ersity Boat Club was
started, and regular bumping races begun. The first challenge to Oxford
was determined on at a meeting of the University Boat Club held 20th
February 1829, when it was resolved: "That Mr. Snow, of St. John's, be
requested to write immediately to Mr. Staniforth, Christ Church, Oxford,
proposing to make up a University Match." The match was made up, and the
race rowed at Henley on 10th June 1829, and from this the annual
boat-race between Oxford and Cambridge takes its rise. Snow acted as
stroke of the Cambridge boat, George Augustus Selwyn, successively
Bishop of New Zealand and Lichfield, rowed "seven," and Charles Merivale
"four." Snow (afterwards Strahan) became a banker, and died at Florence
4th July 1886. In after years when, from 1861 to 1869 inclusive, Oxford
had uniformly beaten Cambridge, the Lady Margaret supplied the late John
H. D. Goldie to break the spell and restore hope and confidence to
Cambridge crews. Thus the College club has taken an important part in
the establishment and maintenance of Cambridge rowing. Two verses of the
College boat song run as follows:--

"Mater regum Margareta
Piscatori dixit laeta
'Audi quod propositum;
Est remigium decorum
Suavis strepitus remorum
Ergo sit Collegium.'

* * * * *

Sic Collegium fundatum
Et Johannis nomen datum
Margareta domina,
Ergo remiges gaudendum
Triumphandum et canendum
In saeclorum secula."

So that, if we can trust the historic insight of the author (Mr. T. R.
Glover), the intentions of the foundress have been duly carried out.

The uniform of the club was at first much what it is now, a white jersey
with pink stripes; with this was worn a jacket of scarlet flannel,
popularly known as a "blazer"--a name which has passed into the English
language as descriptive of the coloured jackets of all clubs. It is said
that some one, whose feeling for analogy was stronger than for decorum,
described the surplice as "the blazer of the Church of England."
Organised cricket clubs, athletic clubs, and football clubs grew up, and
in process of time clubs for the pursuit of every kind of athletic
exercise have been started. Originally each club in College had a
subscription, paid by its members, towards the expenses of the special
game. About twenty years ago all the clubs in St. John's were united
into one club--"The Amalgamation." The subscription