MOWING STYLES. 171 



boats of the same kind for each class eight oars, four oars, 

 pairs, and sculls it is in a sense true that there is but one 

 racing style. But even in river rowing, as distinguished from 

 river racing, there are more styles than one, by which we 

 mean more correct styles, for, of course, there are multitudi- 

 nous bad styles in every kind of rowing. The style suitable 

 for a racing boat moving at full speed would not be suitable 

 even for the same boat at starting, and would be utterly un- 

 suitable for a pleasure boat. We may remark, in passing, 

 that, however suitable tubbing practice may be several 

 ueeks before a race, it is open to objection after a crew has 

 settled into its racing stroke. No one who understands 

 rowing w 11 assert that even the two strongest members of 

 either University crew can row in the same style in tub 

 practice as in their eight at her full speed, or, seeing them, 

 will fail to perceive that they row entirely different strokes 

 in the tub and in the eight. Again, the style of rowing 

 proved by practical experience to be bebt in seaside racing 

 is entirely different from the style successful in river racing. 

 Yet another style is essential to success in races rowed in 

 the heavier boats used by men-of-war's men. And it will 

 be admitted, we think, though no experiments have yet, to 

 our knowledge, been made in this direction, that if matches 

 were arranged among our best bargemen and lightermen we 

 should see a mode of pulling which would differ as markedly 

 from the man-of-war's man's strokes as that does from the 

 stroke which O'Leary, of Folkestone, rows, and this in turn 

 from the style of the best London or University oarsmen. 

 So far as these last two styles are concerned, it should be 

 remembered that they have been put to the test in the most 

 decisive manner. The best London oarsmen have been 

 repeatedly defeated in seaside rowing (even in still weather), 

 and the best seaside oarsmen have been beaten in river 

 rowing. It would be absurd to attribute this to awkward- 

 ness in unfamiliar boats, for any good oarsman can very 

 soon row without awkwardness in any kind of boat. It was 

 the style which made the difference the style only. On d 



