The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-14
Preparations for the Colleg,
Boat Race.
TEE COURSE AND ITS CHARACTER
When.to Go and Where
to Stay.
THE BENNETT CHALLENGE CUP.
Grand Review Of the College Crews and q
Sharp Contest.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass, July u, 1873.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass, July II, 1873.
To get away for four or five days in this vacation
time OF year from the dry and dusty region OF law
ONCE, to witness the work Of preparation for q
great rowing race, especially when that work Is
going ON in as attractive place as Is the Connect
cut, just below this city. and to do with the hope
Of adding somewhat to the definite Information of
the public on a subject just now prominently be-
fore them, is naturally enough anything but I'M
pleasant to an old oar; and II in that work he
finds much which he Is forced to admit On i'm
provement on the way OF doing things in his day,
he should certainly not complain There are many
Innovations here to-day, some Of them well nigh as
interesting to one entirely unacquainted with
athletics as to the student who, Tor days and
weeks and months together has dropped books and
everything else, and thought. worked at and
dreamed nothing but rowing. took supper last
evening with the Harvard crew and learned much,
which hope to lay before you, but before attempt
ing to 60 into details Of their practice and pros
poets those Of any other Of the eleven different
crews 1t will be well to take
LOOK AT THE COURSE
on which they expect to row, and see II q some
what intelligent idea cannot be had OF its
good and bad points. The race OF next
Thursday is to be rowed. not on the old
track, starting directly south Of the wooden
bridge. just below the railroad bridge, but from
point some three miles further down, and then,
not out to o halfway stake and return,
but three miles straight away down the river, in
the direction OF Thompsonville. This course Is
mainly the same as last years, the start being
made something over half a mile lower down,
to avoid narrow place just above, too
narrow for SO many crews to start abreast
The long reach to be rowed over Is not
CrOn rod N
but after saying this there is scarcely anything to
be added especially In its favor am well aware
that local paper here claims that "the course as
laid out is without doubt the best three miles
straight-away course IL New England" II this be
true then New England ia without good or even
fair threemile straight-away course broad
enough for eleven boats to row abreast. In the
very start comes most serious, indeed
VITAL DIRECTION.
The impression has gone out and La now about
universal that the river here Is 1000 feet wide
Just 1OOO the way the reports read-and yet 1t Is
supposed that each crew will have track 100 feet
wide to row in. A little division would leave them
nearly ten feet less. But after looking at the place
quite while. and feeling confident that 1t did not
at least look 1000 feet across, rowed from shore
to shore as steadily as possible and found took
Just sixty strokes, the boat having no outriggers
and very long reach being out OF the question.
Then rowed an equal number straight down the
river close to the bank, noting points on shore
Just opposite my start and finish. then landed,
paced the distance between these points and
found that l took 2s9 steps. This would,
at three feet to the step, make but
se7 feet in ALL or less than eighty feet for each boat
To row eleven long six-oared shells abreast at
even moderate pace, giving each 100 ieet. and
keep each within its respective bounds for any
their spaces down each by twenty feet subject the
steersmen to the excitement OF, In some ways, the
greatest race that will have up till then been
seen in America, and have those steersmen as ar
the reports of them which have from time to time
appeared are correctly are those OF Cornell, Bow
dom, Columbia, Dartmouth, the Agriculturalist
Trinity Yale and Harvard-men who never steered
in one Of these contests beforehand 1t will be
quickly whether the danger Of foul or several
of them on Thursday afternoon Is real or imaginary.
OF course there may none occur, but that will
hardly weaken the belief that
THIS COURSE Is A POOR ONE
where so many are to compete. In the matter OF
current. The fast time OF last year was due to Q
strong north wind, which blew the boats down the
river finely and helped the current much. But
yesterday after dropping pieces Of white birch at
points the starting ine 100 feet from each bank
water on the eastern side running less than o
quarter Of q mile an hour, while southerly
breeze. 80 mild as to make but half inch OF rip
pie on the water, kept the middle noat from max
ing scarcely any more while 1t did not let the
western one drop over one hundred and fifty feet
Had there been breeze the current over the
course would run about half mile an hour ap-
parentlyin the channel, while that near the east
ern shore would be noticeaply less and near the
western scarcely anything.
SAND BAR.
But, opposite Amherst's quarters, half way down
the course, there runs out a sand bar quarter OF
the way across the river, and for a whole third Of
the course. The depth on sounding proved TO
average bat from two to four feet all over this
shoal another days work may make it
less yeti, while in one place it was,
BY actual measurement, but twenty inches.
Now, It must be remembered that all this obstruc-
tion-for any one who has ever rowed over nats
know what an obstruction 1t will bellies directly
on the route OF tho three crews to whom
the lot assigns positions on the east bank,
and, as II this were not enough, vigorous
old snags crop up along the way, well
out into the river At subjects for the dentistry Of
the committee who have the course in charge.
These matters are not as yet giving the crews
serious concern, because they have not yet drawn
their positions; but, as soon as they do, they will
look them fairly In the face and will find whether
or not thisis good course for eleven crews to row
| breast race upon.
BETTER COURSE WANTED
Taking these things into consideration, and re-
Numbering the long roundabout way Of getting
nom Springfield to the grand stand. It will be
well TO look about another year for better course
for the intercollegiate races. II winniptseogee OF
some other New England water cannot furnish II,
Nv houra, ride from Snrtngneld--a less dissanOt