THE HOBART JUBILEE REGATTA AND THE ENGLISH ELEVEN.
(By. Oub Australian Sporting Corke. SPONDENT "WABBIOB.")
Hobart, theseatof Government for the island Tasmania, was alive with people on Thursday last Thousands were to be seen wending their way* down Liverpool and Macquarie streets towards the Domain for the. purpose of assisting in tfi 9 festivities of the fiftieth Hobart regatta. U the year 1838 Sir John Franklin, then Governor of Van Dieman's Land, instituted the first regatta on the Rivor Derwent, and gave a prJ2 B of 30gs, which was known for years after aj Tasman's prize. About 1840 the committee of the Hobart Town regatta decided that all sailors who went down to the sea in ships to catch the whale fish were professionals, and thus sprang up the class of rowers known as amateurs, Lastly, Franklyn, to give an impetus to rowing presented a valuable prize of £60 which waj rowed in what was known in those days $3 captain's gigs. Since 184,6 regattas have been successfully held, aud the first intercolonial boatrace on the Dewent in 1861, and was carried off by a Sydney crew. The Hobart Jubilee Regatta will live in th e memory of Tasmanians who were present from the adjacent colonies. There one fell across friends of days gone by. In one of the family tents sat Mr Robert Wiggins, contractor and publican of the city, who informed me that he had witnessed the whole 50 regattas and hoped to be present at the Hobart regatta of 1900. Notwithstanding the cricket match, there must have been 15,000 people present. Around the shipyards, towards Government House, in front of the battery, and in front of the entrance to the Derwent, was one mass of family tents, publicans booths, merry-- go - rounds, Richardson's show, Turkey-lollie-men, stalls of all colours aud shapes, boxing saloons, the thimble and the pea, jirig in the garter, and nearly as many welshers as one would come across at Randwick. The Derwenters and tho country folks did bite at the twenty and five gaol-birds, who did a roaring business at " Who'll take the last ticket in • a ten bob sweep." Around skifctle alleys were to rt found scattered here and there "Bill Sykes and his dawg," calling out " I'll lay a bob he doesn't floor 'em." Whenever there was any dispute in the grog shanties the parties generally adjourned to the boxing booths, when one would try and make dog's meat of the other. The police looked on patiently. As usual, the Harmy put in an appearance after lunch and gave vent to their feelings. One poor idiot stated that he had been lagged several times, and he could well remember the days when he would " think no more of eating a man that swallowing'a dose of Robertson's whisky." At all events ho was saved now. Just about the middle of poor Bill's oration a number of roughs thought to play a trick on the police. So some ran towards the Salvationists whilst others yelled out, " Give it to him, Bill." The guardians of the law, believing there was a row, rushed to the spot in numbers to find that they had been duped. All through the afternoon jokes similar to this last were indulged in. Everybody appeared to enjoy themselves, more especially the young folks. Great interest was taken in tie races for sailing vessels. The rowing race for service boats belonging to H.M.B. Egiria, the flagship on this occasion, created a great deal of enthusiasm, three whalers aud one cutter starting. No. 3 whaler, five oars, proved victorious; the cutter No. 1, 10 oars, gaining second place. For the Champion Sculler's Race, open to all, The Derwent (L. Walker) went to the front at the sound of the gun and was never afterwards headed; Recherche Bello (H. Heather) was second, and Australia (T. Pilling) third. The Champion Four-oared Race, for all-comers, rowing in boats not exceeding 26ft 6in in length, fell to the Nubeena crew, consisting of Messrs W. Stacey, E. Spaldjng, J, Sfcacey, and B. Noyl. Altogether there were nine rowing and sculling events, and six sailing races. The Shovel Race, in punts, to bo propelled by four hands with iron shovels, oreated a great deal of amusement, one of the punts capsizing aud turning bottom upwards, This furcinl performance wound up a pleasant fiftieth anniversary regatta.
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Bibliographic details
Otago Witness, Issue 1890, 10 February 1888, Page 24
Word Count
727THE HOBART JUBILEE REGATTA AND THE ENGLISH ELEVEN. Otago Witness, Issue 1890, 10 February 1888, Page 24
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