INTERVIEW WITH HANLAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8057, 19 September 1887, Page 3

INTERVIEW WITH HANLAN.

E a ward Hanlan, the world-renownad oarsman and ex-champion Soulier of the world, passed through Auckland on Saturday last en route to Sydney, where he is proceeding to (to into training for his match with William Beach for the championship of the world and a stake of £1000." The contest i» to take place on the .Nepean River on the 26th November next. Sanlan seemed in good health and spirits, though he had been suffering severely from de-mer. During the day he drove round the oity and suburbs with some friends, and visited several acquaintances whom he had made in Australia and on his former visit to Auckland. *

In conversation with a Herald representative shortly before the departure of the mail steamer, concerning the approaohing match and the relative merits of the great oarsmen of the day, Hanlan remarked: "Not one of the American oarsmen, Gaadaur inoluded, hag any business with William Beaoh. I can, when myself, beat them all, but I would not like to say so about him, I might have won in our first oontest if I had not been interfered Vrith, but in the second matoh 1 was fairly beaten. As regards the match, I know that I will do my very best to win, and that Beach will leave no stone unturned for the same purpose, and which will win I cannot say, but I hope t» give him a big shaking-up for it. I know what sort of an Australian muscle he has, and he has the heart of a lion. I had heard nothing until I came to Auckland about a projected match between Edward I riokett and myself, but if my old friend wants to have a race, I do not see any objection to its being arranged. I cannot tell yet who will be my trainer, or where I will put up during my preparation in Sydney. X had intended to bring a young man as trainer with me from America, but at the last minute he could not get away. As to how long 1 shall remain in Australia, that depends altogether upon circumstances, but I shall probably have a go at some of them in some of their big regattas, of which I bear there are several coining off. There is one thing I would like oontradioted, and which I intend to do in Sydney when I get there, that is, the statemeats made in the Australian Press that I have said I was badly treated by Beaoh while in Australia. I never said so nor thought it. When I was In Sydney they treated me well all the time, I wished to row Beach when he was in England, but he thought I had come over too late in the season, and said "no," and I said no more about it. The fact that I have come out to Australia again to row him proves that I was in earnest when' X challenged him there; but he said 'No, then, and that he would row only in Australia, and I have come to do it. ' Hanlan remarked upon the great improvement that had taken place in rowing during the last tire years, and said that the " great guns" among oarsmen were, as a slass, far superior to what they used to be. Speaking of racing skiff*, he said that formerly the boat was built, and the rower had to accommodate himself to it; "but now the boat is built to fit the oarsman the same as a pair of boots are." Hanlan bad with him on board the Zealandia the skiff in which he intends to race Beach. Xt is a shell of 31 feet long, by 10£ inches wide at the centre, its depth being 6 inches in the centra and 3 at the bow, and it weighs 271 As the last whistle of the steamer sounded, the great oarsman was the centre of a large cirole of friends, who wished him goodbye and success in his big matoh.