New-York tribune., 1870-04-20

At "a minutes past Mr.. Searle gave the word. The
dark blue cutched at the water fraction of q
second the soonest, and Oxford jumped away with
the lead Darbishire beginning with stroke of just
40 TO the minute. Cambridge is content with SO. At
first it as if the old tactics were to be reversed
as if Oxford were to make push early in the race,
and Cambridge to wait on them in the hope partly
of firing them out and rowing them down in Corney
Reach Nv belief is that Darbishire for his part did
abandon his old method, knowing that he
had q comparatively weak crew behind him.
and did mean to ia ke the lead and keep it. His
generalship is too perfect to bind him TO traditions
no doubt he resolved on what promised the best
chance of winning / believe his judgment was
sound; ii was by no means his fault that Cambridge
proved strong enough TO battle his purpose from the
first; and rowing two strokes less to the minute
able instantly to recover the few feet lost III the
start and in a dozen stroke more to leaG her more
nimble rival. The fault of Golde's rowing last year
was tendency to hurry the stroke irTegularly. lie
has completely redeemed it. His start was admira-
ing suddenly ahead did not unsettle in the least his
methodical regularity. Opposite the. boat
houses, the two crews, were again side by
side. AT Bishops Creek Cambridge began to
lead. At Craven Point, the Light Blue, still
rowing its unchanPing stroke of 80 to the minute,
had drawn quarter length to the front. Thence to
by inch Seldom, should think has there been so
obstinate a struggle below Hammersmith Bridge
You will observe that Darbshre is person of great
resolution. and having made up his mind to be first
through the Bridge he was not easily induced to re-
lnqqish that laudable purpose. Just by the Soap
Works the Cambridge cOxswain mistaking the set
of the tide, took his boat too far over toward the
Middlesex shore, heading for some minutes directly
toward the fnrthcst pier of the bridge. Hall-the
same sharp-witted boy who steered against Harvard
saw his opportunity His course had been fault
less from the beginning, and n9ws calling
on his crew for spur he laid the head of his boat,
having the inside of the curve straight for the near
est point through the bridge Darbishire and the
crew answered very calamity to his call and
whereas q moment before Cambridge had threat
ened TO carry lead of more than length beneath
the first bridge, they found themselves suddenly
challenged and compelled to an effort for so much
afn fhAxrh hnh lpan
they hold il all. Before the bridge was reached,
Oxford had cut down the lead from OF
length TO rte ihes IT %ss t at TN fae tbW Two
sands who hailed them with the tremendous shout
that every year greets the arriving at this point
The time thus far was very fast-Sminutes seconds.
Beyond the bridge, the effort of Oxford died away
for the time. Cambridge gained steadily, and not
long after shooting the pier might probably have
enough. Past Chiswick and through COrney Reach
the race was magnificent. Here was the true
struggle Here it was inst by GhsTek wiz Eyot that
Oxford seemed 10 gain on Cambridge so decidedly
that the partisans of the Light Blue trembled for
their success. No doubt had oxford really secured
have fallen to the Dark Blue But Goldie and the
gallant crew behind him were equal to the
shire had done his best and Barnes Bridge was
plain in sight, and the through
COmey Reach had been rowed desperately
it's inhexible stroke of 80 to the minute,
and still leading by more than length The form
in both boats was better than might be supposed
after succession Of such efforts. Still Oxford was
little wild and the real strength of the was
gone. On the stroke side, especially, the time was
occasionally very bad, and there at least three
in the boat who might have done their uni
ycrsity better service in some other place Before
Barnes Bridge was shot, the race was just as
safe for Cambridge it had been safe
for Oxford last August at Chiswick. The
cheers and shouts Of the great multitude
at Mortlake reused the exhausted Dark Blues to
another attempt but Cambridge found no difficulty
III keeping and gradually increasing her superiority.
Oxford never ceased 10 struggle with that most in
dOmitable courage which so often distinguishes a
losing crew. When the gun fired, Cambridge was
rather more than two lengths ahead. The judges
boat was too far up the river and the time seems
much too long for "A race rowed at what GER
tainly fast pace, judged by any standard 1t is
yari0usly given from u minutes TO 70 minutes five
seconds.
have no time nor space for the comments sbould
like to make, nor do know that any remarks or
style viii find much credit in America, where too
many rowingmen seem determined to believe that
race is won by sheer strength 1t is nevertheless
certain that Cambridge with all their superiority in
physique, would surely have been beaten this year
but for their marked improvement in fonn-that is,
ia the method Of applying their strength From iirst
TO last the race was rOwed on both sides with iudg
ment and pluck that cannot DC too highly praised.