opponents, who were only college crews. In that year, in conse. quence of the Chester ship being some dozen feet shorter than the iron keeled craft of Exeter and Lady Margaret, a question arose as to how the boats should be adjudicated past the post. The boats started by s¢evns, therefore Chester would be giving several fect start if adjudged at the finish by bows, So the stewards ordered the races to be decided by sterns past the post. This edict re- mained in force, but unknown to the majority of competitors, till after 1864. In that year tle winner of the Diamonds reached the post several lengths before his opponent, but stopped opposite to it ina stiff head wind. The loser came up behind him leisurely, chatted, and shoved the winner past the post by rowlocks locking. Presently it transpired that the official fiat was ‘won by a foot,! and that the judge did not consider the race over until the winner's stern was clear of the line! This discovery caused same inquiry, and the half-forgotten edict of 1857 was thus repealed ; and races have since then been adjudged again hy bows. Among other reminiscences, we can recall the old starting ‘rypecks, with bungs and cords attached ; these bungs had to be held by competitors till the signal to start; the ropes often fouled rudder lines, and were awkward to deal with. In 1862 the system of Starting with sterns held from moored punts, now in vogue, was first adopted.
Such are some of the recollections which evolve themselves at this date, when we are on the eve of a new era and a new course. The old ‘time’ records, which have been gradually improving and which, to our knowledge, are recorded in the most random manner in the local calendar, will now have to stand or fall by themselves. A new course, with less slack water in it, will hardly bear close comparison with an old one as to time. The old sore- ness of fluky winds, and ‘might have beens, laid to the discredit of much-abused Poplar Point, must now find no longer scope. Luck in station there still will be, inevitably, when wind blows off shore ; but there now will be no bays to coast, and no Berks corner to cut. The glories of Henley bridge have been on the wane for some years past; we can remember when enterprising rustics ranked their muck carts speculatively along the north side of the bridge ; but fashion and the innovation of large moored craft have lost the bridge much of its old popularity. Besides, the newly planted aspens along the towpath, which were given to replace the old time-honoured ‘poplars, shut off the view of the reach from the
bridge. It is no longer possible, telescopically, ta time opponents ¥
