The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-28 00:00:00

THE OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE BOAT

RACE.—This Day.

The tima for starting, which had been announced to the
select few on Friday night for nina o'clock, was afterwards
still further postponed to 9. 0, the captains fearing that
the tide would not serve till then. But in accordance with
the experience of the last few days, it was running down at
"the rails" pretty strong soon after 8,30, and the race
might very well have been rowed at that hour. In spite
of the early period of the day, the attendance was never
greater than on this occasion, vehicles of all descriptions
streaming along the Putney and Hammersmith roads in
one uninterrupted file, with horsemen innumerable inter-
mixed. The block at Hammersmith-bridge was at one
time so great that it was feared it could scarcely be kept
clear, but by the exertions of the police their arrangements
were good enough to keep all going. On nearing Barnes
Railway-bridge their efforts were of no avail, and nearly
300 horsemen were penned in there by the carriages, and
unable to reach the starting place ; and the towing-path at
the Point, just below which the start took place, was in con-
sequence only occupied by a dozen horsemen and 200 or 300
pedestrians. The boats for both crews were taken up there
by their watermen, and the crews walked up from Mort-
lake ; the Cambridge men showing at 9.5, and the Oxford
a few minutes afterwards. About half-past nine—by which
time a dozen steamers or thereabouts had come up—both
crews stepped into their boats, Cambridge being the first to
paddle off, being soon followed by their opponents to the
buoys. Here a long delay of more than half an hour oc-
curred, owing to the obstinacy of three or four of the cap-
tains of the steamers, who would not comply with the
orders of the umpire (backed by the river police) to keep
behind the boat of the former gentleman. At a quarter to
ten they had all come back just behind him, and we anti-
cipated a start at that time, but from some cause it was de-
layed a few minutes, during which the foremost boats, like
2-yr-old racehorses, broke away , and would not be persuaded
to return to their stations for some time. At length this
difficult feat was accomplished, and at 25 minutes after
10 we were treated with the start. Both crews dropped
their oars into the water at the same moment, the
Cambridge, having perhaps a trifle the best of it, but the
Oxford gaining a foot in the first two strokes. Gradually
their long powerful stroke told against the Cantabs, who lost
ground foot by foot, and in the first 300 yards the Oxford
coxswain was opposite No. sof the Cambridge, both row-
ing steadily, and without any o' that flurry which is so
often seen at the start for this exciting event. At the Ship
at Mortlake the Oxford were leading a clear length and a
half round the point, the Cambridge dropping into their
wake. It was evident here that the race was ova-, barring
accidents; and none occurring, the Oxford reached Ham-
mersmith-bridge nearly twelve lengths in advance, and
Putney fully twenty before the Cambridge, who did not
persevere to the finish, the dark blues also easing for the
last two miles, as the race was virtually at an end. Time,
23 min, 6 sec,

MARKETS---This Day.

COVENT GARDEN.

The supply of English and foreign fruit is seasonably
large; of vegetables the show is somewhat extensive.
Nearly all descriptions of produce move off slowly at the
annexed currency :

FRUIT.

B. d. a. d.
Pine apples 10 0 to 12 0
Colonial do., each 0 0 to 0 0
Grapes,per lb 10 0 to 12 0
Foreign do 1 0 to 2 6
Melons
Nectarines, per dz 0 0 to 0 0
Apples, per hf-sv. 2 0 to 4 0
Years, per do
Oranges, per 100 3 6 to 8 0
Lemons, per 120 3 6 to 7 0
Gooseberries hf sveo 0 to 0 0
Strawberries pr pt 0 0 to 0 0

s. d. e d
Cherries, per lb. 0 oto 0 0
Foreign ditto, pun° oto 0 0
Filberts, per lb 2 oto 2 6
Walnuts, per 100 0 oto 0 0
Cobnuts, per lb .. 0 oto 0 0
Almonds, per bus 0 oto 0 0
Figs, rer d0z..... 0 oto 0 t,
Damson .. . 0 0 to 0 0
Currants, per h.sv 0 oto 0 0
Plums, per di,. .. 0 oto 0 0
Greengages, pr do. 0 oto 0 0
Raspberries,prpt 0 oto 0 0