The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-30 00:00:00

THE UNIVERSITY BOAT RACE.

Although the president of the Cambridge Uni-
versity Boat Club last autumn called out, according
to custom, the pair of •‘ trial eights" from which the
crew is usually selected for the race with the
rival University at Putney, Cambridge has given
no other indication of seriously renewing the con-
test, and there are now rumours that, after all,
no challenge will be issued. We hope there is
no truth in this report. Although so often de-
feated in this competition, nobody can say that
the Cambridge men have, in any sense, been
disgraced. They had the better crew for three
miles in 1865, for three and a half in 1866, and
were only half a length "to the bad " last year. A
marked and growing improvement is visible in their
performances, and there is every encouragement
for the future. It is, no doubt, a misfortune that
one of the best and most experienced oarsmen avail-
able for the Putney crew is disabled by ill-health,
and has been forbidden by the doctors to row again.
But there is no reason to despair of supplying his
place, and the trial eights at Ely, though rough
enough, no doubt, were not deficient in the mate-
rials of a good crew, and there is still sufficient time
for careful training and practice. That the shallow
and sluggish waters of the Cam place the Cantabs
at a disadvantage in competing on the Thames with
Oxonians, whose stream is more akin in character
to that upon which the race has to be rowed, can
hardly be disputed. It is certainly true that the
successes of the Cambridge were achieved in the
days of heavy boats, and that since keelless eights and
Newcastle oars came into fashion fortune has gone
persistently against them. The significance of this
coincidence cannot be ignored. That sharp " catch"
which is essential in the case of the present style of
light boats is quite out of place on shallow water,
and when the Cambridge men transfer their boat
from the Cam to the Thames they are put out by
finding that it is only half the weight to which they
were accustomed. For these reasons it is now
suggested that the scene of the annual race should
be removed to the reaches of Ely, and, of course,
even this would be better than abandoning
the traditional competition, which we hope in
some way or other will yet be arranged. In
any case, the year will not close without a Uni-
versity boat race, for the students of Harvard
College (Boston), United States, stimulated, no
doubt, by the successes of the Canadian four at
Paris in July last, have intimated their wish to send
a challenge to Oxford to row an eight-oared race.
The American collegians volunteer to come to Eng-
land for the purpose, and select September as the
date of contest, the earliest period at which they
can arrive after the vacation, with due rest and
practice after landing. They stipulate for a " three-
mile course," which can be easily found, and
"straight," which will be an impossibility in Eng-
land. They also claim the right of using or
dispensing with the services of a coxswain, at
pleasure. The latter condition will cause, no
doubt, some variation in the tactics of the Eng-
lish rowers ; but surely what the Americans can do
our amateurs can do also ? Novel though the
system of steering by the bow oar may be at first,
it can be as easily learnt by men used, as so many
of our University oarsmen are, to sculling• boat and
pair-oar practice, without the aid of a steerer, as
by the undergraduates of Harvard, who, without
the aid of early school rowing and experience, such
as Eton, Radley, and Westminster offer to a large
proportion of our University rowers, cannot have
been upon the river for more than two years apiece
on an average. The time of the proposed race is
awkward, but if the Amateurs cross the ocean to
us we must not grudge some concession on our side.
.
The challenge ought certainly to be received a
conciliatory spirit on this side of the Atlantic.
Pall-Mall Gazette.

THE ANNUITY-TAX AT EDINBURGH.—"In the
Town Council, on Tuesday, a now movement Was begun
for the abolition of the tax levied on the inhabitants of
the royalty for the support of the city clergy. Mr. Greig
said that several things had been done to lighten the
tax, but the sting still remained, and nothing could be
regarded as a settlement of the question except the entire
abolition of the tax. Mr. Howden suggested that a fund
should be raised by subscription to secure one-half of the
present stipends, and as there were 13 fine churches free
of debt, the remainder of the stipends could be raised by
the seat rents, witli the addition of £2,000 a year derived
from Leith. After a discussion, a motion to enter into
communication with Mr. D. M‘Laren, M.P., and the
Lord Advocate, and to take steps for the entire aboli-
tion of the tax, was carried by a majority of seven against
a motion to lay the matter before the Lord Advocate
alone.
THE EXE SALMON FISHERY.--A general meeting
of the conservators of the Exe district has just been held
at the Castle of Exeter, R. Sanders, Esq., presiding. A
lengthy report from Mr. Frank Buckland, Inspector of
Fisheries, was read. It was to the effect that he bad re-
cently inspected the River Exe, in company with Mr. Ford
(the hon. secretary), Mr. R. Sanders, and other gentlemen,
and he was much pleased with the pass at James Weir, but
still it was far from being perfect. He suggested that the
ladder there should bo formed into a series of pools, so
as to impede the velocity of the water, and thus give the
salmon three resting places, instead of a long rush which
they could not surmount. He should be willing to super-
intend this alteration next summer. At Trew's Weir a
plank should be fastened in a diagonal direction across the
face of the weir, so as to concentrate the water and give
the fish a sufficient depth to use their fins and swim. He
also recommended several material improvements at Black
Aller Weir, Cowley Bridge, and other places. Ho was
much pleased with the efforts made by the Board of Con-
servators, but those efforts, however laudable on the part
of these gentlemen, could not obtain final success unless
energetically supported by the powerful co -operation of
the Town Council of the city of Exeter.
MOTTO FOR THE MARRIED.--Never
P unc4.