The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-14
The Morn of tire Great Evcnt-sctiye Pre-
puvstiou and Popular Retrospect.

..s,s5<$ I. 4 ... LONDON, April /, 1871.
This morning the great Oxford and Cambridge
boat race, which has 10 be regarded as
regular feature Of our national life aud furnishes
the occasion Tor our annual Cockney holiday as
much as the Derby Itself, was rowed on the usual
Thames course. from Putney 10 Mortlake. This was
the twenty-elghth contest since the match was in
s!itnte IL 1922, ana l. resulted In secohi consecu-
tive victory for Cambridge. 1t must b. allowed that
the public interest In the match had begun OF late
years u decline.
The nine successive victories Of oxford, from 1881
to 1862 had given air Of saeneSs TO the results
that WAS not only disheartenlug TO cambridge, buc
led the outside word 10 believe that the issue in
every must be q foregone conclusion, and that
sn attempt to upset tie aquatic prccmiuence of Ok.
ford vas absurd. The aspect or affairs was, how
ever, completely changed by the ARRIVAL among OF
the doughty representatives OF American oarsmen
whom Harvard sent over 10 do Battle with the for
mdable OZARK blues" The result OF the race be-
tween these celebrated crews Il is needless recall
but tie fact That Il successful in reknding the
expiring Interest OF the general public In our inter-
university beat races cannot be overlooked. II is
true we shall perhaps, never again see such an
assemhlage Gathered on the BANKS OF the Thames as
that which roafed itself hoarseflom periious posi-
uous on the bonghs vi trees, among the PUSHES 81
tie waters edge, the rats ana buttrcSseS OF
pi!uges en- SDitu balECs ana shcky snnls, I'D car.
riages ana on horseback--as the American aud Eng
nsh oarsnen ahct nasi like lightning Ia that grand
Struggle for victory. We cannot look for even an
approach to that enormous crowd drawn TO the
upper waters OF the Thames by an event al which
I'VE continents looked on with undisguscd enthu-
s!asn; but at all events the English people
have been LED ny 1t 70 take much more interest than
they dii q few years ago in the annual encounters
OF their college lads. One other event con-
uibuted to lhis result; last year Cambridge broke
the spell o. III luck vnaer which she had groaned
To- niue years and won the race. II is now seen
that there Is nothing In the conditions OF the con-
rest the circumstances OF universities TO give
the one ar undue advantage over the other, and
that the best men physically and the best men at
the oar must be successful.
Whatever view Is entertained 81 the relative
merits Of tue styles OF rowing pracised by he two
universities-,he on9 and slow OF Oxford the short
and quick OF Campi1dge-it is seen thai given men
Of equal personal power and equal skill IA handling
shetr beat, the chances almost IL both
crews trained uuder the same coach and over the
same reach and river.
THE CREWS
were Two OF the strongest ever sent Ia Putney for
their Gnai preparation. II Is probable that we never
bt least It may be said that In time In swing, In style
generally. 1t has never been surpassed since the
was instituted. A glance at the appended table Will
show the power OF both crews aud particularly that
or Oxford:--