The New York herald., 1878-07-05


trees
THE REFEREK's DECISION IN THE COLUMBIA
FINAL HEAT OF THE STEWARDS CUP.
[BY CABLE TO THE HERALD
LONDON, July 40 P. NJ.
The referee gave his decision this even
ing regarding Columbia's request to be
allowed to row in the final heat of the
Stewards Cup. Columbia had great hopes
that the decision would be favorable, mas
much as their crew had already been ad-
judged blameless in bringing about the
foul with the Dublin University boat.
The referee, after hearing the points
submitted by the Columbia representative,
decided against the crew, which excludes
them from further participation in the race
for the Stewards Cup. There is palpable
injustice in thus putting the crew ont of the
contest, simply because contesting boat
was guilty of breach of the rules gov
erning boat racing and committed foul
The conduct Of the Dublin crew is
not yet clear. It has been charged
that they fouled the Columbias inten-
tionally, though they apologized to them
after the race. While it is admitted that
awake when the foul took place, the referee
in his decision only considered the fact
that. in his opinion, the Shoe-waes were far
ahead when the collision occurred. So far
ahead, he estimated, that the foul could
not possibly have changed the result.
was but little more than half over at the
time, and the Columbias were rowing well
within themselves and had not commenced
to spurt. The referee declared that there
were three lengths between the Shoe-waes
and the boats following that crew at the
time the fouling was done.
When that official made this declaration,
Columbia's representative suddenly turned
around AMI asked one of the Shoe-vaes,
who did not hear the referees statement,
how lar they were leading when the foul oc-
Cured. f
'sOne and a quarter lengths, he replied,
in an indignant tone.
This distance may be assumed the maxi
mum, and the Columbias therefore had not
despaired of success.
REMEMBERING PHrLADELPRxA.
The referee had perfect right to decide
as he did, but the co,.trstemps is most un-
fortunate, as it has created in the minds OF
Americans and others the not altogether un-
warranted impression that the fancied injus-
tice to the English oarsmen at Philadelphia
during the Centennial races is now being
paid off by q tolerably palpable instance of
unfairness. 1t can only be hoped that the
contretemps will fully satisfy the English
rowing mind and incline them hence
forth to acts Of justice, if not
Of generosity To American visitors
hero since 1876 there has been no
concealing the fact that the Philadelphia
incident left bitter feeling in the minds
OF Englishmen, bat at whososver's door is
the sin of that case it should be no excuse
for Dublin's fouling Columbia and the
referees decision, which prevents them
from having fair chance for the Stewards
Cup. This at least is the opinion of high
minded Eng lish rowing men. fa
1t may be added here that in the race for
the Visitors Cup no actual foul occurred,
but the oars Of the Jesus boat nearly carried
away the rudder from Colu,nb bias she'll 1t
was a lucky escape for the New Workers.
THE coLuMBIAs' STROKE
There is not great deal of comment
upon the styles of the American crews
The.ch fault found by English oarsmen
with the Columbias is that they fail to row
their stroke clean through to the end, their
oars seeming only to skim the water. The
latter part of the stroke is due, the English
oarsmen think, to their having practised q
quick stroke to an immodenate extent.
thu sHoE-wAEs srHoKE.
The quick stroke Of the Shoe-waes ex-
cites especial comment According to the
English idea they row what would be styled
decidedly scretchy," and il is held that a
long course would prove fatal to their
chances of success. Over the Henley course
squirting stroke is possible oil the way,
which it is thought could not lie maintained
for much greater distance.
COLUMBIA HEARTILY APPLAuDTp.
The Columbia crew, after their victory in
the first heat OF the Visitors Cup, were
greatly applauded- Rowing men praise
their form and their generous frankness.
CHANCES FOR THE AMrRIcANs.
Notwithstanding the contretemps of the
day the American crews have the satisiac.
tion of knowing that tomorrow there will
be chance Tor each to carry cup back
home across the Atlantic. II either sue.