Punch or The London charivari (4.1843)

134

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

GRAND ROWING MATCH.

oxford versus Cambridge.
The Great Annual Rowing-match. — This event, by which public
curiosity has beeu so much excited, took place on Wednesday last, on
the Paddington Canal.
This match, which was from the Basin at Paddington to Uxbridge, and
back again, has opened an entirely novel era in the science of rowing, as
the channel of the Paddington canal is so narrow that it would appear
difficult for the eight-oared cutters to pass each other, setting aside the
obstructions of barges, monkey-boats, locks, bridges, or tunnels.
It has now, therefore, become essential, that the crew of each cutter
should, by a powerful simultaneous spring, accompanied by a vigorous
feathering of the oar in the air, cause the light boat to ascend from the
water after the manner of a flying fish, and completely to overtop and
clear any obstacle, and indeed, occasionally, to go over the heads of the
crew of the adversaries' cutter.
The tide of the Paddington canal serving, the boats started precisely at
twelve o'clock, on the signal being given,—a pistol fired from the steeple
of Paddington church.
Oxford took the lead, although it appeared that the strength and muscle
of both boat's crews were pretty equal. This advantage was effected by
the dexterity of the Oxford coxswain.
The competitors had scarcely passed the bridge that leads to the Harrow
Road, when Light Blue (Cambridge) determined to exhibit a specimen of
their acquired dexterity in the new system of managing an eight-oared
cutter, and by a violent, but well-directed, effort, the crew arose to a man
from the water, and propelled themselves through the air to about a boat's
length a-head of Dark Blue (Oxford), and alighted safely on the stream
like a swan. This occurrence, which was not expected to have been
attempted at so early a period of the race, put the Oxford men completely
on their mettle, and every energy was exerted to get up again to the
Cantabrigians for the next fifteen miles, when a favourable opportunity
presented itself, by reason of one of Pickford's barges having grounded,
heavily laden with bricks, whicli brought the Cambridge cutter to a momen-
tary stand-still ; this was instantly observed, and taken advantage of by
the Oxonians, who, notwithstanding the great labour they had undergone,
practised the same feat of agility which had been performed by their
antagonists, and not only sent themselves flying through the air over Light
Blue, but absolutely over Pickford's barge into the bargain.
The gentlemen of Cambridge, finding their chance apparently desperate,
made a powerful effort of eight-oared volition, and cleared the unlucky
barge, and, pulling with all their might, again got up to the Dark Blue.
After some excellent manoeuvring, the Oxouians rowed round a boat
moored off the weighing-house at Uxbridge, and exerted themselves with
great vigour for their return to Paddington, the tide having turned exactly
at the same time : and here Oxford kept the lead until they had reached
Wormwood Scrubs. And now, drawing within a few miles of the winning
place, both boat's crews recommenced the Hying and feathering in the air
in a wonderfully exciting and interesting manner. At length, Cambridge,
making a strenuous efforr, kept up aloft one minute longer than Oxford,
and fell flop into the Paddington Basin first, thereby winning the race.
The banks of the canal were lined the whole distance with well-dressed
Spectators.
The Leander crew are practising the same novel evolutions, daily, on
the New River.

METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENTS.

THE EARTHQUAKE.
The earthquake in the north appears to have given general dissatisfac-
tion, and it is pretty evident that unless these affairs adopt a more regular
and rational mode of procedure, they will altogether lose favour with a
British public.
The earthquake of last week, instead of coming at the business-like hour
of 9 o'clock in the morning, as at Calabria, must needs creep in at the dead
of night; and by rattling the windows and glasses, shaking the beds, and
other paltry and despicable pranks, cause unnecessary consternation and
alarm.
Consequently, instead of being taken for a respectable, dignified earth-
quake, it gets the credit, in most instances, of being a pettifogging house-
breaker.
We are gravely told by the Manchester Guardian, that a lady labour-
ing under the impression that it was a burglar, sprung out of bed, and
throwing up the window, called lustily for a policeman ; one happened to
be passing at the time, to whom she communicated her fears. He assured
her, however, that her silver spoons were safe, and quietly begged her not
to be alarmed, as it was only an earthquake.
We have always prided ourselves upon taking matters coolly ; but here
we candidly confess our inferiority to Policeman Z 11. An earthquake !
pooh ! beneath his notice.
We shall use our influence in getting Z 11 promoted to the rank of
deputy sergeant.

Mr. Dent, the celebrated chronometer maker, has at length
succeeded in completing his arduous task of inserting some ingenious
clockwork in the interior of the
statue of George the Third, in
Pall-Mall.
The great difficulty has arisen
from the artist being compelled to
pass all the mechanism through
the nostrils of the horse, and ad-
mirably has he succeeded \
Though the statue will not be
publicly set in motion until twelve
o'clock to-day, we can speak from
our own observation of the natural and
perfect manner in which this new wonder
works. The action of the horse is beyond |
all praise. We subjoin the plan by which
this admirable effect is produced.
We cannot sufficiently express our ad-
miration of the manner in which His
Majesty's pig-tail is made to contribute to the general effect.
For the space of thirty seconds it pendulates in slow time
as :—
and then undulates for
the same period, as :—
It is but right to
add, that Messrs. Ran-
som, the bankers,have
contributed the whole
—......"' of the funds for this
praiseworthy undertaking; and the artist has
gracefully expressed his high sense of their pa-
tronage by the gracious and condescending bow
which the king makes to the customers of Messrs.
Ransom, as they pass in and out of the banking-
house between the hours of nine and five.




A CHANGE HAS COME O'ER THE SPIRIT OF THE "TIMES.'

The readers of Punch must have noticed the present epidemic for-
illustrated newspapers ; but what do they say to the Times becoming,
an illustrated newspaper 1 It '6 a fact, nevertheless—the Times, for the
future, is to be published with engravings, and will appear every morning
with not less than fifty illustrations. An additional wing has, for this-
purpose, been added to the extensive premises in Printing-house-square ;
and the proprietors, regardless of expense, have engaged Mr. Landells, the
eminent wood-engraver, to undertake the management of this new branch
of their establishment. Edwin Landseer has accepted an engagemenr
as reporter in the House of Commons, and, from his fine perception of-
the brute creation, will, it is expected, render the debates intelligible to
every capacity, by introducing portraits of the members. HB. has-
likewise been engaged. He has gone to Paris to attend the sittings of
the French Chamber of Deputies. The leaders, too, will be illustrated,
though the name of the artist has not yet transpired ; but the proprietors
have secured the services of no less an artist than Sir Martin Shee, to be
in daily attendance at Bow Street. Under this new arrangement, not a,
criminal will appear at the bar,—not a monomaniac will be examined
without having his portrait accurately pencilled in the morrow's papei>
for the admiration of thousands who, otherwise, would be denied the
moral gratification of seeing him. Artists have been sent to each
quarter of the globe, and every earthquake will have its destructions-
most vividly described by illustration—every revolution will have its
bloodshed and horrors most effectively portrayed in black and white ;—
and the weakness of a written report will no longer be felt. Prospectuses-
will be issued in a few days.

Srribal from ti)c <£ast.
Considerable excitement was this day manifested by the people in the
line from Woolwich to the Blackfriars' Road. At an early hour it was
known that the gates of Somnauth had been landed from the Whacker,
74, at Woolwich, and would be brought to their final destination in a-
spring van, hired expressly by her Majesty's government for the occasion.
Expectation was, however, on tiptoe as to the purpose to which the im-
mortal trophy was to be applied. The excitement grew with every step—
the crowd thickened with every instant. At length the van stopt at the
appointed goal; when the public were delighted to discover that the gates
of Somnauth were destined to replace the tvorn-out doors of the Magdalen I'