The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-07-24

From this statement, it will be seen that the
two crews are nearly matched as regards weight,
the Oxford crew having a few pounds the most.
The Harvard men are young, but training will
make up for any deficiencies in this respect, if
they are younger than the Oxford crew, though
age generally gives muscle and experience in this
service.
1t is useless to speculate about the chances of
the race, where the best men on both sides are
put forward and every nerve strained to win but
the following from the same paper quoted above
will be read with interest at this time:
There are several circumstances which make it al
most impossible to calculate the chances of the two
crews. Harvard will carry a coxswain-a thing IN
heard of for nearly three college generations, all the
boats of late years having been made with a steering
apparatus, which the bow-oar manages with his feet.
In the second place, n college four-oar has been for q
long time almost an unknown boat on American wa
tiers. This would not make much difference if there
was any English college boat the time of which could
be compared with any American college boat. But,
while we always pull six oars, they always pull eight.
When it is considered, in addition to this, that the
Harvard men are accustomed to turn q stake in the
middle of the course, and the Oxford always pull a
straight course without turning, and that the length
of the course in the two countries is never the same,
it will be seen that no calculation can determine in
advance the probabilities. However, there are one
or two facts well authenticated, which serve to show
that the Harvard crew need not dread that over
whelming defeat which is predicted for it by the
conservative and respondent. The ''Henley course
comes nearer being an exact mile in length than any
other in England. The ''Henley time'' made by an
eight-oar over this course has the reputation of being
the best time made in the country. Now, an average
of some nine or ten years of this time shows 5m.
50sec. as the lest English ~eight-oar time on a mile
course. Last year the Harvard crew, in their race
with Yale at Worcester, made the first mile in a
three-mile course in 5m. 30sec. In other words, an
American six-oar has done better than the average
English eight. 1t is true that the Henley time is
made against n current, but it is n very sluggish one.
running not more than half a mile an hour, and it is
also true that the American time of $50, though
made on dead water. was made on a long course on
which no crew would dare to use all their power for
the first mile.
In addition to this Oxford race, the London Row.
ing Club, the best amateur club in England, has sent
a challenge to Harvard, suggesting that as victory
over Oxford only might not be sufficient to establish
their claim to the championship of the world, the
Harvard crew might like also to beat hem-the Lon
don Rowing Club. This delicately courteous proposal
can hardly fail to be accepted, although, the chal-
lenge having only just arrived, the question has not
yet, we believe, been decided. The summer will, at
events, be an interesting one for all those who
care for aquatic sports and if we are beaten, we
include the damages to our feelings in the
claims, and try again.