The Sun.
London, England, 1865-03-29 00:00:00

BETTING AT MANCHESTER-TUESDAY.

Speculation this day was again important. For the
Northamptonshire Stakes, John Davis, Skeffington, and
Hartley were steady, but the principal feature ih connec-
tion with the race was the support awarded to Swords-
man, who opened at 20 to 1, but closed at 100 to 7 (taken
freely). .Dreadalbane was heavily backed for the Two
Thousand Guineas, and at the Nish had the call of Lid-
dington, 4 to. :1 being accepted about.,4l3reaklalbane, and
offered against Mr. Merry's colt. The Lion was supported
at 100 to 8 for Chester Cup. Closing prices

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE.
15 to 2 agst John Davis (taken and offered)
. • 9to 1 agst Skeffington (taken)
100 to 8 agst Hartley (taken)
100 to 7 agst Swordsman (taken freely)
100 to "6
agst Spring Guh (taken)
100 to 3 agst Lion (taken and offered)
CHESTER CUj'.
10 to 1 agst Lord Zetland (offered)
100 to 8 agst Lion (taken)
20 to 1 agst La Toucques (taken and offered)
THE TWO THOUSAND.
4to 1 agst Breadalbane (taken)
4to 1 agst Liddington (offered)
11 to 1 agst Chattanooga (offered)
20 to 1 agst Zambesi (taken and offered)
DERBY.
11 to 2on the field (offered)
25 to 1 agst Zambesi (taken)

The University Boat-Race.

PUTNEY, Tuesday.
Contrary to general expectation, and in defiance of an
ugly mist that hung about the river like a pall, and gave
a taste of ague to the shivering bystanders, at a quarter to
six on Monday evening the Oxford men turned out for
their first breathings on the metropolitan course, and in
a paddle from Putney to Chiswick and back tried how
they liked it. They were accompanied by Mr. G. Mor-
rison, who did his work in the saddle, and again, with
his stentorian tones, aroused such echoes as happened
to be in waiting for him. By way of compliment, two
eights of the London Rowing Club followed at a
respectful distance ; and so, as far as the wretched,
depressing weather would allow, the river assumed
a dull air of gaiety. When the Oxford crew came back
they seemed a trifle blown, stroke showing unmis-
takable signs of having gone "hotly" to work. The
occurrence of a dies non, so far as rowing is concerned, may
account for this. To-day the word of command was given
for half-past three o'clock (just before high water), and the
crew, in a spin over the entire length of the course, were
to afford the cognoscenti a chance of seeing what kind of
" form " Oxford really possesses. Of course, like Napoleon
on the Alps, and the little boy who was backward in his
grammar, they were stopped " by the elements," for at half-
past three a hail and snow storm of a pitiless, wet-you-
through-and-through-in-no-time character, ending in heavy
rain, made rowing a madness. The morning had been bright
and sunny ; the afternoon was winter in. its worst aspect.
It was enough at any rate for the writer of this article.
He jumped at the not unreasonable conclusion that, as
men gifted with ordinary caution, the Oxford crew would
not go out in search of rheumatics and pulmonary disease.
In this, however, ho was disappointed. There was a
lull in the rain, hail, and snow storm, and taking advan-
tage of it the crow came out gallantly, pulling with every
appearance of improvement upon their first effort. It may
be safely asserted, however, that Oxford has not sent us
such an exceptionally fine eight as she did last year. We
could hardly expect it, perhaps, when we consider that the
stroke of last year is out of the competition. There is the
old dash and " go" in their free, high action; but the " vis"
does not seem so complete as it has been for the past four
years. Much has been said about Mr. Brown's (stroke)
rather elaborate way of falling back, and it must be con-
fessed that in this respect there is room for alteration, if
not improvement. At the same time, there is an un
doubted vigour in the "drag ;" and a man's style of rowing
may by any radical attempt at correction in this way lose
much more than it gains. One thing is greatly in favour of
Oxford. The crew will have nearly a double allowance of
practice over the actual course, and there will therefore be
plenty time to alter and amend, where -alteration and amend-
ment may be necessary. That they preserve the traditions
of their success; in other words, that they maintain the

lofty, bold stroke, which has hitherto been in such forcible
contrast to the lower and more studied stroke of Cambridge,
is a favourable feature of their aquatic training. Cambridge,
however, may take heart of grace this year. It will not
have quite so difficult a task set before it as on former occa-
sions, when Oxford has gone right away, and left its oppo-
nent to make the best of a bad defeat. Indeed, the Oxford
crew of this year looks marvellously like a Cambridge crew,
such as the Cam has of late sent us; and therefore if the
Cantabs can improve only a little upon their customary
form, they may set the balance right on the Bth proximo,
and be able to credit the light blue colours with the same
number of victories that now go to the account of the darker
tint. Reports from Cambridge, however, are not of that
thoroughly cheering character which would authorise san-
guine predictions. The crew does not please everybody, and
there is a notion that the bow side of the boat might do
a little better in the way of quickness and precision. Still
everything points to an open race, a contest about which
there can be a fair division of opinion. Oxford would
scarcely have the advantage in the betting but for the
prestige of a quadruple success, a four years' tenure of the
" proud position," and when the Cambridge crow " come
to town," it is more than probable that prestige alone will
not keep things of a speculative nature as they are. There
will most likely be takers at "evens," and the "point" now
existing may disappear. One fact is greatly to the disadvan-
tage of both crews, and that is, the weather. Could not Ad-
miral Fitzroy do something to make the arduous open-air
work of these gentlemen a trifle more pleasant ? A
little less Boreas and Pluvius would be highly accept-
able just now ; while an approximation of the atmo-
sphere to a few degrees above the freezing-point
would be thankfully received by gentlemen waiting their
turn on a muddy river bank, or sitting patiently in aneight
oared cutter, with only a thin textile fabric between the
wind and their nobility. Perfect training and great care
only can keep men thus exposed from the penalties of
which this inclement season has been fruitful. However,
what is bad for one crew is bad for the other ; and so,
though the glass may point to anything but "fair," the
competitors are fairly placed as to foul weather. Tho Ox-
ford men, after their first paddle on Monday, exhibited a
very proper appreciation of the unfriendly elements ; their
rapid resort to the thick outer jersey being especially notice-
able, and greatly to their credit as judicious athlete. It may
be remarked that Putney always shows itself awake to the
gravity, or rather tho life, of the occasion, the early arrival
of the Oxford crew on Monday being duly acknowledged by
a display of bunting that gave the north wind something
to vent its humour upon. At the head-quarters of the
Oxonians mine host of the White Lion hung out the
triumphant insignia of dark-blue with his customary cele-
rity, and the welcome without was supplemented by a busy
devotion that proved the substantial welcome within. Put-
, ney is never so well pleased as when the two shades of
blue tinge, as it were, the house-fronts and the pavements,
and give the whole place an air of University life in flannel
undress. Could not Putney, however, do something to-
wards making its river a little less like a dismal swamp, or
a slough of despond, in which men wade ankle-deep in
mud ? By way of improvement, it would appear, a mass of
loose spongy rubbish has been cast down on the tow-path
in which those who wish to follow the progress stick at
starting. Add to this, snares in the way of chains and ropes
across the pathway, and loose boulders of a limestone cha-
racter to trip up the unwary, and it will be seen that a
voyage from Putney to Hammersmith-bridge on the Surrey
shore is :a pilgrim's progress of no pleasant nature.—
Herold.

CAMBRIDGE, Tuesday.

Our crew rowed in their new boat for the first time ;res.-
terday, and wont to Clay House. To-day they rowed from
Clay House to Ely, a distance of 13 miles, returning to
Cambridge by train. To-morrow (Wednesday) they will go
down by rail, and row up to the railway bridge at elms -
terton, about 10 miles,
_mid as there are 13eyeral good 1941

.I\l T.;= sp2*. Li

reaches over this course there Will be many opportuni-
ties afforded them of testing their pkers of endurance
and lasting qualities, as it is considerelr-.by_Matiy that__
several of the men are too fleshy, and are.Wtt Yfauffifi
ciently trained to endure the labour of aifour-mile race.
Their rowing is rather clipped, but the time and :swing
of the bodies are cortainlY more perfect than that of
Cambridge crews of the past year or two. They did not
row on Saturday, on account of the University Athletic
sports, so that the Oxford gentlemen had not
an opportunity of seeing them ; but a few stayed here till
yesterday, and having seen the crew, expressed their ad-
miration of their precision and style, but thought they were
very short in stroke. They leave here on Friday for Put-
ney, and are as follows:

st. lb.
1. Mr. H. Watney, St. John's ll 1
2. Mr. M. H. Beebee, St. John's ll 2
3. Mr. E. V. Pigott, Corpus l2 0
4. Mr. R. A. Kinglake, Trinity l2 11
5. Mr. D. P. Steavenson, Trinity Hall 12 7
6. Mr. G. H. Borthwick, Trinity l2 6
7. Mr. W. A. Griffiths, Trinity l2 0
8. Mr. C. B. Lawes, Trinity ll 10
Mr. F. IL Archer, Corpus Christi (cox.) 710

3.