The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-24
The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race Yes.
terday and the Spirit Of Manly Emulation

the English Universities, which forms one or
the annual sensations of the United Kingdom,
has again been decided, and this time victory
belongs, as on the two years previous, to the
boys who practice on the Cam and float the
| light blue pennant The growing interest
which our athletic manhood takes in these
time-honored Journeys between the great
English centres of polite learning and gentle
manly muscle is perhaps owing in great
measure to the gallant although unsuccessful
race rowed by our Harvard boys on the
too, we must take into account the
steady cultivation of the manly sport among
| our young men, who find healthful exercise
and subtle fascination in bounding along by
sylvan river scenes in their trim-built water
swimmers. The notable triumph of the Ward
brothers at Saratoga last year over the crack
oarsmen of the Tyne, between whom and the
London watermen there has long been doubt
full claim of superiority, has added the stmu-
lus of emulation to our amateur aquatic clubs
which they needed. The forthcoming race
| between the Atalantas and the London Row.
ing Club is instance sufficient Of this, and we
wish our plucky oarsmen every success in
their trying contest with the formidable
crew they are destined to encounter
on the Thames. Much as our sympathy
will be with our national representatives in
| the race, we are the more rejoiced that it
| will, however tickle Fortune throws her die,
be precedent in the future for numbers of
ipfo al
sional, outside the pet circles Of the Universi-
ties. Great or small as their influence may
be in cultivating international amity, they
are destined to exert wholesome influence
on both sides of the Atlantic, and
whether the profit be in strengthening
friendships or bceps it is eminently
worth looking after. When we speak
of popular sports in England it must be
admitted by any one cognizant of the facts
that so far as thoroughly fair and honorable
dealing is concerned the palm which once be-
longed to the turf must at present be accorded
to aquatcs, where men of unsullied reputa-
tons contend for the honor alone of winning
The University race is perhaps the only one
in England on which stupendous sums of
money change hands in betting, on which all
men feel that the decision will be to its most
minute detail on the actual merits. We do
not mean to fling any unjust aspersion
on the numbers Of high-minded gentlemen
in England who patronize the turf, but simply
testify to a fact, rather ugly it is true, but
none the less to be looked at The desperate
straits to which reckless turf gambling has re-
duced so many, with the sinister whisperings
circulated about the means used in some in
stances to retrieve fallen fortunes, has thrown
of late years certain discredit on horse-rac-
ing there, which gives the unassailable names
of its wealthy supporters good deal to con-
tend against in upholding the sport of the
blooded steed on the velvet sward in its olden
untarnished position. We look for reform
in this matter, and hope to see the great nipple
sport stand on the same plane of honor as its
brothers of the oar and tiller.
The race yesterday was unfortunate in its
weather. severe snow storm, with March
wind sweeping uncomfortably along the banks
of the Thames, was not encouraging. But the
falling off in the jolly, enthusiastic throng, was
more due to oanard sent up by some other
goose that the race had been postponed, for
the Varsity race has been rowed in snow
storm before now, and at early morning, too,
without batting one jot the enthusiasm
or the attendance. OF course their
snow storms and winds are not exactly of the
kind which blocked up the Pacific Railroad
with sixteen feet drifts, and the Londoner who
would acknowledge to his country cousin that
any or all the elements combined would
prevent him from witnessing the race would
not be a fit member for Christian tea party
for months afterwards. Given fine weather
and sure race, the river that Rogers sung
of as
Strong without rage without o'ernowing,
presents CHEEKY sight of joyous humanity
along the course from Putney to Mortlake,
second only in spectacular impressiveness TO
the race for the blue riband of the turf on
Epson Downs. Lacking the half-million-
voiced concentration of the run for the Derby
stakes, it makes up in continuity. Any one
wanting to feel the benefit of social
impulse need only mount along with
the London Drabs upon the chains of
the thronged suspension bridge at Ham,
mersmith and watch the moment when
the two contending crews in their skeleton
boats first come in sight Launched on the
bosom of the silver Thames" swinging along
neck and neck at forty strokes to the minute.
A yell of delight, of exutation and encour-
agement goes up which would hush to mur-
muir that which came when Pompey's chariot
wheels appeared. If the Thames does not
''tremble underneath her banks, as the Tiber
was said to have done, it is because the foun-
dations are sure. Along the towpath on tho
Surrey side and on every imaginable coign of