert Chambers, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, and was defeated, and the latter in his turn succumbed to Henry Kelley last year, who consequently' became Champion of the Thames. At the close of last season & new candidate, one from the far west, was put in nomination to dispute the aquatic superiority with Kelley, in the person of James Haramill, of Pitsburgh, Pennsylvania, Champion of America, and after some correspondence two matches were agreed upon' between them, the first being fixed for July 4, from the High-level Bridge on the Tyne to Leamington Point, for L 250 a-side, and the second for the following day, half the course out, with a turu, for the same amount of money. The first of these was duly contested on the day named, but a more hollow affair it would be difficult to conceive. So strongly had the men been at variance respecting the time at which the race should come off, owing to an omission in the articles, that it was at one time thought doubtful whether there would be a race at all, but the presence of the backers and friends on the preceding evening at a meeting at the "Newcastle Daily Chronicle" ofnee, resulted iv too agreement that the flrat

second at 8.30, and at the stipulated time both were at their places. Hammill appeared to be, as represented during his recent sojourn for training purposes in the north, very strong and thickset, with great muscular power. He is sft. fan. in height, weighs 1 1 btone 2lbs., and is twenty-seven years of age. Henry Kelley is sft. 9in., weighs 10 stone 71bs., and is thirty-six years of age. Kelley had for the last few <* days trained at the Dun Cow, Dunston, under Drewitt, and rowed in a very fine boat by Jewett, of that place. Hammill trained at Mr Brown's Blenheim House, with John Hammill and James Laughlin, accompanied by a few Americans. Betting was 6to 4on Kelley. Both men looked very confident as they sat in their boats ready for the start in the presence of such a multitude as has rarely been seen at a boat-race. The (start took place tt 7.50, and Kelley immediately led by half-a«length, but so rapidly did the American ply his scull that ho became level at Davidson's mill. Kelley went away again almost immediately, and became clear at the Skinner-hum. The difference in the respective styles of rowing was very marked and peculiar. Kelley was rowing the long steady pull of thirtyeight or forty strokes per minute— highly effective hy his finished superiority of ac- " tion ; while his opponent, who used shorter sculls in board, not overlapping as Kelley'fl did, was taking short, sharp, round, and rapid strokes, to the number, it is said, at one time of nearly sixty per minute. The lasting style of the Londoner was unmistakably manifest, and although the American exerted alljhis energies the fortune of the day was againot him. At the end of the mile, Kelley was eight lengths ahead ; at the Meadows House he had increased the lead to twenty lengths, at half the way to 300 yards ; and he won by more than a quarter of a mile. Colonel "Hawkes was referee.

The second great scullers' match between Henry Kelley, of Putney, and James Hammill, of Pitsburgh, United States of America, came off on the Tyne on the morning of July 5. As stated above, the two matches were for LSOO a side or L 250 a side each race. In, the opening race the course was five miles out all with the tide, but in the second it was two miles and a-half out from the High-level Bridge, with the tide, and two miles and a-half in against it. The weather was not so propitious as on the previous day, as it was raining, and the river was slightly* " lumpy.", There was a decidedly larger number of spectators, however, aud more popular enthusiasm ; but Kelley, having beaten Chambers, the Tyneside champion, some time ago, is not very popular with the multitude. There was little or no betting ; what there was would be fully 20 to lin favor of Kelley. The time for the men to get into their boats was half -past ! eight, and at that hour the referee's steamer swuug out into the stream. But it was a few minutes after when Kelley and Hammill put off from the Mansionhouse. The men got well away at seventeen minutes to nine o'clock ; Kelley led. But for the first quarter of a mile the race was a good one. Hammill kept well up to his man, and at one time was half a boat's length ahead. But at the end of that distance he was evidently " pumped." Kelley took hia | water before they reached the Shot Tower. ( At the Redburgh Ferry landing he was three clear boats' lengths ahead. At the end of a mile Kelley was six boats' lengths, and it is but fair to state that he,, pulled with all his speed. At the Queen's -Meadows, Hammill, by a series of spirts, crept up again; but on reaching Sir William Armstrong's works he collapsed* and^ Kelley had the race in his own hands. Two miles away from home, Kelley was 600 yards ahead. At that time Hammill was pulling forty-three strokes a minute,. Kelley thirty-two. At the turn Kelley was two minutes in advance of the Amprican, who was then steering very wild, and as soon as he got half .way round the . turn, and saw how far the English boatman was ahead of him, the strength seemed to, go out of him, and he virtually gave up i the race. 'He paddled a little 'further down the return course, and then made in towards the shore, and landed at the Queen's Meadows, and was taken to the Countess of Coventry Inn, Kelley having beaten him at thej point where he stopped by fully a quarter of a mile. Kelly, however, pujled the .race out and landed at the Mansion-house. These matches had been made by the sporting men of New York, -they choosing the best man in their country to compete with our . champion oarsman. Hammill and his backers candidly admit that they have been thoroughly * " licked," and at the s_ame time they- acknowledge that a good course had been kept for their man, and that ever facility had been put in their way by the English oarsmen of having the two intercolonial matches fairly and honestly rowed out. Kelley, on the dayof the race, weighed lOst 71b. He rowed in a new skiff, built of cedar, wood, by Mr R. Jewett, of Dunston. Her dimensions are— Length, 32" feet 6 inches ; width amidships, 1 1 f inches ; depth in centre,s£ inches ; depth at stem, 3J inches ; depth aft, 2£ inches; and weight, 34^lb. Hammill weighed list 21bs on the day of the race. His skiff was a new one, built by Harry Clasper, measuring 30 feet 2 inches long, and 12 inches wide ; her depth being 4£ inches forward, 3£ inches aft, and B^' inches amidships ; her" weight being 33£lb. Lieu.-Colonel Hawkes acted as referee in this race ; Mr Charles Bush was umpire, for Kelley, and Harry Clasper for Hammill.

With reference to the approaching Session of tho .provincial Council, the " Lyttelton. Time*?' of the 17th, says : — " A notice has appeared in the " Grazetle" calling the Provincial Council together for the sth October. It is thought by some that the session- will not be a long one, and that the business wtil be confined chiefly to the discussion of ' -ways and means.' As, however, this is the first session of a new and enlarged Council, which includes an unusual number of new members, it is not improbable that many matters of interest, at present unthought of, may crop up, and the field of discussion thus become con- < siderably widened. Matters of interest connected with the various public works, with the system of immigration as at present conducted, with the- rights of the pastoral community, arid with the general economy of the Government, are sure to arise, iv addition to the various wants of Westland, and it will be difficult, even if it is desirable, to put off the discussion of such as these." - ■ Tho " Lyttelton Times " oC the 17th, has the following under the head of latest telegraphic intelligence:—"e :—":—": — " The other Say, we were able to inform our readers respecting the rapid despatch with which the Hon. John Hall , transmitted telegrams from Wellington to the Bluff and other stations south. We have now to record a still greater triumph in telegraphy! Yesterday, at 11 a.m., a telegram foi> Nelson wan presented at the LytteUw Statio^ irs

duly transmitted by the officer in charge to Christchurch^ On_cflsjteiry at 5-10 p.m., the message had failedTo leave the Cliristohuvch office for its destination. This feat in modern science boats all previous efforts." With reference to the Southland diggings, the "Daily Nowb," of the 6th instant, says : — " Our advices from the Pailri diggings are to^he effect that the population is in a somewhat unsettled state. Several parties are out prospecting, and on the result of their search the future of the place will in a great measure depend, as the beach claims are getting rapidly worked out." The "Southland News" of the sth instant records the total destruction by fire of Mr John Bullock's saw mills, on Stewart's Island. We quote the following :— " Mr Joseph Builock arrived at Campbelltown on Sunday from Stewart's Island, and reported the total destruction of Bullock's well-known saw mills. It appears that about twelve o'clock on-Thurs-day night, the 30th ult., a man named Smith, employed at the mills, discovered the premises on fire, and.immediately gave the alarm to Mr Joseph. Bullock, who, on reaching the buildings, discovered them fully enveloped in flames. Every precaution was taken and exertion made to save the premises, but the fire had obtained too great a hold on the inflammable buildings and contents, and in a few minutes everything was consumed — the only things saved being a few trivial tools and two saws. Mr Bullock is unable to state whether his brother (Mr John Bullock, the owner, who is in Dunedin) ia insured or not. Should he not be so, his loss will be very conside- ' rable."