New-York tribune., 1877-06-27
THE CONTEST.
fly TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSR.l


ease Yale will meet crew flushed with victory on
Friday aal one which. according to appearances, is
able TO do much better work than has been done
to-day.
The struggle has not been really exciting one;
but the day has been pleasant and nobody is sur
prised at the result or very deeply disappointed,
except perhaps the plucky Columbia boys themselves
and the Shylocks who backed them in the betting at
the odds of 60 against 100 and lost. The scenes
preceding the race to-day were very much the same
as usual and very pleasant The crowd about the
wharves where the River Belle and the Dexter. the
fat-bottomed steam wheel steamers, take on their
passengers was a sparse crowd, and was composed
TO an unusual extent Of small boys The number
of passengers on the steamers was very SMALL ana
the interest and enthusiasm and excitement must
truthfullv he said to have been limited; but the
afternoon was delightful. few showers tins
morning alarmed everybody with the idea that the
race would be postponed, whlch-wlth the Yale
Harvard struggle coming close after it-would have
been a serious matter At 4:3O the sky had cleared,
the sun was out in full spendor and the breeze only
fippled the smooth water.
The Yale launch has puiled off to The west side of
the Connecticut with Cook at the bow. and the Yale
crew are all on board full of interest in the result OF
the struggle which to pOrtend their success or
failure on Friday. First a single scu starting out
created small stir. and palr-oared boat with
crew i'm blue and white made little more sensation
Then the River Belle steamed out, and up we 90 10
the start under the old foobridge and up opposite
Hampden Park, where were anchored the two
scows from which the boats were to start. The
West Springfield people were out the west bank,
and in the east the grand stand in Hampden Park
was .speckled with people. Further up all became
quiet again. The crews were On the houses-walting
orders--iust off the boat-house. There was the
usual outrageous delay, and meantime breeze
sprung up and ugly looking cloud rose III the
west fhng the timid with causeless fear OF ram.
At nearly an hour past the time there was 30 sign OF
starting The referees boat began TO buzz around
anxiousy and at seven minutes before the Column
bias-aways ready-put their boat in the water.
Harvard was in in three minutes more, and both
boots shot out into the stream, Column
ba with blue oar blades and Harvard
with red Harvard was further distinguished
bv parti-colored cap worn by the little coxswain,
and Columbia by Cambridge University cap ana
straight striped shirt, by Mr. Kelly IN the bow
Hsrvaris big men loom up, and Columbia looks
very light forward as they pull down to the start.
Once there Columbia having the choice, takes the
west position, Harvard east. There always is
troublesome bustng about of steamers before a race
starts but never worse than was seen to-day. The
clumsy River Belle. which had the eager
newspaper men on board, fOuudered round,
and got in the way, and finally, in her efforts
10 get out after great delay went about quarter OF
mile up stream and remained there till after The
start The referees boat meantime becomes III
yoyed between the two crews, and first pushed her
bow into Columbia and then threatened TO back her
stern into Harvard If somebody had not supprcsset
an active rustic who stood on the steamer to fend
off with boat-hOok, the of the Columbia boat
would have been ended for ever.
At % minutes after 3, after much pulling and
hauling back aud forward the word was gwen,
"Go" and the race was started.
TIE RACE.
Columbia sprang away AT SO strokes to the MN
ute; Harvard trudged lazily off at 50. This was to
have been expected from the policy pursued by tho
crews in training and produced the natural result
The start being a fair and even one the
Quick stroke of the Columbias gave them
an advantage at once, and they started away
pallantly. getting lead of half length almost
Immediately. keeping up their quick stroke and
Harvard pulling away behind at 81. Columbia
managed 10 hold her lead to the railroad bridge at
tic half mile but the lead did not increase beyond
The first half length; and between the railroad
bridge and the foot-bridpe, au eighth OF a mile
below, the race may be said to have been lost
and worse. Harvard, pounding steadily along with
their slow uhwearyng stroke, began just below the
railroad bridge to creep up in spite OF the continued
exhaustive rush of Columbia. At the foot-brldge
plaiu the race was Harvard's. From the bridge the
Uarvards continued to gam, and at the mile
had nearly length. At this point her
shrewd cOxswan began 10 work over into the middle
of the stream; but, crOwding little upon the course
of Columbia whose bow yet very few feet from
him was warned 10y the referee and dropped back
into his own course. Harvard now rapidly increased
her lead steering as the crow flies, the rver rom
The first 10 the second mile being perfectly straight
Before reaching the second mile Harvard mad good
FIVE lengths Of lead and gradually fell into course
along the west side. Columbia, fOully deprived OF
her chosen path abruptly took the eastern course
which She held to the third mile. At the mile II was
perfectly evident that Harvard had the race IN
hand. Columbia was still struggling brayely on at
80 strokes TO the minute, and Harvard
was keeping up 10 about 30 but az
tie third mile the boats being on almost the same
conrse. the start of Harvard still a good five
lengths Passing the three miles they dropped a
connie Of strokes per minute, and Columbia, working
bravely. came up gradually TO three lengths All
hands in tie Columbia boat did their best but IN
vain as Harvard, keeping on at a slow stroke sept
the NeW-York boys easily at the same distance, ana
crossed the line a winner, with Columbia following
three lengths behind.
4 question has arisen in regard 10 the time as
follows: Tie official time as given out was y NM
mics 81 seconds for the winner and % minutes 5oi2
seconds for Columbia. IL is claimed by Columbia
tonight. with some show Of Justice that the real
time WAS 2l minutes 81 seconds ana not ~ minutes
81 seconds. Iwenty-Oue minutes 81 secohds is
prolally the correct tines winning time OF last
year. then stated at y minutes seconds is now
generally believed to have been y minutes ana
seconds Tie difficulty adds new element OF H.