The Portland daily press., 1869-08-30
The International Ront Rnce.

we gather from various sources the follow
ing facts and comments on the great race that
took place on the Thames, Friday The follow
ing items are from the Boston Posts special:
DISTINGUISHED SPECTATORS.
The best places to see the race were taken by
Americans. The party from the American
yacht Dauntless had whole house to them
selves. Mark Smith and party of American
actors were prominent At Hammersmith,
Mrs. John Wood and party, all wearing the
harvard colors, were the guests of the Marquis
OF Landsdowne. Charles Dickens was on the
towing path. Charles Reade and the Cheva-
lier Wyckoff followed the contestants in the
press steamer. All the regulations were strict
ly observed.
THE BETTING.
Up to noon the betting was two to one on
rive and the tide turned. Over $500 of
American money was lost on the race, besides
what was bet outside of England
ARIsToCRACY AND DEMOCRACY,
The following from an editorial in the New
York Post, written in anticipation of the race
seems to us 70 be point not we'll taken, since
the youth of Harvard can surely not be regard
ed as representatives of American democracy
There is another point of significance in this
contest that does not seem to have been regard
ed at all; that it is rivalry between the rep
resenta'ives of the higher aristocracy of Eng
and the Democratic element proper of the
United States. Oxford is the high tory uni
versity of England; Harvard is the
publican America. OF course we en-
ploy the terms Democratic and Republican
in no yarty sense, but as implying the distinct
i've character of our American life, social and
political. Curious, therefore, will 1T be to con-
slider this struggle as trial of endurance and
r. 0 rio
cratical elements in their highest types of
manly development.
MIR. sMALLEY's ACCOUNT
Mr.. Smaley telegraphs the Tribune that Fri
day morning opened bright and clear, and the
absence of an English drizzle increased the
chances of Harvard's success. The crew
passed good night, though Mr.. Simmons
showed weakness from a severe attack of diar-
rhea, with which he has suffered fer several
days. Loring, too, has been troubled with a
boil which is far from well, but the rest of the
crew are in SPLENDID condition and well full of
confidence. When the word was given the
Harvar5s noted start came into play for their
oars took the water, just making 43 strokes to
the minute, while the Oxfords made only 40
For mile and half the race was splendid.
The Harvards soon drew away from the Ok
fords, and kept the lead to Craven cottage, a
distance of three quarters of mile. The OK
fords drew up level Just beyond the Hammer
smith bridge, and when off Cheswick, two and
half miles from the start, gained the lead,
and after that run as they liked. The Oxford
crew never changed their stroke during the
race. The stroke of the Harvard's was irTegu-
lar. They lost from near Hammersmith, and
when off Cheswick were rowed to pieces
though they pulled to the end of a homeless
race with magnificent pluck, and that. too, long
after their strength and control over their
muscles had failed. In the last two miles
they had pluck and that only, the coxswain
steering wide and the stroke being fatally
quick. The superiority of Oxford was mani
fest throughout, and the race was never doubt
fui after the first half mile, though the Har-
Vards retained the lead sometime after that
point.
COMMENTS OF TEE TIMES . 4
The press generally comment at length ON
the race of Friday. The Times, reviewing the
contest, says the inferiority of the Americans
was in most pardonable point, the steering.
Their coxswain undoubtedly lost ground, but
not enough to account for the distance be.
tween the boats at the end of the race. Until
the Americans retrieve this defeat they must
acknowledge that our style of rowing is the
best. The Americans met with perfectly fair
pay, anu II Englishmen 60 to America they
VIII meet Win similar treatment. May all fu-
the same spirit, and whichever side wins NAV
the vanquished have as little reason To faaI ra,
greet for their defeat oe- %
COMMENTS OF OTHER PAPERS.
The News declares if the Harvards did not
command success they deserved it, and homes
the American yachtmen on the Atlantic will
ayenge the noble defeat of their countrymen.
The Star says the Americans will long re-
member the chivalric bearing of their oppo-
nents, who, though resolved to win, never for
got that the Harvards were foemen worthy of
their oars. The strife between New and Old
england n on the river from which the Pilgrim
aIhers started has historic side, and appeals
t 70 Tue imagination of the youth of both coun
Tries. II New England had won, the older
=. 1n would have shared in the triumph Of
W. vs. aesoemua1s The fates decided otherwise.
the globe. neA n"''on vi