Evening star., 1869-08-27
THE INTERNATIONAL BOAT RACE

This Is the day fixed for the boat race between
Oxford and Harvard, which event has been
looked forward 20 with interest on both sides
Of the Atlantic for some weeks past Our
American crew laborS under a great many dis
advantages, but their friends are hopeful Jrp
TO this time they have had to yield every
disputed point IN favor of their adversaries or
give up all idea of a match at all. Thus in the
very start they had to consent TO carry a cox
swain, abandoning the nam feature OF the
style of rowing to which they have ALWAYS
been accustomed, and next they Were not al
lowed to name the water on which they would
race, but the Oxford crew refused 10 row any
where except over the course with which they
were entirely familiar. The course from Put
new 10 Mortlake has been rowed over in racing
matches between Oxford and Cambridge TWEEN.
ty times in the last quarter of a century, and
In only six OF those races has Oxford failed 10
WIN The best time ever made by Cambridge
In winning race was in 1876 (2lm. 5s.), but in
leeo and 1859 Oxford beat this, rowing over the
course in % minutes last year, and in 2Om. 6,s
this year. Cambridge has won lin 1867 in as
slow time as 25H minutes, and Oxford lin 1854,
IN second less than that. The weather makes
q great difference: and il does not appear that
the speed of races has increased materially
within twenty five years; the time of the two
last years being apparently exceptional. The
Harvard crew, in one of its trial pulls, has
already come mp 10 the Cambridge time of 1916.
which only twice been exceeded by Oxford
Ihe changes we have mentioned forced the
Haryards to abandon the light shell they took
with them, and to have a boat built for the
race. to meet the conditions imposed upon
hem The new boat has only lust been finished
and they have not had the advantage of prac-
using with IT, III they can beat the Oxford In
spite OF all this, they will effect as complete a
re'oluuon In English rowing as was brought
about IN English yachting by the triumph of
the Amerlca; Tor the superiority of the Ameri-
can stroke, over the long sweep of the British
viii be proved beyond question Itis, IN fact,
contest OF principles and not men, The
harvard stroke is not short and quick as is
generally supposed. What the English papers
call the 'soldier like movement, OF the Harvard
crew and the New York Herald calls their
nervous stroke,' doubtless refers to the re-
markable quickness of their recovery. IL *
GEAR enough that ali the time the oar Is out OF
water Is time wasted. as far as the propulsion
OF tne boat goes. The rule at Harvard is To
reach forward as far as possible, cover the
oiace OF the oar by placing il in the water AT
night angles, take hold hard at the beginning
oy Kicking with the legs and by throwing the
Welgat OF the body on the beginning OF the
sHOke- Ihe main work IS doEe with the legs
'--' oHNhf dIlIlS NOT DclQg used until the
body reacnes the perpendicular, when they are
employed 10 feather the osr and finish tna
stroke. The arms are kept straight until the
BODY reaches the perpendicular, the hardest Of /
TIE pulling being at the beginning OF the stroke I
By the legs and back.
1 ne crews consist OF the following oarsmeu.
tx.ord crew.. +. William. Exeter: , A g.
Marlborough. Lincoln; ,. J. G. Time, Jnixer-
sityi ;. ID. Dsrbishire, Ballioi, (strokeC ]. III.
Hall Corpus, (eoxswainl. Harvard crew.
y - Fay, Boston; ? +. o. Lyman, Hawaiian
lsla1d; j. ". II. simmons, Concord; A. T..
LoIing, Boston, (stroke), A. Burnham, (cox-
SWAMI.
IL Is a good choice that the crews have made |
q Dir. Thoma, Hughes. Tom Brown as /
referee. Mr. Hughes is an old Oxford rowing
mar al home N boat, and as Incapable of per-
nltting foul-play in others as of playing foul
himself There seems TO have been a little
trouble about the referee. and Oxford wanted
10 cnaDge. but Harvard very properly sticks
10 hT- Hughes. In conseq uence Of this Mr.
Unity refuses 10 act as umpire. not being !
wiling TO serve under ughes, and the proba-
olliiy Is that there Will be no umpires al all,
but Hughes Will be selected as sole referee.
TINS rs the best arrangement by all odds, that
could be made.
II the Americans should run the Oxford as
close as is expected, IT will put what 1. called
Engiish fair rlsy' TO pretty severe test, and
Z remains 70 oe seen how they Will stand the
,Tdeal The British ha We treated their visitors
win great courtesy so far, but have stood out !
icr their "pound OF flesh on every contested
point regarding the race. We mention these
I1stie1s cow, because sll our grum bling should
fe coEe before the race, and If the Harvard
are defeated, let US remember that they con-
reoed every point 10 the Enylishman, rowing on
L. chosen course in bi, chosen style ard if
- GoEt complain beforehand, they have no I
.snJ 10 complain afterwards II they should
VIII their victory VIII be ali the grester Tor
T. 81 disadvantage.