New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-09-08
THE INTERNATIONAL RACE.
LETTER FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
A NOTE FROM CHARLES READE,


YEAT-THE HARVARD sTROKE-TRAINING OF
THE CREW.
LONDON, Aug 2S-On comparing TINS mornings
reports with all can recOect OF my account tele-
kraphed last night / don't see that need to
sedify OH any important point that record of first
Impressions The London reports vary more or less
In detail, but on the two main questions, how and
why the race was lost, they substantially agree.
Whether Harvard was rowing a stroke OF two more
at one another part of the is not very ma
terial The thing sadly material that they rowed
too many throughout, and rOwed in q form which
failed to apply perfectly the great power of the men
to the speed of the boat
What will strike you in the English comments is
their respectful and admrng tone toward the beaten
crew. The truth is. Harvard surprised everybody
by doing so well. Few judges of rowing have fan
Gied them during practice. Among amateurs they
had scarcely admrer Among watermen they
were in more favor perhaps because watermen were
not sorry to disparage that Incompatible Oxford
style which one never sees in professional crew.
The professionals row with equal attention to the
decisive points which make up power, but with
slight attention TO finish for its own sake Missing
the finish in Harvard they seemed to believe some
bow that the want of it implied the possession of
those characteristics in which they are themselves
strong But they are strong not because of, but in
spite of their want of finish. Whatever the reason,
they had, or many of them had, genuine faith in
the Americans. They proved their faith by works,
taking the current odds Oxford freely to the eX-
tent of their means Kelley, defeated on Monday by
Renforth for the championship, backed Harvard for
q good deal of money, and to the last refused to
hedge. He was sure of their winning I heard
good deal of waterside opinion to the same effect.
If it did not come from really knowing men, it came
from some who ought to know. And yOu may be
surprised to hear in what low ranks of society
kind of ehivalrous feeling in behalf of " the for
eignersp betrayed itself. The ragged wretch who
held my horse the other night at the gate of the
White House. assured me with tears in his eyes that
Harvard was bound to win. "And l hope they
will" said he. "They have come from don't know
how many thousand miles away to row this race,
and il would be mortal pity to see them lose it.
Pve stood pot O. beer on em, Sir. It's all / could
stand, but can pay that if l lose" Ten minutes
later two charming English girls almost repeat
ing the mans words-nOt that they had pot O beer
on Harvard, but they hoped and believed nay, were
sure, Harvard would win. For ladys opinion on
such matters, when she cOndescends to give 1t, is
apt to be positive. And could go quoting testi-
mony of this sort to the extent of English good WILL
some of which, and that the truest and most sgnif-
cant l fear you would hardly believe. One of the
most eminent of living English writers, himself an
Oxford man, has been hot partisan of Harvard.
He wrote, asking leave to go and see them, and
went daily this week He invited them to visit him
at Oxford, where he still keeps his Fellows rooms
am not but he wore Harvard colors the day OF
the race. And 1 have seen few Americans more
chagrined by the result Then. there is Mr. Hughes,
also an Oxford man, from whom we long since
learned to expect sympathy and friendship and had
It abundantly in this case. Harvard wrote, asking
him to serve Referee. He answered that he would
do his best to be impartial, and added, should lie
il said hoped TO see Oxford beaten, but what
do hope is to see your bow overlap the Oxford stern
when You cross the winning line" He very nearly
had his wish. The press speaks for itself, and has
spoken so uniformly that there can be no doubt OF
its representing wide spread, l might just as well
say universal sentiment The only trace of differ
emit feeling was in their response to the unucky sug-
Qestion of some American journals that foul play
was to be feared Considering the pains everybody
was taking TO secure fair race, they were more
than justified in resenting such suspicion. 1t was
based on ignorance, and the ignorance happened TO
be so papably expressed that it did less harm than
II might have DONE Now, that the race is rowed,
what have the American alarmists to say The SIM
pie truth is that never was race rowed in England
for which such elaborate and successful precautions
were taken to secure fair play Oxford was, if any
thing more anxious than Harvard about it. The
Thames COnservancy Board and the Police ex-
hausted their ingenuity IN contrlvances for Keeping
clear course. Now it is not easy matter to keep
n clear course on the Thames for four miles and
half. 1t is busy part of the river Passenger
steamers are plying all day long from below
Putpey to Kew, Richmond, and Hampton
Court. great commerce is steadily car
ried on in barges and weeks notice
was necessary to avoid great loss and injury to BUSH
ness men. There was necessarily much loss falling
heavily on men who could not all afford it, but they
all fell in cheerfully with the police arrangements
Cbeerfully or not they had no option, for the au-
thorities were resolute One two lawless steam
boat companies sought to defy the COnservancy
Board They vowed they would send steamers to
follow the race. They sold tickets for them at a
sovereign each agreeing to return the money If they
were stopped They had to return it without trying,
being notified that the police would instantly take
charge of any offending boat. One or two private
steamers sought to eYade the rule lying IN wait with
steam up and trusting to their speed and to the con-
fnson 10 carry them through after the start had once
heen made On them too fell the hand of the police,
gnd they were at last only too glad to be allowed 10
anchor near the banks. 1t was more difficult mat
ter TO deal with the myriad of row boats. They
conld not follow but they could Obsruct by getting
in the way out of eagerness to see the advancing
race All up and down both banks strict lines were
marked out and know not what dreadful penalties
HING over the heads Of vioatOrs of those airdrawn
barriers. 1t was almost miracle that out of nine
miles of boats lining the two shores but one or at
most two escaped into md-stream. There was near
lv collision at MOrtake but mark that it was Ok
ford and not Harvard which was mcnaced. 1t was
more than q menace for Oxford had to sheer swiftly
ont from her true course, and lost at least half
length.
I have more than once referred to the interest
,aLen in this match by Mr.. Charles Reade. His