The New York herald., 1868-03-01
NEW YORK HERALD SUNDAY MARCH J. lsea-TRlPLE SHEET

to this am much obliged to for your Kindness IN
taking much trouble Iw0ald agree with your opinons
were an Engshman. but as an American wiz @ no i a.
fringe on see in your letter thaI YOU uo
not think " can Ind a straight three nile COURSE ~
self to rivera. From nr Richards, graduate at Cam
bridge England We learn that Lake WlhaermsIe moua M
furnish what We desire should think Una. you "oua
be willing 10 few miles when we are wiihs 70 ~ 81
many. We do not why either party should eaaeavuI
TO make the other violate their CUSTOMS hut tha eech
should have the liberty to choose. Many men OF our
are unwilling TO 90 to the expense Of going over
merely TO train for race therefore, the money mas 70 90
raised by subscription, and friends would not come io
ward should We be obliged to adopt custom foreign 10
u.s. The captain wishes 10 say that there IS no use
trying TO DO anything mora unless you can guarantee
course as we desire Also allow US 10 row without
coxswain Please direct the to This letter 70 X
@ Watson, City Exchange, Boston, Mass, United states
am afraid there will never be race between un.
less one is arranged this time hope, though TO meet
you next fal in person. ana that each crew will gain by
acquaintance. In the meantime. believe n, me, yours,
very truly, X. Z. WATSON.
10 F. WILLIAM, Esq, Oxford.
The following is the reply OF the Committee Of tho
Oxford University Boat Club to Mr.. watson's letter.
UNIVERSITY BOAT CLUB, OXFORD Feb H. 1858.
SIR-Your proposition make eigntoared match
between the Harvard and Oxford University Boat Clubs
having been referred TO US by the members OF me OK
have given the matter best consideration. and that
must entirely concur iD all that has been said Dy MT
william In his informal correspondence with you on the
subject We willing Though the season proposed is
most nconvenienV to row an eightoared match with
your club next September under conditions similar 10
those under which wo annually meet the University OF
Cambridge but much fear that the diiules arising
from the difference Of system Of boating-caused us
that Is, by the physical differences OF our respective
coun,res-will prove to be insuperable.
You propose firstly. that your boat shall carry ony
eight men, whereas in ours--from the pature of our
rivers and the style OF our boaiswe must necessarily
carry ninth for the purpose OF seerng and, secondly
you propose Lereby admitting that our ordinary rivers
not adapted to your system of sesrne) that the
race shall be broad open lake, TO which kind OF
water we are quito unaccustomed, and our boats un'
fitted. We have with great reluctance come 70 the con-
cusion that cannot agrec these conditions, as We
of opinion that ought not 10 involve our CLUB In
match in which tho competitors will not meet upon
the same terms consider tnat matches IN which
the parties engaged start under different conditions are
trials Of skill and strength very unsatisfactory; they
may, no doubt, be interesting; and invaraoy anoro
great opportunities for speculation, but when
honor only at stake they to US to be entirely out
OF places for the conclusion of the contest is i'm
possible say how far conditions themselves and
how far the manner In which they have been carried
out IN mat instance nave ona aaes after 10
press wish to test not only the skill and strength OF
our respective crews, but also your system T. e.,
method OF carrying coxswain: We see,
however, advantage to be gained by sucn
that your system is the best sou the broad and straight
pieces OF water and yet II this were ever so satsac
torily proved we should still be unable TO adopt 1t on
our narrow and winding rivers. We would submit,
however, that t Is not possible to prove satisfactorily
the advantage Of method of operation over another
and the time and by the same test to discover
the superiority of operator the other To test
the systems the operators must be equal TO decide boz
tween the operators the meth0ds must be the same.
For these reasons cannot ayree to mako q match
the you propose, because practically tbeg
would place The competitors on different footing Wo
convinced that cannot learn your method or
steering on rivers and indeed you can hardly
expect 10 you upon system which would neces-
state enro change in our build OF Doits and style
of rowing and which, then, we could not practice
on our own river We may more reasonably ask you to
adopt sy stem; it would involve no change In your
boat or style OF rowing and II has this great advantage
yours-tha could be adopted on any course what
ever It's nature Moreover the art OF steering may be
thoroughly learnt BY in month-not 30 the
art of steering without coxswan. or course, II you
consent carry coxswain, you would then have no
object In desiring TO have The race on Lake Wndermere;
but If you object to the Thames get course OF
three miles, almost quito straight on tho river Ouse, at
Lynn in Norfolk Hoping that you may 0e induced to
fall In with our views sir, yours obediently,
FRANK WILLIAM, President
w. w. WOOD, Secretary, Committee OF the
r. G. NARSDEN. Treasurer, }Oxtord University
C. r W. TOTTENHAM, Boat Club
EDMUND 3. CARTER,