The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-12
The English Press on the Intarna-
tiOnal Boat Race.


The Standardization of the English press
on the easy victory gained by the English
oarsmen over the Atalantas is amusing in its
exaggeration. We can understand that all
Englishmen are proud Of the power and en-
durance displayed by the representatives of
their nation in the contest, but we can see no
ground for the swagger in which the press has
INDUCED. If at any time there had been
reason to believe that the Atalantas could
have won, the revulsion of feeling caused by
the severe defeat they sustained might have
afforded some justification for the tone
adopted by the English press towards the
defeated crew and against American oarsmen
in general It is with the latter phase Of Eng
lish opinion that we have principally to
deal. Whatever may have been the opinion
in England we have never had any expecta-
tons that victory would be won by the Ameri-
can crew. 1t was too clear from the outset
that they would be overmatched. In fact, the
wisdom Of their going was questioned from
the beginning by every one competent to form
an opinion on the subject. So general was
this feeling that it found decided expression in
the metropolitan press But as the men were
plucky and desired to measure themselves with
the best English crew, they left our shores with
q general expression Of good will. But they
could not in any sense claim to appear as the
champions of American oarsmen. Although
we may not, as the English papers allege, have
acquired "the true style of rowing" we could
very easily get together crew who could beat
the men who appeared as American champions.
The London Times says that English oarsmen
have nothing to learn from Americans; but the
Times is not quite correct. Hitherto the Ameri-
can oarsmen have always rowed at disadvantage.
They have in all cases shown pluck and en-
terprise that the English oarsmen have yet to
learn; for not content with the advantage
they derive from their greater experience and
more careful training, the English have
hitherto shown a spider-like caution in their
contests with our younger oarsmen. When
ever they have met our men the conditions
have always been in their favor, and they have
rowed over difficult course, with which they
are perfectly familiar. In view of these incon-
trovertible facts it is somewhat strange to find
the Telegraph, which is supposed to represent
young progressive England, looking upon the
result Of the race as IAN illustration of national
energy" We are rather of opinion that
the defeated party represents the energy,
while the victors have simply given
proof of solid staying power,
/ which has never been denied to our beef
eating cousins across the water. This we are
ready to concede, because it is their due; but
if their pretensions go beyond this then we
must take issue with them. If our somewhat
heavy contemporaries had confined themselves
to the national self-glorifcation which is the
undoubted privilege of every true-born Briton
we should have been simply amused but the
Standard in speaking of the race as "a
! hollow affair, and of the American crew as
"not good enough to row an ordinary coun-
try regatta" is in such bad taste that we can
not afford to laugh at it. The age of buffoons
has ceased, and such brutality of comment on
strangers smarting under defeat could only be
expected from some privileged character
wearing the cap and bells However, there is
some excuse for the modern snob is the nat
ural successor Of the motley.
For the Atalantas we have no excuse. They
courted defeat in manner not to be justified,
and could have entertained no real hope of
winning unless they were altogether ignorant
of the men whom they challenged to a trial of
strength. Under ordinary circumstances it
would be unwise for club numbering at most
forty effective members to invite contest with
one having the pick of four hundred tried
men. But when we come to examine the way
in which the two clubs are recruited the hope
lessness of the contest will be at once plain.
Although the English oarsmen are nominally
amateurs they are practically professionals.
That is to say they are men who, for the most
part, do nothing else professionally. 1t is
true they do not live by their oar, because, for
the most part, they are wealthy; but they
belong to the class Of gentlemen of
leisure, happily almost unknown among
us, who have no other aim in life than to
cultivate their muscle. Our young men can
not afford to pass the best years of their life in
boat house or yawnino IA o club. and we