In 1843 the Thames Regatta was started, and greatly supplemented the attractions of Henley. The mistake of this regatta was the rule which made challenge prizes the permanent property of any crew which could win them thrice in succession. By this means the Gold Cup for eights, the _piece de resistance_ of the regatta, passed in 1848 to the possession of the 'Thames' Club. The regatta lingered on one year longer, shorn of its chief glory, and then died out. Records of the winners of the chief prizes at it, amateurs as well as professionals, will be found in 'Tables.' In 1854 a new Thames regatta, called the 'National,' was founded. It was supported by the 'Thames Subscription Club,' and died with that club in 1866. In the last year of its existence it introduced amateur prizes as well as the usual bonuses for professionals. In 1866 a very important regatta was founded--the Metropolitan. Its founders expected it to eclipse Henley, by dint of offers of more valuable prizes, but it never took the fancy of the University element, and for want of the wider-spread competition which strong entries from the U.B.C.'s would have produced, it never attained the prestige of Henley. Still the honours of winning eights, fours, pairs, or sculls at it rank, in amateur estimation, second only to Henley. Barnes Regatta is of very old standing. The tideway is always a drawback to scenery, but Barnes always used to produce good audiences and good competitors. Its chief patrons were tideway clubs and the Kingston Rowing Club. [Illustration: GONDOLA.] Walton-on-Thames flourished in the 'sixties.' It has now died out. It was as a picnic second only to Henley. The course was rather one-sided, and hardly long enough to test stamina. Molesey Regatta, of less than ten years' growth, now holds much the same station in aquatics that Walton-on-Thames once claimed. It draws its sinews of war from much the same up-river locality that used to feed Walton. Kingston-on-Thames has a longer history than any regatta except Henley. Its fortunes hang on the Kingston Rowing Club, but it is well patronised by tideway clubs. Regattas have for a season or two been known at Staines and Chertsey, but they depended on some one or two local men of energy, and, when this support failed, they died out. Reading has a good reach, and has of late come to the fore with a good meeting and a handsome challenge cup.