New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-06-19
THE CRIMSON WINS.
COLUMBIA LOSES THE VARSITY RACE.
AN EXCITING CONTEST WHICH ENDS WITH HAR-
WARD OVER BOATS LENGTH AHEAD-THE
NEW-YoRK CREWS GALLANT STRUGGLE.

NEw-YoRK CREWS GALLANT STRUGGLE.
fBY TELEGRAPH TIE TRBUSE1
NEw-LONDON, Conn.,, June 1S.-ln one OF tbs
prettiest boat races yet seen on the Thames tho
Harvard University crew this evening beat tho
Columbia eight, by one and three-quarters
boats lengths. The time was not remarkable, but
was eleven seconds faster than the race between
the Varsity" crew of the same colleges last year,
and nearly two minutes faster than the time In the
Yale race. Part of this gain was unquestonabiy
due to the superior condition Of wind ana
water, for a comparison OF the record SHOWS
that Harvard rowed as hard, II nos
harder when she led in that mourniui
procession than she did to-day. Yet she was never
pressed then, and to-day the lads from Columbia
cung to her with pertinacity that called OUT the
highest praise for their pluck from all who knew
how great was the disparity between the weight'
ages and experience of the crews. The superiority
of the men from Cambridge strength and action
was apparent from the start to the finish OF the
race. and were it not for the assurances of the
Harvard men themselves that they had rowed their
best and intended when they started cut to put
as much water as possible between them and their
rivals it would be easy to believe that much OF tho
apparent closeness Of the race was due TO
Bancroftian wish to entertain the Yale crew, VINO
followed the shells in their launch. " IL would DO
lust like Foxy" many people are saying and think
ing tonight " he's not going to show the best
form of his men for the benefit of YALE unless he Is
compelled to-" The ease, regularity and
perfection of the work done throughout
the four miles, and the fact that
tho only spurt INDUCED in was between
the three and half mile flag and the finish, give
color to this theory which is widely held
The details In the preparation for the race were
not different from those of former years, except
that less public interest manifested than usual.
rising knoll near the finish, euphonousy called
dead Head Hill" by the natives, was crowded
with spectators and a score OF small craft dotted
the water but the few yachts in the harbor did not
think it worth while to come up aud fly their bunt-
ing and salute the victOrs with salvo OF small
artillery and the grand stand was all but tenant
less, Until this afternoon it was not known that
there would be any facilities for the press, and
even then it was only the enterprise OF Inc Ddy q
local newspaper, which enabled the reporters to see
the race they had come to describe. New-London
is so habtualy sleepy that it wakes up only fof
the Harvard Yale races and even then 1t does not
rub its ewes until rudely josted by the great iniu1
of collegans 1t likes best to SIT squat beside iu
beautiful harbOr and contemplate its own beauty
and think over the historic "reminiscences oil Gr0ton
Heights To its ordinary listlessness to-day was
added the circumstance that statue OF Connecti.
cut's War Governor was unveiled at Hartford, anc
most of the townspeople who had energy enough 10
stir out at all went to that show Then, though
the Harvard Columbia races are as likely to be a,
picturesque and exciting as any, they all lOokec
upon it of little moment. The fault IN the first In
stance is with cOllegians. Harvard Will admit nc
rival but Yale, and Yale none but Harvard
Columbia is treated very much like
an interloper, and probably will be until few DO
csive victories won by her crew stimulate an
interest III the races among the alumni of both cob
leces That this is not likely to occur is convic
ton which the Harvard men permit to fill theh
minds They know by how much admirable worh
in the gymnasium and on the Charles they prove
themselves entitled to victory, and cannot
bring themselves to fear crew which
has no gymnasium and relies for training
on few weeks practice on the Harlem.
A fresh southwest wind rumped the surface of
the water when the powerful tug America. of tho
Thames Towing Company took the newspaper
writers up to the starting point at
o'clock; There seemed to be be some icops pneas,
hour fixed for the start-6:30 o'clock. The crews
launches which bore the officers skipped hIther
and thither across the river until the exacting
minds of Goodwin and Bancroft were satisfied
| that all was well. Five minutes later, however,
| they came spinning up to quarters ana, Win
| few shril whistle blasts, called ont the crews
| Both were prompt in responding. Two professions
marched to the waters edge on opposite Sides
| of the river, carrying the long shells. rye
minutes more and eight crimson jerseys cleaned In
| the rays of the setting in symmetrical array
along the edge of the HaryardflOat. broad glareof
light dazzled the eyes of those who wished to see
! Columbia embark There was hush ON the press
SS%t %Cfds a6& Of SanfnsS Som@sad could be heard
crews were padding smoothly toward the starting
point. There was no delay and OIL minutes and 49
seconds after o'clock the referee gave the WORD
TO 60 Harvard had the east course, which has
fashion of troubling losing crew with eel grass,
1t will be remembered Through the broad glare
which lay across the water could be seen the SIM
ultaneous flash Of eight crimson oar blades and tho
sparkle of myriad drops OF water thrown up oy
HOW THE START WAS MADE.
Few starts are we'll made This was no excep-
ton. though the splashing did not last more than
dozen strokes and was monopolized by Columbia.
Both crews started out with their average stroke.
Harvard fell al once into long, easy swing. Her
oars cut with perfect stroke, dipping into
the water thrty-hve times In minute.
The eight bodies moved forward and backward in
perfect unison, and only Storrow, No. 3 broke the
unison by slighter motion than his fellows
Columbia's stroke was quicker and more Jerky. lt
gave evidence of more impatient energy. The re-
stead of leaning forward with tension which
would keep him motlOnless, sat bolt upright and
went back with jerk on every pull MelkeInam,
and threw back his head IN seeming hope That It's
weight would help the boats impetus. As whole,
| II well lnteuIloneu
and its time was uniformly from three to four
strokes faster than Haryard's. The Columbia
! Ihe hone of pushing ahead In the first half mile ID
ran up TO forty-four Then it went back to thirty
nine and held that figure with beauti-
! ful regularity until the last desperate
| attempt to win in the last half mile. But there
was great impulsive force in liarvard's easy pull,
! and when once the uninterrupted movement of the
! boat began it drew away gradually from the men
| in blue and white. .
At the haf-mile flag which, was reached in two
minutes and forty seconds the crimson coxswam
| was abreast of Columba's bow. squirt. IN which
Columbia reached forty-four strokes To the minute,
| closed up the most of tins distance and when
| Harvard thought il wIso to fall INTO
| her repular time of thirty-hve strokes