AQUATICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 244, 12 October 1918, Page 14

AQUATICS.

The death of William EHiott, file old sculler, reminds one that he flourisned at a time when British sport had, from a titular point of view, declined in amazing fashion, says an English writer. The long lead which England took about the middle of the last century in almost all branches of u-fcMetrc sport had woefully diminished in his day. The aquatic position was truly parlous. From 1831 to 1574 British professional scullers were all-conquering, despite the efforts of R. A. W. Green (Australia) and J. Hammill (America) to wrest supremacy from them. The International Regatta, held on the Seine in 1867, only served to establish their superiority anew. In 1876, however, a change came over the scene. Joe Sadler was decisively beaten by E. Trickett (Australia) for the world's championship, and the palm was taken away from tie Thames s.nd the Tyne for the first time. Subsequent matches in England could decide no more than wliat began to be called the Championship of England. Eight away from 1576 to 1912, highest honours were held, in turn, by Australians, Canadians, and New Zealanders. The winter of 1880-1881 afforded the most humiliating- proof possible of the decline of professional sculling. At the '-Bop Bitters" Regatta, eight Englaehmen, two Canadians, two Australians, and two Americans took pai-t in the big tournament. In every one of the four heats into which the fourteen sculleTe were divided Englishmen took the hindmost places. For this extraordinary change in the relative position of English and foreign scullers many reasons were assigned. Into these we need not enter to-day. It was not very flattering to onr national pnde to realise such a. position of affairs, hence great was our joy when E. Barry, of Putney, came to the rescue in 1912. As is well known, he started a sequence of handsome victories by thrashing hie earlier victor, R. Arnst (Australia) in that year. At the outset of this war his championship position seemed unassailable. If he is the same Barry after hostilities cease, there ie little need to worry over the immediate future, at any rate. But others must 'be encouraged to follow in 'his footstops. Competition for the title will be increasingly severe, for one thing, and the international aspect of such tussles more pronounced than ever.

For some reason or the other English professional sculling has suffered for many years from lack of public patronage. Watermen on the Thames and Tyne have been dependent upon the chance munificence of public-spirited men in the main. Even the old-time and once popular Thames Regatta has languished for lack of funds and general support. On the other hand, regattas in our colonies and in the U.S.A. are becoming more and more generally subsidised. Ft behovee all JoveTe of aquatics to see to it that things are different after the war. We are just as proud of our national aquatic supremacy as ever we were, I take it. And the sort of feeling which seems to pervade the ranks of the rowing world in this connection is frankly, pessimistic.

Unlese we stir ourselves and determine to put such a peculiarly national sport on its less a;rain. we shall inevitably play second fiddle in the rivalry of nations. Evidences are not wanting to prove that the superior facilities afforded to colonial aspirante to fame—especially pecuniary and public will be enlarged, if anything, in the ■future. The fesue, therefore, is obvious.

Do we, or do we not, want tte Old Country ktill to boast aquatic supremacy? flo* myself, I have never come across the man who replied in the negative.