This latter body arose in 1879. The original object of its constitution was to found a general club which could comprise all the best amateur talent of Britain, and from which, in the event of any foreign or colonial crew, composed of the full force of its own country, coming to these shores, could be put forward to represent the honour of the mother country; so that the individual clubs of Britain should never hereafter be in danger of being attacked separately, with forces divided, by the concentrated resources of some foreign or colonial country. The association was first called the 'Metropolitan Rowing Association,' but eventually it took its present name. The rules of this association are here given _in extenso_, and sufficiently explain the _raison d'etre_. RULES OF THE AMATEUR ROWING ASSOCIATION, LATE METROPOLITAN ROWING ASSOCIATION. _Committee._ The President of the Oxford University Boat Club. } The President of the Cambridge University Boat Club. } The Captain of the Dublin University Boat Club. } The Captain of the Dublin University Rowing Club. } _Ex_ The Captain of the Leander Boat Club. } _Officio._ The Captain of the London Rowing Club. } The Captain of the Kingston Rowing Club. } The Captain of the Thames Rowing Club. } JAMES CATTY, T.R.C. | F. S. GULSTON, L.R.C. H. J. CHINNERY, L.R.C. | JAMES HASTIE, T.R.C. F. FENNER, L.R.C. | Rev. R. W. RISLEY, O.U.B.C. J. H. D. GOLDIE, C.U.B.C. | S. LE BLANC SMITH, L.R.C. _Hon. Secretary._ S. LE BLANC SMITH, Esq. _Head Quarters, pro tem._ LONDON ROWING CLUB, PUTNEY. 1. That this Club be called 'The Amateur Rowing Association.' 2. That the object of the Association be to associate members of existing amateur rowing clubs for the purpose of forming representative British crews to compete against Foreign and Colonial representative crews, in the event of such entering at any regattas in the United Kingdom, or challenging this country. 3. That the government and management of the Association be vested in a committee of fifteen members (of whom five shall be a quorum), with power to add to their number, who, except the _ex-officio_ members, shall retire annually, and be eligible for re-election. 4. That the Presidents of the Oxford University Boat Club and Cambridge University Boat Club, the Captains of the Dublin University Boat Club, Dublin University Rowing Club, Leander Boat Club, London Rowing Club, Kingston Rowing Club, and Thames Rowing Club, for the time being be _ex-officio_ members of the committee. 5. That no one be eligible as a member of the Association unless he be a member of a recognised Amateur Rowing Club.