The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-15
THE INTER. UNIVERSITY CONTEST.
The Harvard nnd Oxford Boat Race-Criti-
cisms the Americans-The Rumors Of

The Harvard und Oxford Boat Race-Criti-
ci,ms on the Americans-The Rumors Of
Foul Play.
LONDON. August ., 1862
The LONDON newspapers witch are always salts
fed TO be week or two behind the public In all
matters OF news and general interest are just be-
ginning TO wake up to realization of the fact that
four spirited and adventurous young oarsmen from
an American University nave made journey across
the Atlantic Ocean for the purpose OF entering into
friendly contest with the same number OF picked
men from che oxford University and with the audable
ambition OF wrestling from the English collegans the
laurels they have repeatedly won In their famous
races with the Cambridge crews. The Harvard
boys having been now some ten or twelve DAYS To-
Gated at their quarters at Putney. on the Thames
we are at length favored with the opinions OF the
metropolitan journals to their style OF rowing.
their general capacity as oarsmen and their pros
poets IN the approaching struggle These opinions
are various, anu IL they all SAVIOR more or less OF
hypercrtlcisms and superciliousness we may well
attribute the fact to the Overweauing self-concet
which is component part Of John Bulls character
II we can place reliance upon these Cockney critics
all chance or the success OF the young American ad
yenurers, or even Of weli.contested race. Is at
an end; for, by whatever course OF reasoning 1t may
be reached the conclusion Is the same in all the Lon
don journals and that Is that the Haryards stand no
chance whatever against the gallant "hoarsmen Of
HOxford. "
According TO one authority they are too short in
the stretch and according to another they are too
slow in the catch OF the water. One critic discovers
that there Is strength IN the beginning OF their
pull, another that it is weak in the middle. and
third that 1t lacks power in the feathery end. Here
are told that they work with their arms and not
with their bodies. there that they lack the ft
together" and pOwerin unison. Now we are assured
that the dip OF their Is too deep, and now again
We have the comforting wholesale assurance that
they lacK style" altogether To be sure, four strap
ping fellows, tall. straight and muscular, and In
every respect models OF strength and activity, may
any day be by the visitors to Putney saunterng
the bank quietly pulling for practice on the river
our newspaper critics are willing to admit the fact
that the Harvard crew are fine. powerful men, but
then "they hant got the style Of the Hoxford fell
lows you KNOW" and we are led to expect the
Americans have made their transatlantic voyage for
nothing, and are certain TO return home disc0miitted
Now this may all out to be true, but 1t Is GER
tain that yet there is nothing to justify the AFRO
giant Boosting OF the LondOners or to assure the
oxford men in the victory OF the coming race The
practice Of the Harvard crew upon the Thames has
been up to this point entirely satisfactory to their
we'll wishers, whatever 1t may have been to the
critics Of the London press, ana the best hopes
their quiet confidence and evident self-reli-
ance OF course their opponents have every
advantage on their side and ought to come
out victorious If they do not, and that In fair race
and without resort to any foul play. While the
Harvard men were enduring the trials OF hard
sea voyage with its necessary prostraton and
danger OF temporary injury to the constitution, the
Oxford four were enjoying the heaithiul retreat OF
retired riverside home, and were daily practising
Themselves pXnprencpO
"cOaching' they could secure, and getting them
selves into perfect condition.. Year after year they
have raced the course chosen by themselves for
the contest and they know every turn OF Its current
every ripple OF Its waters while to the Americans
Is an ''unknOWn waste"
The Oxfords have insisted upon rowing with cox.
swain and the harvards have consented although
to Them While the Harvard students row only occa-
siOnaiiy as an amusement and very seldom hear
e se ., aSs our pas S line
University match calls forth spirit OF emulation
and nctes the soesans 70 giant EFFORTS TO aS s
tails OF English BOAT race, the condition OF the
RIVER the action Of the spectators are all familiar to
the oxford crew, while they are all foreign to the
Hatvards. On the principle that every cock fights
best on his dunghlll the oxford crew viii row
by their friends than they could anywhere else and
nine hundred and ninety-nine men out OF every
thousand who witness the race will shout and throw
up their caps and pray for the success OF the OxOn
ans. All these are admitted facts, and they only
prove that, II the Harvard men do win, they will
wrench victory from the hands OF fortune against
tremendous ODDS. Bur despite them all, and not
blowers there are those competent to Judge who
feel quiet confidence In the Harvard crew: which
increases as they get more and more settled down
to their work, and who firmly expect to see the
crimson flag lead the dark blue at the winning
post on the day OF the race. -, 49,.
representations OF the London critics peeps forth
certain amount Of apprehension which all their
some Of the ~ journals are making great
talk over the amount Of instruction" the
Harvard men are ,s 70 receive sem ae ae
| ''coach, ;" while one paper has the presumption to
claim that they will be no longer an American crew
| when they are in boat OF English build and have
| Deen taught how TO row by Englishmen. Now 1t
| happens that no arrangement has been made with
Kelly at ALL ana the most ne will do for the Har-
wards IL to post them as 10 the course over which
the Is to be r0wed IL Is not by any means GER
alter All, nor are they at all dissatisfied with the
! boats they have brought with them from home.
Long before they launched either OF their boats ats
English builder, for an English race boat intending
to try which they liked best Az 70 The amount OF
| state on the best authority that they nave
up this time seen nothing IN English rowing that
mens, teach them any more than they already know
There is therefore, not the slightest shadow OF truth
or 'syle" being very well contented win t1eir own,
and satisfied to try that against their English COM
pstsors win or lose II sunless to bring them IN
satisfy the critical taste OF John Bull.
But are the Harvards to be permitted
| to wtni That Is the question that just
now attracts general attention. 1t VIII not
| escape observation that certain journals.
| in their Indignant reputation OF any intention OF
foul play, are so ncensed at the bare hint Of such
thing that they dscOuntenance the discussion OF the
subject. and as q consequence, any steps that may
be contemplated to guard against It.. Now, there is
doubt tnat the English nation or the English peo
ple whatever may be the proper term for general
izaton, would be very indignant ut any attempt to
interfere with the perfect fairness OF the race Ii
would be dlfcult to perceive how the English nation
could be otherwise seeing that every advantage lies
with the English crew and that every OF their
conditions has been complied with, however detrl-
mental to the Americans But then the English nation
Will not be at the race while betting who have
been backing oxford largely at long Odds and heated
partlsans, who would feel terribly annoyed at the
| defeat OF the OxOnlaus. Will be there in pun1ng