The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-04-12 00:00:00

THE UNlvEßstrr BOA TRACE.

The Oxfori crew have won the hostrams of 1881, and
initiated the ,id.te laid on them, extravagant though they
446106./. The Oxford men won the toes, and took up their
posit.° •at the Middlesex station. At B.:Z the word was
given tog . and the start was effected without any hurry.
Oxford was the quickeat away, catching the wa'er at once,
and getting their boat's 0046 about four feet in front
directly. The Cambridge men started rather slowly, but
after going eenat 25 yards they had drawn up neatly but
not quite level by dint of rowing 37 to the minute to
Oxford's 36. By the time the boathouses' were resaehed
the Oxford men were leading by about the length of their
own head cannot, and snortly after that lead was
increased by another foot or two. Before making the
shoot for the Soap Works the Oxford coxswain kept well
in under the Middlesex chore to avoid the wind, and so got
Into the clack water. On arriving at the Crab Tree the
nose of the Oxford boat was pointed for the 8 irrey .Me,
the Cambridge c .gswain having begun to make the shoot
*erne half-dozen strokes previously, and while both boat.
were crossing over it appeared as though the Cambridge
boat was drawing up fut. Seen from astern the
Cambridge rowing was best at this point; the time
was stood and the stroke long, while the Oxford ship
lurched once or twice in an ugly faehion, and the
rowing was slightly ragged, especially on stroke side ;
hut on nearing Hammersmith - bridge they had
fallen together aegis, and passed under the bridge
about three-quarter. of a length ahead, the leaden' time
h dog Brnin. 431er. At B•ffen's, Oxford were all but clear,
and at the Oil Mills both rreers were rowing 36 to the
&nuts. Chiswick Church was reached by the Oxfoid
crew in 13 min. In see., and by their opponent in 13
mio. 22 s-c. from be start. the Cambridge crew bein•
at that point • trifle over two I-ngths astern ; lout opoosite
Thornercrol a's yard, where they bad the inside of the
bend, they seem id t m uo some ground. Hoth crews
were rowing about the same rate of stoke in C arum,
reach, and until teauing the baihing-nlace the Oxford
crew did not materis:ly add to their advantage. Before
getting there, however, there was some unsteady rowing
in both boats, bit it did not la.t lone. Bar ner.bridge as
reached in 18 into. 184 -ea. by Oxford, and in 18 min. 261
sec. by Cambridge. Ou getting deer of the bridge, West
slowed down one stroke • minute, and this rot the crew
together again. while Cambridge were getting a little
short, and some of the men were feathering under water.
Abreast of tee White Hart Brooksbank male a plucky
attempt to rediye the lead of the Oxford boat, and was
settmg oopo,ite the Mo.Vake brewery, but the spurt
was not taken up quite a, well as it might have been,
more feathering ender water and splashing taking place.
West answered hie onoonent's challenge with another
stroke • minute, and Oxford having gradually increased
their lea i after shooting Barnes-bridge, passed the
winning post above the ship in 21 min. 52 see.. with •
lead of shout four lengths, the badness of the tide account.
Mg for the slowness of the time.