SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 399, 4 January 1890, Page 3

SCULLING CHAMPIONSHIP.

WHO WILL BE THE NEXT ? London, Jan. 3.

A telegram from Ottawa states that O’Connor is willing to row any recognised Australian oarsman for the championship He suggests that a series of races be arranged, on the Parramatta river in April, in America in August, and on the Thames in October.

Hanlan, Gaudaur, and Teemer all lay claim to the championship.

“ Trident,” in the Sydney Mail, thus discourses on the vexed question—who is champion ?—The real Champion of the Worl I being dead, it is not at all surprising to find some scullers of note anxious to fit bis wellearned laurels upon their less deserving heads. How they can hope to better their standing in the rowing world is difficult to understand. W. O’Connor is put forth by a section of the English press as the rightful successor to the man he was unable to defeat on the Thames. Perhaps the Canadian is a better stamp of a man than to assume a title ha knows he could not win while our dead champion was able to defend his rights, and he may not thank those persons who with indecent haste would have the American champion "sneak” the championship away from here. It it were not so annoying it would be really funny, this claim on behalf of O’Connor. The only claim that O’Connor or anyone else ean have is by reason of being the next best man. To have held tbe championship and lost, or to have rowed for it and been beaten, is not a clear claim. The championship is dead. This is fully recognised by all Australians, and scullers of other parts must clearly understand that we, as a people, will see that no unworthy man snatches from Australia the title that we now regard as dearer and more honorable than ever. Peter Kemp could adranci a stronger claim than anyone else, but tbe Hawkesbury sculler does not attempt to regain the title, because the man who defeated him is dead. No amount of reasoning, no foioe et sentiment, will make a real champion out of any.living man, He must prove his right to the title in a far different way. He must win it, And our position is this : We-hava Kemp, Stansbury, M'Lean, and Mattersou—all first-class men. Perhaps we have others equally good, and I am inclined to think we have. Let these men meet, and the winner will then be something of a champion, good enough, I have no doubt, to represent Australia. Wa will then let the world know that Australia is once more pre pared to defend her right to the championship, and any challenges will be accepted for e race or races on the Parramatta. We have not another Searle, and don’t think any other part of the world has; but we have two or three very good men, and the best will be a fairly safe man to guard the championship tor the people who claim it as an honour belonging to the country.

The Sydney Telegraph in describing Searle’s funeral, says:—There were people everywhere—on verandahs, balconies, parapets, roof tops, telegraph poles, lampposts, fences, every point from whenoe a view could be obtained Opposite the Redfern railway station the trams were drawn up and the roofs of the cars were crowded with people, while the road was one dark mass of human beings through which there was a narrow track just the width of the hearse and carriages, Passing along this track it appeared as though the procession was a slowly flowing stre -tn gliding between living banks of humanity. Such an immense crowd has never before been seen in this city. Those who had good opportunities of observing tbe Soudan demonstration and also this solemn one of Saturday las', assert that there were a great many more thousand people in the streets on the latter occasion than there were on the former. It was estimated that 150,000 people assembled to witness the departure of the Squdan contingent, and taking this as a guide there were probably ITSIOOO people assembled in the streets on Saturday last. Business as well as traffic was suspended for some time, and a great many shops—nearly all in fact—along the line of route were closed.