THE LATE ROBERT CHAMBERS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXIII, Issue 2731, 12 September 1868, Page 6

THE LATE ROBERT CHAMBERS.

That curse and scourge of our island — insiduoua consumption — has lately taken from among us the greatest aquatic celebrity of any age or clime ; and the loss of Robert Chambers, whoso name has been for years a household word with nil who take an interest in the healthy and manly oxerciso of rowing, will be felt severely, nofc only for the ninny good qualities he possessed, but more particularly at a period when aquatics generally are not in a very prosperous condition. " 'I he multitudinous contests into which the lamented subject entered, necessarily involved almost continual training, and although his constitution was vigorous, and his form moulded in proportions that denoted strength and endurance of no mean order, yet it was doubtless attributable to fcho fatigue engendered in his preparation for various engagements that the seeds of the fatal affliction which deatroyed him may be traced. The noble Thames, the coaly Tyne, the famous banks of Weir, and the deep dark watora of Talkin Tarn, have each and all witnessed his prowess, and beheld his triumphs, and taking him all in all, it is probable that generations may come and pass away before wo view another aspirant for aquatic honors who can boast of achieving viotories so numerous not only in single matches, but also in four-oared races. But thirty-!>even when he yielded to the archdestroyer, and making his first public appearance us a sculler in a match with Hicka in 1888, he nevertheless managed to score 90 wins in 112 ovents, besides taking part in 46 four-oared races, in 39 of which ho was one of the winning crew, auccossful 15 out of 20 times in pairs, and as a eculler carried off 34 out of 40 contests. Chambers early turned his attention to partnership rowing and in 1852 with T. Simm defeated KUiott and Steele. With the same partner, and still in the same year, he beat Scott and Hogg, nnd though these races were for small Btnkes they served as practice for the great contests still in the lap of futurity. He was now looked upon aa a rising man, and those who at that time took him in hund had, as all the world knows, no cause to regret it as Chambers ever went " straight," and by so doing endeared himself to all lovers of sport. On the 16th June 1863, ho beat R. A. W. Green, of Australia for £200 aside and the Championship. On Sunday, June 7, about 50,000 or 60,0C0 persons followed the remains of the ex-ohampion to the grave, at Walker, near Newcastle-on-Tyne. He wus buried alongside of his mother.