New-York tribune., 1886-04-04
THE CAMBRIDGE CREW WINS.
OXFORD DEFEATED BY HALF A LENGTH.
. CLOSE AND rxCirNG RACE FROM PuTSEY TO
MOR1IAKF.

JoSnox. April Ste annual university
race between the oxford and Cambridge crews wos
,owed this afternoon over the usual course on the
Thsmes River from Putney to Morake and resulted MS
xa. expected, in victory for Cambridge The SKY
WAS cloudy. the weather mild and tho wina
,-c,tv strong at the start and during the
race The water sufficiently "lumpy" 10 put
70 tho stamina Of the men engaged IN tno
contest The betting III favor OF the Cambridge crew.
Tho river banks we're crowded Yankee enterprise on
,er,aped the sghtseers much as the contest
between the university athletes An Amencan
u,iuc company sent up several hundred small balloons
from Putney containing advertisements OF tacr wares
and Offering OF them free TO hnders OF tine oanoohs'
There was consequently great rushing among the I'M
mense crowds to secure balloons as they came to the
ground Amid all this ollity large gang OF rough ana
men npreared on the as II to remind the
hol,iaymakcrs that there were some Engiishmen VINO
were Incapable OF enjoying themselves THESE marched
in procession along the race course headed by pand
and banner calling attention to the distress prevailing
among the unemployed workmen OF England and con-
tanning tho inscription, "You lvc VIC starve~
Jus, at the broke through the clouds ana
savc a smell OF bright weather, during which the winI
moderated. oxford in the toss for choice OF sta
,ous The boats started even. ana were kept so
bv "a fine ever witnessed on the course
for about mile Then the Cambridge boat was pulled
few feet aheal. The oxford men, however, Increased
their work and the boats were again shot
olong with their relative positions maintained without
perceptbe change In this second stage the race was
exciting both rowing with great power every
man strainhg his muscles TO gain advantage The Cam
bridge men made desperate spurts TO get away
from their competitors but the latter responded instant
Iy and successfully to each, and when Hammer
smith Bridge was reached the Cambridge boat
WAS but quarter OF length aheao'
mile aud a half had now been rowed and the contest
continued stubborn fairly and exciting up to the
,wo-and. a-haltmie point. opposite Chiswick Church
Tho U1e
smoothly and with plenty OF wiud Tho boat responded
by fairly shooting along until It's PROV got even with
that OF Cambridge and then passed 1t by few feet
Tho spectators along the banks and the river were
now wrought up TO high degree OF enthusiasm ana he
contestants urged by cheering that was loud and
inspiriting. The Cambridge men responded to the
"bravos" by work which gradually sent their boat up
even with that of oxford and the height OF the struggle
was reached. The boats were kept even unti barncs
Bridge passed Hero neither crew hsd any
visible advantage and both were s'rshihe.
The rowing however, was powerful on both Sides ana
The men now on tho homestretc leaned with all their
remaining might TO task OF reaching the finish line III
the oucKes ne possible. The people along the banks
in sight the struggle aud on the boats following the
contestants almost Wild with e&cltemeh and
cries of "dead heat" dead heat were every where
heard II seemed Inevitable that the race would end In
tie for the men in both appeared all strong and
well preserved and so evenly matched in all respects
tnat nothing but an accident cod give either soe an
advantage. But near the nush tue CahDriuSe men
were able TO ad spurt TO their long sisahei
mil and It moved their craft AT forty-two strokes to
Inc minute few feet ahead and they passed the nniit
almost half length IN advance, winning one OF the
greatest races ever rowed over the course . ..,,.
The excitement the close was thrllnG Al no point
during had 1t been possible Tor either
orc " to get than half length ahead or ts rival
Upto almost the finish the race belonged 10 either sloe
snd excitement among the psrtlsans along the river
banks was increased from minute 10 minute
from the 10y the continuous eVenness
o. me rowing ana equalization of advantages until the
splendid finish relieved the excitement which broke ana
dissipael IN perfect thunder of applause The race
is where the greatest ever pulled ON
the the dead heat or 1871 Ihe length OF
tnc course was four Iri.es and two fnrongs
The time made by Cambridge was 2229l2 the longest
occied any the University races since the contest
OF 1877. The tide poor and the race was foweu
against strong head winds almost the whole way Ihesr
TWO facts sufficiently explain the time made. III view OF
the continuous hsrd pulling done 10y the crews. Iae
men OF both crews much exhausted at The hnlsh
The oxford boat steered badly.