The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-07 00:00:00

An Intern tional Boat Race.

(From the Anglo-Americom Times.)
It is probable that the Regatta at Paris will be
enlivened by a competing boat from the American
Colleges to run against the Universities of France
and England. A committee of Harvard and Yale
oarsmen have met to discuss the subject, and an-
nounce themselves ready to supply an eight-oar
crew in case means be provided to carry out the
idea in a creditable manner. It is feared in America
that the boatmen of these colleges may not be in a
state of training that would justify them in running
against Oxford and Cambridge. They would have
to cross the sea and practise on the Seine, and the
time appears too short to get into condition to
give them a fair chance of success against such
practised crews as those of Oxford and Cambridge.
We hope no feeling of this sort will prevent
the oarsmen of Yale and Harvard from entering the
" lists." It was but the other day that England
lined the banks of the Thames to see the great
annual trial of skill between the two English
Universities. This race has become a national
institution. It excites so strong an interest
that the result i 3 the event of the month, ab-
sorbing to itself the closest attention of the public
mind, and through it of the Press. Where
the excitement is so general and the result
so great a triumph, or defeat, the training, it
may well be imagined is in proportion severe.
It need not then surprise us that Harvard and
Yale should shrink from a contest with such
redoubted champions. Let not this feeling,
however, daunt them. In defeat there would
be little dishonour ; in victory, a great feather
would be added to the national cap. We annex
a table of the performances of the Oxford and Cam-
bridge boats, from which the oarsmen of the
American Colleges, by the aid of a good watch, m
be able to judge how far they arc qualified to
compete :

...:1.
..sei
„; B,tcv 4, a M
.4 g -.3
,1 X
; "-'2l' • - • •11),Z .i. c,':" i ir,lc.: tA
.''',._.-'4.4...L,10 4-f_r r.-....=-; to„;-,--,•=-r...,--c g
'''
--=c.:Jz...,.....-- oo 027...'t,00.pc,
~, J~ , L, .I_, tr › , cd ~.. z :.: -, .z 0 •_,-; 5,-, c., t.? 5,2 t 4
.--,-.. Id 3; -• C;• -6-, .... 91; ... .. ~., 7, , , z ~....
PI ',...."" •" :. ':::: 2,4; V. r.7.:-...wz;;;,1,en..0.an 0
': ' ": '4? "V' et --•-- .4
t .-, '''' .0 tki '', .-..
aC ~,t cl .I,') :* ,M
'73,-1,-,71.,-.-1:1•,, (t7t.,":=1,1:..)-14.-41-4,547-,-1,1,

z
.0 -^ .c 0 © • e 0 t••• '= .0 00 000 Ce'
77, :7j ,;•,,j m • .7r, •cri m 4r.
0
"t 1
IA c:A —4 •A .$4 :0 c 0 tr,,l .0 V
:::Q V:0CO V V V VV V a•li VVVVINVVVV cka

E
CI

A.
,b 4

/4-
mmmmm ti VgZi nj.
.._ --
7.
'
,t? et, a? s =l",c4 i c.r?
•-;-4 „ „ „ f.lq„ „ ,
O 00000 °coo
1-tittty4t,ti10,..4"A;e5pf1e;,.,,A74r4,1:4,1"4
2.,;31-Z.-t17:3c:3•-"Cosg000cooP-l0000
......
...4 ▪ ?,
.73
.▪ 4
Eitl.l.Apiti4,3;lAa',3l::°
't"S"'"'-''-'o====="ssss
„4.
=

t 0 tot) t 1 tf te ?I)
on t
--xxx=xgxz >4 )1 ›t ›.l
7-57.-.5.C.)-DOC:,C.).C3007.)0.)00000000

...,
Cc XD X+ XlOX> k CC,C, so x oo oo ao x, 00 00 00 09

They must bear in mind that the scene of these
contests is a narrow river, strongly influenced by
the tides ; and it may be therefore, diflicuk to
judge of the speed attained in other Waters. It is
not long since we gave the result of a boat race at
Shanghai, where it was held before the race, that
tnheer
4. Americanseric had America,
h onwoecvlei chance cdei
distanced
com-
petitors ; and not only won, bucontcinedwinoagullinNhvteihtrhe cwsouimnci--1
ease that JOHN BULL hauled off the course, and
frankly confessed to have been fairly beaten. The
present chance is a splendid one, and ought to be
eagerly seized. If America wins, which we consider
unlikely; it will be a-grand coup. If America loses,
it is inore than probable that her oarsmen will make
a hard struggle, and command the respect of their
adversaries even in defeat, while a spur will be
given to her Colleges to work up a crew to try again,.
and the contest will not only be between the
Universities, but also between the English and
American winners of the national races. 'l:he
belt will thus be for the world, and the sphere of
these manly pastimes extended. If the Americans
either win or lose in Europe, when the next
exhibition is held, as it will be, in their own
country, they can accompany their invitation with
a challenge to a trial in these athletic exercises. It
would add to the interest of national gatherings
if they were made the occasion for a contest for
the youth of those countries which claim a pre-
eminence in field sports. However interesting may
be the Exhibitions of Arts and Industry, a still
greater interest will always be excited by rivalry in
those games, which from time immemorial have
excited the keenest competition. All required is,
that the utmost good humour should be maintained
in the friendly rivalry ; t'iat losers should pay the
money they have staked on their champions, with-
out sulking, an I the competitors should dine
together after the event and drink each other's
healths in bumpers. Let the nation that wins crow,
and those that lose listen patiently, girding up
their loins for a triumph at a future contest. All
this will tend to harmony and good-fellowship, the
competitors will learn to know and appreciate each
other, and the prejudice, arising mainly from
ignorance, will be more and more dispelled. It
will be seen when young men contest for these
prizes, how closely they are matched against each
other, that accidents and luck are most generally
the causes of victory, and there will be less inclina-
tion towards a rupture between nations when it '
is known that their relative powers arc so evenly
balanced, that one can scarcely hope to establishian
ascendancy over the other, and the fight is but sure
to end in mutual loss,