The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-01-16


The Americans have had another triumph
on the water, small it is trne, but decisive and
significant. An international regatta took
place in October, in Shanghae; the first race
was between an English boat and a boat man.
ned by Americans, including two Boston men
and the English boat was distanced Four of
the same American crew, on the same dav won
another race against four other crews. This
victory OF Yankee" pluck, training, skill, and
oottom' is very gratifying, and it is worthy of
hote that two of the successful crew were old
harvard oarsmen, and the old Harvard tactics
were preserved throughout A Shanghae let
ter to the Boston Daily Advertiser gives the
following lively account of the affair:
The day was fne and the tide high, when the
English eight went up to the starting point,
amid the applause of their friends and hackers.
The course stretches n mile and half from
just below sharp turn, to an old redoubt on
which stood the judge the British vice-admiral
watch i'll hand. A good horsenan can follow
the whole race on the bank; but most people
took up positions at intervals. There We're
crowds of all nations, stations, and occupations
there, and the interest grew intense as the long
American boat, with til beautiful little flag in
her bow (the handiwork Of an absent lady we'll
wisher) pushed off from the b0at-house, and
swung steadily up, a Inc, tine starting, place was
structions and warnings We're passed nm the
boats: the forward all" was given: the Starter
stop watch in hand, stood on one bank and
and the umpire, on a fast horse, was ready on
the other; the gunner had his hand ON the Ian
yard OF Che cannon; the coxswain erouched in
his seat with the starting rope in his left hand
and the yoke-llnes in his right, had replied call
ready TO the starter; and the start came. The
lead was to be taken if possible, and taken it
was, and after half mile, pulled as hard a.
ever in this country, Athirty-six to thirty-seyen
strokes to the minute,-the Americans had a
lead of a clear length Another half mile they
held it well, the pace being very severe. At
one time the Englishmen put on a little squirt
and there We're cries from the bank of "We ell
pulled! pick her upl go it, English, you re
gainlngp but our coxswain was a match for
them. He could not only steer well, but he
had been an old fireman too, and he was ready
with a yell that would have galvanized boat
full of nummes-"Go it, YANKs, no then
anti 4" Don't you'hear your friends calling
to yOu?" Friends calling, indeedi 49, =
How shall 1 describe the scene ON the bank ?
Babel was nothing to it. Our friends had been
straining their eyes ever since they heard the
gun, some cool and confident, others actually
pale and trembling with excitement, and now
diplomats, consuls, missionaries, doctors, mer-
chants, captains and all were fairly beside them
selves. The American flag was raised on two
canes, one man begged another to take his
spy-glass and "hit him over the head" and an
old speaking-trumpet that had often hailed the
weather yardarm off the cape was used lust
lily. Our coxswain had made the last turn to
perfection, and the captain had quickened for
the rush in at the finish, the gap widening at
every stroke, when the English crew stopped
for some seconds They went on again, amid
the enraged cries of their friends, but had lost
the chance ofeven making good show at the
end, and they had not gone far when the re-
port ofthe gun announced that the urbane ad-
mlral had seen the stars and stripes go past the
winning post in minutes and 80 seconds from
the starting flash, slightly against the tide
Not man in the crew was distressed; thew
gave three cheers and a tiger, and landed to be
almost torn in pieces by their friends The
English captain gave an explanation of his stop
ping on coming in, how that the stroke side was
weak, and that as they could not beat, and he
had another race to pull, he thought best to
take this course. This did not seem to satisfy
his eountrymen. They acknowledge the de-
feat handsomely, and give all credit to their
generous rivals" as they call us; but while the
bards and correspondents are singing our
praises, the poor captain is the scapegoat to be
blamed for the stopping of the other crew WheI
they might have made at least q fair race, al
though no one claims that they had the ghost
ola chance to win.
10 make matters worse, four of our crew the
same day won the General Club race Against
the Shanghae crews and picked and fresh
one from Ningpo. 81.