London. Soon, perhaps, the Representative of some powerful Trades-union
or incorrupt Borough, will see by the Westminster Clock that it is time
to go down to the "House," and will order his double-screw steamer round
to the water steps near his terrace door; and no coachman in those days
need apply for a place unless he can steer.

Even now, the number of miniature steamers, tug-boats, and private yachts
on the Thames is large and increasing; while a few years ago not one was
to be seen. Most of these are pretty little things, and the best of all
craft to be handled safely in the crowded waterway. The multitude of
them one sees at Stockholm shews what may be seen some day in Middlesex.

Several English screw yachts had come to Paris. Mr. Manners Sutton
kindly lent his to the Regatta Committee, and the steam launch of the
Admiralty Barge was also used, so that the umpire was able to follow each
race in a proper position for seeing fair play, while the Rob Roy was
anchored at the winning-post, to guard the palm of victory. Here, too,
various bomb-shells were fired high into the air at the end of each race,
and were supposed to correspond in number with the place of the winning
boat on the programme; but somehow they so exploded as effectually to
confuse the audience they were meant to enlighten as to "who had won:"
which uncertainty, we all know, is one of the principal excitements of a
regatta, and it can be sometimes prolonged even until the day afterwards.

The other features of these rowing matches on the Seine may be left to
the reader's imagination if he has seen a regatta before; and if he has
not seen one, he could not well apprehend the thing by reading. The
canoe races, however, being more novel, have another claim on attention.

One of these races was for fast canoes, and to be decided only by speed.
The other was a "canoe chase," in which dexterity and pluck were required
for success.

For the canoe race three Englishmen had brought from the Thames three
long boats with long paddles, and they were the three fastest canoes in
England, so far as could be proved by previous trials. Against these,
three French canoes were entered, all of them short, and with short
paddles. One of these, propelled by an Englishman (resident in Paris),
came in easily first, and the second prize was won by a Frenchman. Here,
surely, was a good sound lesson to English canoe-men who wished to paddle
fast on still water, in