The Cruise of the Branwen

THE OLYMPIC GAMES sport. Every foreign nation is being treated in precisely the same way as the Belgians, and every sport will suffer the same temporary and local changes as rowing. It has been said ahove that the grass inside the Olympic arena at Shepherd's Bush is larger than the outside of the Coliseum at Rome or the new stadium at Athens. I may describe it more accurately by saying that the cinder-path all round the grass measures exactly one-third of a mile ; the concrete cycle-track outside this again is, of course, slightly longer, and is embanked at each corner with solid slopes that form the inside of the wall containing a large public promenade all round the lowest tiers of seats. These latter are arranged in an enormous amphitheatre, built up of steel girders and concrete, which will hold over :fifty thousand people, and has cost almost as many pounds sterling. One part of it contains a series of boxes wholly sheltered from the weather, and the royal box will be opposite the vast concrete swimming bath, built just inside the running track, 109t yards long by 50 ft. wide, with a depth of I 2 ft. in the middle for high diving. These details alone will give some idea of the difficulties with which the British Olympic Council were faced when they began their task of organ– isation in I 906. Running tracks, cycle tracks, swimming baths, and large expanses of turf existed,. indeed, in or near London ; but where could all these be combined with seating accommodation for some 60,000 people ? Echo for a time answered, Where indeed? A solution was even- 12