Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-03-05
AN RNGMSH.AMERIOAN BOAT
RACE.
Harvard VS.. oxford.


There seems 10 be some probability that
the proposed race between the Oxford eight
and the crew Of Harvard College will come
on the Thames this year. The success of
the Canadian boats crew in France last
year has no doubt created desire on the
part Of cur Boston collegians TO compete
for honors in England and there appears
10 be every desire on the part of the Eng
lish university 10 accede 10 their request.
In the preliminaries of all such contests
there must necessarily be matters difficult
10 settle; and the conditions affixed by the
students Of Harvard will require some lit
tie modification before they can be ac-
cepted. The stipulation as 10 the course
being three miles in length can, of course,
be sgreed 10; but the further proposition
that such course shall be straight, Is abso
lutely impossible in England. There is no
part Of the Thames whereon the race can
come of that can boast of = straight three
miles and the Mortlake and Putnay
reaches-the course Of the annual race be-
tween Oxford and Cambridge-aflord de-
cidedly the best room for any similar contest.
The bend Of the river at these points
IL 80 gradual that it can make little differ.
ence 10 a well-trained crew; and this con
dition will, no doubt, be expunged from
the challenge. The point that will require
most consideration on the part of the
English crew is that which enables the
Boston crew to use or dispense with the
services Of a coxswain, az they may deem
most expedient; for the English boats are
not only invariably steered by coxswain,
but on his ability in a variety Of ways de-
Ia fi. Il n 81 =
the boat 20 nearly resembles that of
jockey in n horse-race that the loss Of his
services would have a most injurious effect
on the efforts of the crew. A course Of
training during the summer months for
the purpose of transferring his labor 10 the
bow oar may enable the OKonians to waive
this point but, should they deem il of too
much importance to be conceded, it il to be
hoped the Harvard crew will meet the
case by placing a coxsWain in their own
boat September is the time chosen by our
crew for their visit TO England and, al
though more desirable season might have
been selected, the necessities Of the attend
ant circumstances require il 10 be thus
late; and there Ii no probability
Of our friends across the water raising any
difficulty on that score. London ia, com
paratively speaking, empty in September,
but distances are 80 short and travelling
facilities 30 great in England, that thou
sands who may be in the country and at
the seaside at the time will run up for the
day 10 witness the race. Indeed, the only
fear h lest the desire TO see a race between
Americans and English will attract such
numbers that those pests Of the river, the
penny steamboats,, will so far encroach on
the boundaries Of the course as TO seriously
impede the race, and possibly ruin the
chance Of one or the other Of the BOATS
feat they have already accomplished on
more than one occasion. The English
universities have declared their intention
of removing the scene of their annual
race TO come other locality, unless the
river authorities will better regulate the
movements Of the steamers on their own
particular day, and we trust that prompt
aud vigorous action will he taken by Eng
lish amateurs TO insure the safety and con-
yenience of Che boats in this national trial.