New-York tribune., 1873-04-10
THE BOAT RACE IN ENGLAND.
VICTORY OF CAMBRIDGE OVER OXFORD.


THE TWO CREWS.
rrRoM THE REGULAR coRREsPoSDExr OF THE TRBuSE.l
LONDON, March 81 might write a letter on The
Adventures Of Journalist in Search Of Boat Race.
OF the Boat Race itself have very little to tell you
When You put yourself On board Of a steamer which
You expect 10 accompany the race, and the steamer
does not accompany the race, you cannot give a
description Of the by eyewitness without
a considerable effort Of the imagination. That Is
my predicament to-day, and make a clean breast
of il at the beginning in order to spare the ingenious
reader the trouble Of looking for what he VIII not
find a proper account Of tO-day's contest between
Oxford and Cambridge. Nor do ] suppose y0u Will
care for description Of the imaginative kind, were
able TO give one. There some details in the
late editions of the evening papers, contributed by
observers who were not II hopel on the Press boat.
and TO these shall be indebted for the basis ~ any
criticism or narrative can supply.
Only once before has similar accident occurred.
Five years ago the Press boat began It's voyage up
the river by running ting. Unlncldly, We did
not sink her completely, and before could get
clear of the wretched thing the was half over.
To-day il was the Oxford steamer which ran into U.s.
bored into u.s. stuck us drove US half athwart the
stream and current, and so laid its weight on our
boat that never fairly got clear Of her till f.r
past Hammersmith Bridge. and till the last ehance
Of overtaking the racing boats had vanis..ed.
less of the race than most of the people shore saw
Nevertheless, there is word to be said abott il
which rowing men in America may profit by Il taey
choose.
This is now Cambridge's fourth successive vic
tory following on her ninth successive defeat. The
nine successive defeats were not due to the doctrine
Of chances any more than the four successive
victories are due TO the doctrine of chances. Phys-
ical superiority and many another
invoked by Cambridge men during their long
period of disastrous eclipse 70 account for their
misfortunes, Just Oxford men now cry out that
the luck is with Cambridge, and that SUPERIOR
weight which helps no doubt has alone caFre,. the
day. Outsiders need not be misled by partisan cries.
Oxford won her nine victories because during nius
years she bad the secret of style TO which hcr
rivals could not attain. Cambridge wins be-
cause the secret has passed 70 her Yet il Il no
secret. 1t is the application and sedul0us
development under good leadership Of certain
principles which govern rowing Just absolutely -
the law of gravity governs the motions of the
planets. 1t must be well enough known by this
time that Mr. Cook, the stroke Of last years Yale
University crew has lately paid visit 20 England.
applying himself while there TO find out what could
be learned from English Oarsmen. lie viii, an
sure forgive me II repeat his account of his hrsS
row with Mr. Gulston, President Of the London Row
ing Club and one Of the first if not the first.
teur oarsmen in England. The two went out to-
gether in pair oar. At the end of ten minutes Ar.
Cook found himself as tired as he could be from
keeping up his side Of the boat fwhile hls
companion was rowing easily within him
self and seemed as fresh when be started
Seeing how matters stood, NJ. GulstOn began
pointing out to Mr. Cook the faults in hls rowing,
one at a time and one at a time Mr.. Cook began 10
correct them AT the end of ten minutes under this
tuition the American discovered that he could do
as much work as before with half the fatigue. he
discovered, in a word, that he was being Taught 20
row. Being an apt pupil he profted by il quickly.
Neither ten minutes ten days nor ten weeks VIII
make . man who rowed badly before row thoroughly
well; but Mr.. Cook mastered believe, the prin-
ciples which Mr.. Gulston during month or SIX
weeks sought 70 teach him. IN the same way Cam
bridge after years of struggle principles.
went TO an Oxford oar TO be taught rowing and
taught and won her first victory four years after
nine wears Of defeat because she had been Taught.
the tradition Of correct rowing departing meanvhle
from the sister University and not having been as
yet recovered
Cambridge this year it is true, had an advantage
in weight and strength, but she had a greater and
far more decisive advantage IN her manner of row.
ing Ever since the appearance of thetwO crews on
the river public opinion has pronounced IN favor of
the Light Blue English public opinion in such
matters has practical but coarse, way of manifest
ing itself The odds have al along been to l, OF
nearly that on Cambridge. II is not often that
opinion so universal proves wrong. Last year and
for two years before much the thing occurred
II was seen by men who really understand rowing
that Oxford had lost her old form and Cambridge
had acquired it. Perhaps popular interest and ex-
citement about the race have never been greater.
The newspapers never gave much attention to the
preliminaries of the race. the training, and all that
as they have ldone during the past fortnight.
The multitude that went 10 see the struggle seemed
at least as great as In any former year. ane their
satisfaction over the Cambridge victory was yerv
general. Even the weather paid a tribute 70 the
demands Of this wonderful festival When va
Quilted Temple Pier in our unlucky Press steamer.
dense yellow fog, Of the true London variety, rare
az this season. overhung the river But when We
reached Putney, at l. the fog had gwen place 20 a
light haze and before the start the haze had fed
away. and a burning sun fell upon unrufied waters
There was not ripple TO disturb the rowing
It is necessary to repeat the criticism which formet
years have made familiar in the police management
of the river The regulations issued days in adj
vance are very good II is the not keeping them whie
makes trouble. The police have not yet found out
how TO keep small boats in their place by the banSss
Perhaps they don't Try. have seldom or never wit
messed race in which either the racing boats OF the
accompanying steamers were not mpeded oy sonld
of those nameless nondescript craft winch hans
about the river and get themselves freighted oD
these DAYS with cargoes Of buffers The four steaIn-
e~s allowed TO follow the two outriggers, were more
over moored much TOO near together. Just af the
start a small boat came sthwart the bows Of ths
Oxford steamer, and the Oxford steamer, wishina
neither to lose its place to the cargo Of