The lead of the Southern counties has been followed in the North by Lancashire and Yorkshire. The former county played their first match at the end of 1892 against Notts, and defeated their opponents. They soon organised their forces, and in 1893 administered to Middlesex county a crushing defeat. Many of their players have gained International honours, while the Manchester Osborne, one of their affiliated clubs, won the English championship in 1894 and have ever since retained it. Yorkshire water-polo is principally fostered by means of an inter-club competition. As soon as the counties formed definite associations, the question of county qualifications began to be discussed, and at the initiative of the writers, and with the approval of London League and Surrey County, the fol lowing was brought before the A.S.A. and unanimously passed : That the qualifications required for players in county matches shall be : Birth or twelve months' continual residence before play ing ; also that : (I) No player shall be eligible to play for more than one county in any one year.
(2) Whilst qualifying by residence a player shall be eligible to play on behalf of the county for which he last played, but in no instance must clause I be infringed.
In the county water-polo championship a swimmer who has been resident in a county continuously from January r prior to the date of the competition is eligible to play, and this is now generally agreed to by the counties, they waiving the twelve months residential clause.
The most pleasant games of water-polo are undoubtedly those in deep open still water. So much more scope is given for skilful play that fouling is largely avoided, and the absolute necessity for swimming, or keeping afloat without aid all through the match, assists in no small degree to develop and improve the staying powers of those taking part therein. Unfortunately, there are but few spaces of open water which are available or suitable for the game, and the almost total absence of them in large cities compels the various associations to conduct their championships and other competitions in ordinary covered-in baths, which are, as a rule, far too shallow for the game to be played properly. The players, taking advantage of the op portunities offered them, naturally indulge whenever pcssible in a rest, by standing on the bottom of the bath.
Of the open water-baths which are suitable for the game, those at Tunbridge Wells have obtained the greatest notoriety. They are admirably situated, and the • natural sloping banks afford a fine view for the spectators,, who can look down from them into the bath, and follow every movement in the game.
For years past the local .club has striven hard to popularise water-polo, and their matches are now always attended by an enthusiastic crowd of residents. Their home-match results afford an interesting table for comparison, as against the results of their games played. away. These latter, in the majority of cases, are, of course, played in ordinary town baths. At home, the Tunbridge Wells Cygnus have time and again vanquished teams who in their respective districts are considered invincible, the altered conditions under which the game is played in deep water no doubt aiding in the downfall of the visiting clubs.
Many of the losing combinations have been compelled to admit that a long hard struggle in deep water, without any possible chance of rest except at half-time, is a far different thing from a swift passing game in a shallow bath, where, during one half of the match at least, an occasional rest can be taken. Further, in covered baths the water is usually tepid, and upon those swimmers whose practice is almost wholly confined to them the temperature of open water has naturally a great effect. That in itself should be sufficient proof, if it be needed, that water-polo in open water will develop those powers which in cases of extremity and danger may be of extreme practical use to a swimmer. There are many who cannot stay long in open water, but in most instances this is merely due to habitual practice, with frequent rests, as well as short-distance racing, in heated baths.
As already stated, the play in open water is far different from that in a confined bath. The field of play is much larger, and the opportunities for making use of the swimming abilities and staying powers of a team consequently greater. The boun daries are usually marked out by means of floating buoys with flags, the goal-posts being placed at each end of the field of play. They cannot be more than thirty or less than nineteen yards apart. The width of the field of play is limited to twenty yards or less. It is always well to make the size of the field of playas large as the rules permit. For open water, a very ingenious yet easily made goal-post is used by the London League when on tour, and as it has been adopted by a number of clubs, and is light and portable, a description of its manu facture is given here.
• Take two boards about 6 inches wide, r inch thick, and 10 feet 6 inches long, and place them parallel with each other about 6 inches apart, or else join two or three boards together. Then obtain two lengths of 3-inch battening, 2 feet 6 inches long, and fix with thumbscrews across each end of the two parallel boards on the under side. This will make a floating platform 18 inches wide, with two cross pieces projecting r foot. Then to the extremity of the pro jecting pieces hinge two upright posts, 3 feet 3 inches long, of similar battening, and fit a thin support to the outside of each upright post and cross-piece by means of thumbscrews, as in the diagram on preceding page. To the top of the uprights fix the crossbar, also with thumbscrews. The crossbar must be as light as possible. It may be made out of a thin batten 3 inches wide, inch to l inch thick, and placed against the uprights with the small edge downwards, the top being level with the top of the uprights. By this method a goal-post ro feet wide and 3 feet high can be easily constructed, and as the whole of it may be taken to pieces in a few minutes, its advantage will be apparent to all clubs who play in open water, and who in many cases have not goal-posts of the proper dimensions, or are obliged to erect fresh posts for every game.