New-York tribune., 1873-07-26
THE COLLEGE RACE DECIDED
OFFICIAL DECISION OF THE REFEREE.

OFFICIAL DECISION OF THE REFEREE.
! YALE FIRST, WESLEYAN SECOND. HARVARD THIRD
ORDER or OTHER CREWS CANNOT BE DETER
MINED-NR. BABCoCK THINKS TIE FLAGS AT
TIE FINISH WERE MOVED.
The end of the College Regatta is at hand. The
great contest can hardly be said have been finished
until to-day. The only official decision which Will
ever be rendered is made public this morning. Yale
has won of course No one, not even Harvard, has
doubted that. In like manner the third position
has been universally conceded TO the magenta. To
which crew the second place belongs, has been
more serious matter to determine. Amherst men
know it was Amherst, Wesleyan men know it was
Wesleyan; outsiders didn't know which it was
Witnesses were numerous who could swear il wns
Wesleyan; witnesses were not wanting who could
take oath that an enormous 4" decorated the back
Of the bow oar of the second crew.
The judres were mostly decided but unfortu-
nately failed to agree. The umpire relied upon
them and their conflict of testimony of course,
placed him in a peculiarly embarrassing predlca-
mcnt To decide the question with the majority OF
the Committee cOrToborating each others testimony
would, of course, be simple matter; to decide the
question when almost 10 two Of the Committee
were agreed was by no means so easy. Every one
who was at Springfield on the evening Of the regatta
remembers the confusion of tongues as the col
legians began TO assemble The decision that Yale
had won came like a thunderbolt to Harvard, who
thought the flags were already safe on the way to
Cambridge. "Iow did she winP "Why then
were the flags given to IarvardP Harvard was
ahead" The whole matter must be discussed and
that too by half hundred all eager to be heard at
the same moment. "Where was the referee y
Was it fair test Z" and Did not Harvard fairly
win ~
Meanwhile the college boys from other sections
were all at the same moment attempting to settle
problems equally difficult, and to them OF equal in
tercst. Amherst and Wesleyan both claimed second
position Dartmouth, Columbia, Cornell, each was
confident of pressing Harvard hoty, and holding at
least the fourth position. Bowdoin and the Aggcs
though not especially clamorous were striving to
settle another very doubtful question, aud made
very slow progress toward that end.
The Trinity boys were consoling themselves with
the reflection that there was one crew behind them,
and the Williams boys were bfayely maintaining
that that was their crew. Williams made less noise
than any OF her neshbo.s Nobody disputed hcr
claim to the eleventh position and she took it good
naturcdly. for We carried passenger, you know
There was a babel Of CUES Mt the Haynes that
evening In addition to the heated discussions
among themselves all eager to see the referee,
and hoped thereby each TO obtain his definite posi-
tion The newspaper correspondents rs they
yibrated between the Haynes House and the teie-
graph Office were no less importunate, and the ref
cree was everywhere in demand. lie rendered ms
decision on the winning crew-Yale. He also placed
Harvard third, while the position of all the other
crews he left still doubtful. Those who were in
doubt as to their true position the river must
await the result of conference between the judges
and referee-it would be held next morning and the
crews waited impatentiy. The meeting of the
Judges was callcd-fye of the eleven were present,
together with the referee. 1t evident the mat
ter could not be decided, rs the majority Of judges
was absent. What could be donel Even the i've
judges who appeared held many different opinions
concerning the crews which were scattered along
between the magenta Of Harvard and the royal
purple of Williams, and the second crew was sill
doubtful.
The decision OF course could not be rendered till
all the judges had been heard from. The six alb
sentees must render their verdict, and from the
cumulated testimony il was hoped decision could
be reached They were Immediately addressed by
mail and requested TO forward their reports to the
referee at once
During the week which has intcrvened, the boat
ing men in all sections Of the country have been
eagerly watching the newspapers to learn the true
order of the competing crews Mr. Babcock, the
referee has received communications from seven Of
the eleven judges, but their reports unsatis
factory land it seems probable that the remaining
judges will render no report whatever that he now
finally decides that the position Of the crews follow
ing Harvard and preceding Williams cannot be de-
termined, and it would be folly to attempt it on the
testimony rs received The impossibility of settling
the order of position viii be readily seen from a
glance at the following meager, contradictory and
unsatisfactory reports of the judges who have
complied with Mr.. Babcocks request.