The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-08-30
THE CIRCULATION OF THE "DIsPATCH"
is LARGER THAN THE COMBINED CIgCU-
LATIoN OF ALL THE OTHER DAILY NEWS
PAPERS OF THIS CITY.
The International BOat-Race.
Harvard against Oxford-.-The Eng.
Iisfs Crew victorfous---Tlae Harvards
Beaten Three Boat LenGths---De-
tailed Accounts of the Race, dc.

The great international boat-race be-
tween the Harvard (American) and Oxford
(English) four-oared crews came off in the
river Thames yesterday afternoon, accord
ing to arrangement, and resulted in the
victory of the Oxfords by three lengths of
the boat-about l26 feet. The Harvards
were six seconds behind. The following
account is furnished by Atlantic cable:
LONDON, August 21.-Ihc excitement
over the Harvard and Oxford boat-race to-
day was intense. The city has been almost
deserted, and business quite neglected.
Vehicles of all descriptions, bearing Har-
ward and Oxford colors, and heavily laden
with people, crowded all the roads leading
to the course, and during the entire day the
roads in the vicinity of Putney, Hammer
smith, Cheswick, Barnes, Mortlake, &C.,
were thronged with pedestrians. The rail
way companies found themselves almost
unable to provide cars sufficient to carry
the vast numbers in waiting at the depots.
It is no exaggeration to state that probably
million of people witnessed the race.
THE RACE.
The course for the race was that known
as the Metropolitan, or better as the Putney-
to-Mortlake course. It's length is four
miles two furlongs. The race was rowed
up stream. The boats did not row under
Putney bridge, but started directly above it
The river is about seven hundred feet wide
at this point, and the banks are level and
low along the whole course. For one-third
of mile from the starting place the river
is straight it then curves like the letter
U. There are two bridges on the course
the Hammersmith bridge, one mile and six
furlongs from Putney, and the Barnes Rail
way bridge, three and a half miles from
the start. The course ends at place called
Barker's Rails, where the direction Of the
river makes another U, in position the re-
verse of the first.
The Harvard crew won the toss for posi-
ton, and chose the Middlesex side, the
outside of the semi-circle. Both boats
started at 5 o'clock IA minutes l69 seconds
The tide at the start was sluggish, and
n light southwest breeze prevailed, with
smooth water. The Harvards were first tc
catch the water, and took the lead, gaining
rapidly upon their opponents and making
forty-fye strokes per minute, against the
Oxford's forty. At Bishops creek, three
furlongs from the starting place, the Har-
wards led half length. Gaining head
way, they increased their speed as they
passed the willows. Their pace was subse-
ouently glackened, and the OXfords pulled
up, but the Harvards were still three
fourths Of length ahead at Craven Point,
three-fourths of mile from the start.
The Oxfords now went on with q steady
drag, but the Americans rapidly increased
their lead, and at Crabtree, mile and an
eighth from the aqucduct, were couple OF
lengths ahead. Beyond this point the Har-
wards were taken wide, and the Oxfords,
ouickening their speed, reduced the gap al
the Soap Works, mile and half from the
start, to half length. The Harvards now
pulled up with magnificent burst to Ham
mersmith bridge, mile and three-quarters
but in shooting the bridge lost the distance
they had gained. Opposite the. middle wal
the Oxfords spurted and came up gradually
to the Haryards, but when opposite the
Danes the boats were found to be too close,
and the Harvards gave way, and at Ches'
wick Ait, two and half miles, the boats
were level.
After proceeding fifty yards further the
Oxfords began to gain, though temporarily
and the Harvards again got even with them
The Oxfords gained rapidly at Cheswiek,
where it became clear that the race appa.
rently told on the Harvards, who were
rather wild at this part Of the race. From
this point the Oxfords drew ahead, and in q
few strokes obtained lead of two lengths
The Harvards, rowing pluckily, held them
there for half mile when they fell astern
and the Oxfords, at thirty y-eight strokes pc,
minute, shot past Barnes bridge, 3s miles
three lengths ahead. .a 4
Along Barnes beach the Harvards re-
freshed their stroke, Mr.. Loring, with river
water, thereby retarding their boat. The
Americans then tried to squirt, but founc
the effort Intellectual, and the Oxfords, get
ting more of lead, eventually won the race
by four lengths, easing up in the last few
strokes, and pulling up fresh. The Ok.
fords arrived at the ship at S O'Clock 81
minutes and Al seconds, making the Al
miles in 22 minutes 40@ seconds. Tho
Americans were well received at the finish
and returning were landed at Barnes's
The race was u good one, and excited de-
gree of enthusiasm along the banks of the
river utterly unknown in former races.
COMMENTS OF THE PRESS.
This morning the newspapers published
their closing comments On the boat-race
and what they say is interesting to show
the feeling and spirit that animated the
entire public in advance of the great con
test.
The Telegraph eulogizes the Elliott boat
" as light, fast, and graceful a; travels well
and with such crew we do not expect that
the Harvards will win, but the changes
made by them will bring the crews more on
q level.
"On the whole, we think it will be a
capital race, and that the Oxfords will de-
feat the Harvards, their gallant adverse
ries, without difficulty. If otherwise, the
Harvards must have an ovation, to show
that we are not ashamed to be beaten by
our gallant cousins.
The Star says: "Thc Americans are in
diyidually more powerful than the Oxfords,
but it is thought their training is not ac-
cording to English notions of strictness.'
The Daily Neaos says: "Above all things,
we are anxious that the contest shall be
sharp from first to last that victory, whe-
ther on one side or tie other, shall be SO
hard TO win as to cover winners and losers
alike with glory. To PREJUDICE the issue
would be impertinent in the last degree" !"
The writer then takes opportunity to ac-
to the fullest extent the obvious
and inevitable disadvantage the Haryards
have to contend against. Rivers and every,
hing were strange and unfamiliar, and
masters as they were of the science OF row
ng, they had to study it almost like the
alphabet of foreign language.
g Tho Oxfords nm Charles river would