Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-04-16
THE UNIVERSITY BOAT RACE.

AASSs AAOANAl hCA"
THE UNIVERSITY BOAT RACE.
The Great Race on the Thames-Oxford
&ins-A Graphic Description.
The Pail Mall Gazette, of March oath,
gives a graphic description of the Univer-
sity boat race on the Thames. We copy /:
alt was still an hour before dawn when,
through the darkness on Barnes Common,
the men who were soon to confront the
gaze of so many eager and curious eyes
took their last training walk and "breath-
err There was a dreary breakfast by
candle light at 5 A. NJ. P1tney al yet
showed no signs of life-all was gloomy,
cold, quiet. n London, West End hotels
woke to unwonted life at 6 A. NJ, and
shortly after, the later stragglers of Con-
vent Garden Market might have wonder
ed what mania had seized the gentlemen
of England when they saw so much bea-
yer and brosdcloth bestirring itself at
such an ungentlemanly hour. Meantime,
at the scene of action 'dark blue broke
the monotony of suspense by launching
for a paddle and a couple of short starts,
to the pier and lack. Cambridge remained
in their quarters, and as the Oxford crew
came back to theirs the sun appeared, and
then the scene was lively enough. A
rapid throng began to pour over Putney
Bridge, and carriages ratified up the High
street to secure positions on the terrace at
Barnes. Early hours seemed, after ali, to
have but little horror for the fair-even
the fairest the garden of color from Mort
lake ~homewards was oon almost as gay
as ever it was, and the block as mex
tricGble. Steamers ploughed through the
Putney piles, and congregated off the Star
and Garter. Threats and persuasions
seemed this year to have some effect, and
the boats kept up a very decent line thirty
yards behind the pier. Finch's Ground
filed up as fast as the hill at EPSON, but
the short cut over the COMMON to Barnes
was blocked by the main drainage works,
which turned back all but pedestrians.
By Z A N. the rival headquarters were
thronged with veterans who came to dis
pei the fears and cherish the hopes of the
competitors. 7:l5 brought down the UNI
pire, the classic, cricketing, Varsity
stroke, Gritty, and before Putney tower
tolled out 7:30 the move was made to the
boat houses. 80.
Cambridge wondered whether the tide
of fortune would ever turn when Oxford
won tie choice of stations for the sixth
time running, and then in good heart and
purpose, they get afoat. Cambridge first
away, Oxford not a minute behind. AS
they paddle to stations, their even swing,
accurate time, and long reach, call for Gu.
logies for both, from friends and foes
alike. There should be no two to one
against Cambridge if that bit of rowing is
any criterion, but such somehow is the
current state of the odds, which have been
thrown out of all gear by the wholesale
speculations of book-makers, trusting to
the prestige of Oxford, but not knowing
an oar from a broom-stick. So the crews
turn and back to stations, preparatory to
stripping.
No delay at the start-no watermen's
finding" They strip, and are forward
in atwinkling. Suspense is soon broken
they are of. A good start in fine style;
but Oxford havethe best of it, going away
more evenly with a few feet to the good
at S~Immond's), settling down to thirty
nine strokes a minute. Cambridge force
on two a minute quicker and are up to
them, and ahead before they reach the
London Rowing Club House. Oxford
keeps on steady as ever, and Cambridge
career by them, not SO rapidly as last
year, but still at a passable pace. At the
Point, Forbes takes Cambridge very wide,
but they are three-fourths of a length in
'front.' and in making the shoot an en-
tire length. The same at the Grab Tree,
the boats not squirting upon each other,
but rowing their W pace, and playing
their " game. The positions are about
the same at Hammersmith Bridge, which
they shoot at $50, both in the center arch;
Oxford, if anything slightly overlapping.
The sporting world is glad to see Gam
bridge win, and the whole mass of specta-
tors in carriages, on foot, or hanging in
the chains Of the bridge, cheer them as
they dash by. Signs of a west wind and
rough water are already visible outside the
house under the lead mills, and soon the
coxswains warn their men to feather high
and hold tight.
The boats are still in statu QUO, neither
gaining nor losing; but presently as the
head wind increases, the labor of getting
forward endangers the length OF the strike;
the Oxford stroke oar slsckens, and keeps
his men together, losing but little way
comparatively, and preserving form and
strength. Cambridge steers into the bay
out Of the strength of the tide, where
are more sheltered from the wind. A
numbering barge lacking up with the tide,
swings full across the race, and danger is
imminent. Oxford sheer to the right and
Cambridge follow them, but lose far more
urnnnd than tho nfhara h. ho-,,- (o-4Lz-
to go. Both then make for the shelter of
the Middlesex shore, and the advantage of
this corner is everything. Cambridge
have had the pull in corners ever since
Crab Tree, and Oxford cannot afford
10 lose this advantage; so while Grifiths I
1orce the race, Brown follows suit, and at
asst lets his men go in real earnest. They
nave been rowing within themselves, bid |
ng their time, and when they are called /
lpon they "come." Yard by yard, and |
'owlock by rowlock, they close up-swing-
ng, sweeping and slashing in better form
han ever, and before the curve is reached
hey take the lead, for the first time in |
.hree and q half miles, except during the |
irst half minute. Here the race resembles |
hat of last year. Oxford now takes longer
o pass their rival, and never got SO far
head as in former matches. Nor do the
.)xonians here shoot away at such a pace
Is when they took the lead last year. It
5 still hard fighting, and, though they
lraw away, there is barely daylight be-
ween the boats as they shoot Barnes
in 19 min. 40 sec. But from this
,oint all is over, and Oxford draw slowly.
are a clear length at the White
Hart, and increase the distance in the last
lalf mile, winning by three clear lengths
4 25 min. so sec.
To lose such a race is no disgrace, and
gainst such a crew; and Cambridge, if
lot victorious over Oxford, have atleast
onquered themselves. Lawes made a
God race last year against a bad crew;
a still better fight this year
gainst n infinitely superior to its pre-
ecessor. Faults, too, have been by de-
rees eradicated from the Cantsb STYLES.
If individual failings, of course, we here
~ nothing. Neither stroke can be
raised too highly for Judgment. Grit
tbs, when once secure of a lead, nursed
is men well, and did not try to place an