We have seen Kelley scull on a sliding seat. He was fat and short of wind, and never attempted to make a study of the leg- work of sliding; but, being simply an amateur at it, his style was a model for all our young school to copy. Like all old fixed-seat oarsmen who have attained merit ‘in the old school, he stuck to his traditional body swing, and added the slide to it, as it were instinctively. There could hardly be a greater con- trast of action than to see scullers like Boyd or Blackman kicking backwards and forwards, with piston action and helpless bodies doubled up at the finish, and to observe, paddling within sight of these, old stagers like Biffen and Kelley in a double-sculling hoat fitted with slides. Tt was easy to see that until the new generation of British professionals could be taught first prin- ciples of rowing on a fixed seat, there was small chance of their ever acquiring the proper use of the slide as exemplified by Hanan. 3
To return to Ganlan’s performances. The Championship of the ‘World’ still rested in Trickett, who had further main- tained his title (since he had beaten Sadler), by defeating Rush on the Paramatta, Sydney, on June 30,1877. Rush had once been the Australian champion ; Trickett had beaten him before tackling Sadler, and this was a new attempt by Rush to regain his lost honours. ‘Technically, Trickett could have claimed to defend his title in his own country ; but plenty of moncy was forthcoming to recoup him for expenses of travel, and he assented to meet Hanlan on the Thames for the nominal trophy of the ‘Sportsman’ Challenge Cup, but really for the wider honour of champion of the world. ‘Phe match came off on November 16, 1880, and Trickett was defeated with even greater ease than Elliott on the Tyne.
Just about this date a sculling regatta, open to the world, was organised on the Thames, It was got up purely for com: mercial purposes by a company called the ‘Hop Bitters,’ who required to advertise their wares. Nevertheless, it produced good sport. Hanlan did not compete in it. Tr came off only two days after his match with ‘Trickett, Our British scullers took part in it,
