In 1825 the boats started in line along the bank, each having its umpire to regulate the distance between it and its neighbours (one length). The boats at starting were Exeter, Christ Church Worcester, Balliol (in this order). Exeter had discarded their old love, and had got a 'black boat,' larger than the old 'white boat,' but not so fast, according to later experiments. However, they elected to row in her at first, and Christ Church bumped them, also Worcester on a subsequent night. Later on Exeter rebumped Worcester, and at the close of the racing the order was: Christ Church, Exeter, Worcester, Balliol. Smyth was again stroke of Christ Church, and R. Pocklington stroke of Exeter, in which Messrs. Clutterbuck, Parr, Dowglass, Cole, and Wareing rowed again, with Messrs. Harndon and Day as recruits. The term 'Torpid' seems to have arisen about this date, and to have been applied to the 'second' boats of colleges, such as Christ Church, who launched a second boat in 1826. Later on the 'Torpids' took to racing among themselves as a separate class, and under distinct qualifications. In 1826 the following rules were drawn up for the boat-racing, and we give them verbatim:-- _Rule_ 186.--Resolved (1) That racing do commence on Monday, May 1. (2) That the days for racing be Monday and Friday in each week, and that if any boat does not come out on those days its flag do go to the bottom. (3) That no out-college crews be allowed to row in any boat, except in cases of illness or other unavoidable absence, and then that the cause of such absence be signified to the strokes of the other boats. (4) That the boats below the one that bumps stop racing, and those above continue it. (5) That there be a distance of fifty feet between each boat at starting. (6) That the boats start by pistol shot. (7) That umpires be appointed by each college to see each boat in its proper position before starting, and to decide any accidental dispute. H. Saunders, Ch. Ch. H. Moresby, Ex. Coll. E. A. Hughes, Jes. Coll. Henry Towers, Ch. Ch. T. North, B. N. Coll. H. Roberts, Ball. Coll. Of the details of the racing, all that we can gather is that Christ Church finished head. In 1827 rules were again drawn up and signed at a meeting of strokes; the new code being much the same as its predecessor, but with one or two small alterations. There was no U.B.C. in existence, and therefore no fixed code, but only such as was agreed on from year to year. _Rules for Boat-Racing, 1827._ (1) That the racing do begin on May 29. (2) That the days of racing be Tuesday and Friday in each week, and that if any boat does not come out on those days its flag do go to the bottom. (3) That no out-college man be allowed to row in any boat. (4) That no boat be allowed to race with less than eight oars. (5) That the boats below the one that bumps stop racing, those above continue it. (6) That there be a distance of fifty feet between each boat at starting.