Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-09-22
TIE L1CHINE RACE.

ne IOiloWlnE account OF the InteTHa-
tional boat race at Lachine, Canada is from
the New York Tribune:
At 5 10, amid great applause, the two crews
rowed up to the starting point. The st. John
men first disrobed, partially stripping to a neat
uniform of scarlet. The Tyne crew were in
flesh color. The contrast in the appearance
of the crew was marked the st. John men
were slender in comparison with the round and
chubby Tyne, but made up in length their de-
fcency in thickness. At 5: H. amid breath
less excitement, the starting-gun was fired,
and both crews gave way.
The Tyne men pulled very far back with
more natural stroke than the ST. John. The
latter pulled to their perpendicular and
stopped; then gave the next stroke quick as
thought. For the first 200 yards they rowed
together; then the Tyne boat crept ahead.
This was the 80 strokes per minute for the
Tyne men and "A for the St. john and as the
former gained, the star of st. John was in the
descendant. At this time, too, fresh breeze,
almost squall, struck the water ahead Of the
boats, and made it exceedingly difficult pull
ing. This was just the mishap the St. John
crew deprecated in advance. Fulton, their
stroke, a day or two before the race, declared
that in rough water it would be no fair test of
the relative abilities of the crews, and here
in five minutes time the water, from the effect
of this mostinopportune breeze, began dancing
and splashing in a way most uncomfortable
for the light shells Of the crews. They plucki-
ly held on, however, though as the breeze
struck the Paris crew it required little stretch
of the imagination to observe the expression
of disgust upon Fulton's sedate countenance.
The Tyne men did not mind it so much as
their slower stroke made it easier for them
than for the others to row in the wind, and
they pulled on out at sea.
OFF in the dim distance rowed the crews,
followed by the strainng eyes ofthe multitude,
and field-g glasses, opera-glasses, and telescopes
innumerable, to the last limit of vision. The
Tyne men held their advantage. Owing to
the very imperfect arrangements made by the
manager, there were no facilities extended to
representatives of the press for following up
the race, the small tug of Mr.. Allen being the
only steamer to follow the boats, and the state
of the crews at different points in the race
had to be ascertained from persons stationed
along the shore. At Stony Point, half mile
from the start, the Tyne boat was some so
yards in advance, with stroke of 80, St.
Johns settling down at AZ. and both pulling
splendidly. At one and tbree-quarter miles
the Tynes were 1870 yards ahead, and turned
the stake-boat, three miles distant, about 200
yards in advance. Here the Tynes turned
WE'LL but held little on the start backward.
ST. Johns had lessened the gap somewhat
when it started on the home stretch, but the
steady sweep of the Tyne men kept them well
ahead, pulling at 3S per minuts the St. Johns
rowing at 40.
While the boats were out of the limit of dis
tnct vision, at the starting point where the
vast multitude were assembled and the excite
ment was eager, those who had money in the
St. John crew wanted to hedge, and those
who had it on the Tyne crew didn't object to
,,n;p0 mora wi hora thoy could And tak
the boats on the home-stretch began to come
| in sight, the interest grew more intense, and
many of the knowing ones with field glasses
declared that the ST. John men were ahead.
| These were critical and dangerous moments
with betters, and mans money was won or
lost in few seconds. As the crews began to
be visible through the glasses, the rumor ran
through the crowds the Tyne's are ahead, and
so it proved
Nearer and nearer drew the boats, and at
last amid the cheers of thousands the Tynes
rowed down the course between the steamers,
and passed the stake in 40 minutes 80 3-4 sec
onds according to one authority, according to
another in 80 minutes IA seconds. 1t reflects
very seriously upon the management of this
race that there was no such thing as official
time taken. The St. John men rowed pluck
lily, about II lengths behind, squirting up to AZ
strokes per minute, the Tynes doing AZ at the
finish.
Thus closed the race. The sympathies of
the larger portion of the crowd were with the
ST. John men, as might have been expected;
1 but the victors received the heartiest congrat
ulations, and the best OF feeling prevailed.
1t is greatly to be regretted that the course
was not smooth, as the st. John crew particu-
larly desired the race in smooth water, and
cannot feel dissatisfied with the race as it took
place. Still, though it may be humiliating to
American pride to confess it, the truth un-
doubtedly is, that the Tyne crew were much
the stronger men, and would probably have
won in any case.