A boat-race against time was got up in 1824, the conditions being, that “six Officers of the Guards belonging to aquatic clubs” should row in a six-oared wherry from Oxford to Westminster Bridge in sixteen consecutive hours, the crew to choose their own coxwain. The distance is 118 miles; there were no outriggers in those days, and many locks intervene and obstruct the course to be rowed over, which, however, on application to the Thames Commissioners, were kept in readiness to let the boat through without delay. An attempt had previously been made to perform the same feat in seventeen hours, by Lord Newry (the late Lord Kilmorey), with a crew selected by himself from among his own people, but it failed. The present match was looked forward to with considerable interest, and large sums of money were laid upon the event. Captain Short (Coldstream Guards) seems to have been captain of the boat, the other oars being Captains Gordon-Douglas (afterwards Lord Penrhyn), and H. S. Blane (Grenadier Guards), and Captains G. F. H. Hudson, G. D. Standen, and Hon. J. C. Westenra (Third Guards). The wherry left Oxford at 3 a.m. on the 14th of May, and, reaching Bolter’s Lock at 11.30, Windsor Bridge at 1 p.m., Teddington Lock at 5.30, Putney Bridge at 6, and Battersea Bridge at 6.30, arrived at Westminster Bridge, at 6.45, “amidst the acclamations of thousands of spectators,” with just a quarter of an hour to spare. “They were assisted out of the boat, carried on shore, and put to bed.” The average rate was about seven and a half miles an hour, counting stoppages for refreshment and those occasioned by going through the locks, and the feat was remarkable, considering the class of boat that existed at that time. We are told, moreover, that all the crew were in a state of great exhaustion at the conclusion of the race, and that one or two could not stand without support.[143] ----- Footnote 143: _Annual Register_ , 1824, “Chronicle,” p. 59. ----- On the 16th of July, 1825, Major-General Woodford, promoted to that rank on May 27th, retired from the command of the Regiment, and was succeeded by Colonel Macdonell, Sir H. Bouverie having also been appointed a General Officer in May. Thereupon Colonel Hamilton became Senior Major (commanding the 1st Battalion), and Colonel Raikes, Junior Major (2nd Battalion).[144] ----- Footnote 144: The distinction between the First and Second Majors, which existed in Regiments of Foot Guards, was abolished by authority, dated, September 11, 1821 (MacKinnon, _Origin and Services of the Coldstream Guards_ , ii. 503). ----- [Illustration: N. R. Wilkinson del MUSKETEER 1669. Mintern Bros. Chromo.] In July, 1825, the Regiment contained the following Officers:— _Colonel._—Field-Marshal H.R.H. the Duke of Cambridge, K.G., G.C.B., etc. _Lieutenant-Colonel._—Colonel J. Macdonell, C.B. _Majors._—Colonels J. Hamilton; and W. H. Raikes.