n after 1820, and the first Oxford and
Cambridge eight-oared race was rowed in 1829, in which year also Eton
and Westminster contended at Putney.

Henley regatta was founded in 1839, and since that date the building of
racing boats, eights, fours, pairs, and sculling boats, has made great
progress. The products of the present time are such, in lightness of
build and swiftness of propulsion, as would have been thought impossible
between 1810 and 1830.

In the middle of the 19th century the long boats in use were mostly
clinker-built with a keel. At Oxford the torpids were rowed, as now, in
clinker-built craft, but the summer races were rowed in carvel-built
boats, which also had a keel.

In 1855 the first keelless 8-oar made its appearance at Henley, built by
Mat Taylor for the Royal Chester Rowing Club. The new type was
constructed on moulds, bottom upwards, a cedar skin bent and fitted on
to the moulds, and the ribs built in after the boat had been turned
over.

In 1857 Oxford rowed in a similar boat at Putney, 55 ft. long, 25 in.
beam. From that time the keelless racing boat has held its own, fours
and pairs and sculling boats all following suit. But with the
introduction of sliding seats racing eights have developed in length to
63 ft. or more, with considerable camber, and a beam of 23-24 in. There
are, however, still advocates of the shorter type with broader beam, and
it is noticeable that the Belgian boat that won the Grand Challenge at
Henley in 1906 did not exceed 60 ft. The boat in which Oxford won the
University race in 1901 was 56 ft. long with 27 in. of beam.

In sculling boats the acceptance of the Australian type of build has led
to the construction of a much shorter boat with broader beam than that
which was in vogue twenty years ago. The same tendency has not shown
itself so pronouncedly in pair oars, but will no doubt be manifest in
time as the build improves. In fact we may expect the controversy
between long and short racing boats, and the proper method of propelling
them respectively, to be carried a step farther. The tendency, with the
long slide, and long type of boat, is to try to avoid "pinch" by
adopting the scullers' method of easy beginning, and strong drive with
the legs, and sharp finish to follow, but it remains to be seen whether
superior pace is not to be obtained in a shorter boat by sharp beginning
at a reasonable angle to the boat's side, and a continuous drive right
out to the