Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 June 1879 — THE GREAT ROWING MATCH. [ARTICLE]

THE GREAT ROWING MATCH.

Haitian, of €anadfc, Easily Beats Elliott, the English Champion, and makes the Best Time on llecord. New York, Jane IS. A dispatch from Newcastle-on-Tyne thus describes the race to-day: At ten minutes past twelve the men got to their station. Elliott, who looked confident and cheerful, called out to several of hid friends on the umpire’s boat: “ I will take threo to one that I lead all the way." No response was made to the champion’s offer. A few bets at six to four wore made, however, on the umpire’s boat. Hanlan came through High Level bridge, haviDg embarked on the south side. He lifted his cap to his friends on the cutter. Meanwhile the referee’s boat floated up to the starting point, and took its position. Renewed cheering took place. Both men took a preliminary spurt of a few minutes, and returned to the starting point. After three false starts were made, the men got away on equal terms, amid cries of “They’re off!” “They’re off!” At the third stroke Hanlan began to forge ahead of his competitor at a rapid rate, passing him as easily almost' as a steam vessel does a sailing boat. Hanlan rowed thirty-nine strokes to the minute. Within a very short time Hanlan was two lengths ahead. In the first mile, when the men had reached the lead works, Hanlan led by four lengths, and was giving Elliott the wash of his boat. The shouting and yelling on the shores at this time, encouraging Elliott to greater exertion, were deafening, Hanlan was evidently rowing a winning race. Elliott was hugging the shore. At Eastweck gangway Hanlan, finding the race sate, reduced his stroke to thirty-two. Elliott, in the meanwhile, was rowing at thirty-five, and beginning to show evidence of rowing wildly. His steering was very faulty. Hanlan’s steering was excellent. In passing Armstrong’s Crane there was no difference in the relative positions of the two men. The referee’s boat was about a quarter of a mile behind, on the south of the island known as King’s Meadow. The water was as smooth as a mill-pond. At the head of the Meadows Hanlan was rowing thirty-two strokes and Elliott thirtysix, the former leading by five lengths. When off Benwell boat-house, a little beyond Paradise Quay, Hanlan stopped rowing to look around him to ascertain the distance he had yet to row. This feat of his recalled to mind his bailing out his boat about the same place when he defeated Hawdon. About this time a death-like silence foil on the assembled thousands, for England’s champion had been defeated almost without effort by the Canadian oarsman. After smiling pleasantly to those on shore, Hanlan took to his oars again and began rowing with all his might to make up for lost time. The gap between him and Elliott was soon increased, and, amid deafening plaudits, Hanlan rowed unf der Scottswood bridge, winning the race by ten lengths, and gaining the well-deserved title of champion of America and England. After the race Hanlan, accompanied by Colonel Shaw and several Canadian supporters, returned to Newcastle, where he was cordially welcomed by a large concourse of people. In response to repeated calls Hanlan appeared at the window of the Newcastle Chronicle office and thanked the people very warmly for their kindness. He highly complimented Elliott for his invariable courtesy. Colonel Shaw also addressed the crowd. Both were loudly cheered. In the evening, at a concert at Newcastle Town-Hall, a splendid diamond ring was presented to Hanlan on account of 9 number of ladies and gentlemen of Newcastle. Hanlan, who was received with cheers, said he had that day encountered one of the best scullers he ever met. Elliott said he was satisfied that no man in England could beat Hanlan. He (Elliott) would row any man in the world, barring Hanlan, tor £2OO a side. A match has been arranged between Elliott and Robert Boyd on the Tyne for £2OO a side, to take place four months hence. The Newcastle Chronicle, in a special edition describing the race, says: “Never before in British waters has Buch a performance as Hanlan’s been seen. Elliott rowed in splendid form, but to no avail against the magnificent firowess of the young Canadian. Hscan may fairly be described as a scuHr ing phenomenon, and it will be a long time ere we look upon his like again.”