The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-03-26
AQUATIC SPORTS.
What the OarSmen Are Doing
in England.
A Special Visit to the Cambridge
and Oxford Crews.
Seven Days Observations by Herald
Correspondent.
THE CHANCES OF A FOUR FOR PHILADELPHIA
LONDON, March IL. 1876.

Ihavc lust returned from weeks tour OF observa-
ton at Cambridge aud oxford. The weather has been
unusually harsh for England but have had the best
of opportunities the training and practice OF the
two University eighs The contest between these old
rivals is OF than usual interest this year, because
upon its result depends the question 10 whether
not oxford shall send a crew to America Should she
be defeated by Cambridge, oxford will not think OF
sending four to Philadelphia; should she win, how
ever there every fair for believing that the
four can he found The president of the oxford
club Mr. Stayner, is very enthusiastic upon the sub
Iect, and the project will not fall through If he can
help il. But the rowing men 81 both universities ap-
pear TO have deadly
or THE ExrESsIvESEss OF THE TRIP
and the stay IN the United States When was tllkng
with a boating man, whom encountered at my table
in oxford last night the rst thing he referred to was
The expense 1t vain that assured him that
Ihe hotel expenses in New York great
his own college town. He would not be convinced
So | turned TO tho waiter and said -'Bring me my
bill" The waiter looked at me curously, Tor had
only finished the third course-that is, had only had
soup, FISH and piece OF roast mutton 'sThe bill for
much have had thus lar, persisted. Certainly,
Sir soup, one; fish, two joint two; bread and butter
sixpence potatoes and green's sixpence; attend
sncc, sixpencc SIX shhngs sixpence sir IL you
please =" concluded tho waiter took the bill up and
l have had Tor 81 70 currency in cheap England In
New York Tor a shilling less than that sum could
dine at its best hotel and have about twelve courses
chosen from about sixty dshes-everythng from oys-
tiers the half shell before soup TO ice cream, nuts
and coffee for dessert. about shilling din
ncr looming up the future for night, for
am very hungry said turning away from the per-
picked face OF my opposite to the always smiling face
of the man with the white tie. Yet the young OF
OF its cxpensiveness
COMPARISONS OF ENGLISH AND AMERICAN LYING.
Still Americans to blame for the idea which OBJ
lains all Europe regarding the high cost OF living
over there The careless wav in which they sling
money around when here is we'll calculated TO open the
eyes of their English cousins, who set them down
only prodigious spendthrifts men who hnd
things here much cheaper than the other side
that they do not know how to lay their money out fast
enough.
However it is my opinion, after all is said and done
that neither oxford Cambridge will get their
minds made up time. There seems to be prevail
ing impression over here that Mr.. Frank Rces is COM
Ing arrange the match and this very fact has
DELAYED the action OF at least OF tho universities
II such IS not the intention, the misunderstanding
xbould be corrected at
CAMBRIDGE
have the Cambridge eight out four times, and
followed them down the river among the pell.mcll
erowd OF students to "Charon ferry" have observed
The carefully both in and out of their boat, at
work at their oars aud their bodily condition ashore
Aftcr several days of close scrutiny feel that
speak fairly and with due consideration OF the matcraI
and the style. Taken as n whole there is plenty Of
strength, rather much weght--which, OF course,
will be materially reduced by the three weeks
training at Putuey-nnd as much enthusiasm as is
svcr shown by who undergoing the FIRST fort
nights deprivation OF cigars and hot whiskeys AL.
Enough there is not weak man in tho boat strength
Is not the only requisite for good oarsmanship The
day in which mon rowcd as the Irishman played
the vioin-"by main force has passed. The style
VI he whole eight is wrong, and If except two ndi-
ydua oars, who they we'll matched, would show
all the best elcmens Of amateurs rcgretto chronicle
The fact that thor efforts lost among their present
s'matcs" No doubts that in the month yet ro-
manning before the race great Improvement will DO
made the effectiveness and the style Of the stroke;
but the small defects which seem inherent in nearly
every oarsman's nature continually keep rcasserting
themselves despite the most aborious practice.
THE QUALITIES OF THE CAMBRIDGE CREW.
To speak OF the detects before referring to tho good
qualities within the proper province OF sketch
Of representative crews the defects what lose
race while the few good qualities only length
or so stern chase speaking generally, then, OF
Tho stroke which the eigit pull, find very little
strength tho beginning plenty OF II in the middle
miserable finish and chronic lassiludc when the mo-
ncnt for recovery arrives. The recovery is radically
wrong alt through the boat, probably owing to tho
porant TACT that the stroke get 'rbe hang
It." There also seems be uncertainty manifested
by the stroke the precise moment at which the
wcisht should be thrown upon his oar; but whether
This apparent effect caused by his bad recovery
whether the really inefficient way in which his
lakes the renders more conspicuous tho other
heccts OF style, | hardly TO give an opinion.
This feature Is summed ny IN word when say that
Il is impossible TO tell within half second when and
where the really feels the man behind H. speaking
Of the whole, again, tho stroke IS well pulled
through, and most OF the strength Is utilized but al
though followed the crew up and down the river and
watched this point especially, The finish always Jagged
THE SrYLE srRoKE
The stroke rowed ~ Cambridge tns year has nothing
peculiar H. The long reach o former years is There,
but there Is none OF the VIM That chaIsclerzc1 ,ne
stroke introduced and used with sdch remarkable
success by GoIdc That hum which great stroke
oars get cut OF lively crew Is wanting Ia nosc times
thc ring the they grrped the water could bc
heard half milo away; but to-day's crew, cv, when
forced up their highest mitch OF energy and speed,
develop such music. The opposition here. as N
America 10 this feature has been that " destroyed al
thc beauty OF the stroke, made ragged" &c.
an well that there are several kinds
Of 'sraggedncss' in the stroke ui or eight
pared crew which are OF considerable importance as
regards the position the boat hold tho end
Of race have only TO refer TO tho many CRITICISMS
which were made upon Columbias rowingat saratoga
mp the very morning 81 the OF 1874 10 indicate
nv meaning but the stroke OF her crew, hike Godic,
not AFRAID OF tho ragged edge, and let the hyper
critical go talking whIe be continued hrs practice
Goliic and Rces--i nken their stroke IN other
pariculars-saw That tho inevitable result OF taking
ihc sharp ana strong was 90 rude ITS surface,
feat The aStakc driven In the current OF
Niagara they recognized the mmutahle law and
wisely allowed IL TO go the winds. In Goldc's days
cambridge mad the catch ana the anish and oxford
had not To-day, | shall ancrward explain the
tables arc exactly reversed II the Caniaps master
these features OF tho stroke they viii make the
race q
THE CANTAns
The OF the crew with their very latest weights
ms
Bow. W. Branckcr, Jesus College............ los
2-r W. Lewis Caius College, loe
3--W. b. Cnse.F First Iuniiy College. .......... 100
&C Gurdon, Jesus College. ................... 15sH