Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-04

An UnfavorabIe Reply to the Invitation OF
Harvard and Yale.
The mystery surrounding the letter alleged
to have been received by Yale from the captain
of the Oxford Boat Club has been to all intents
and purposes cleared up. and evidently Yale 8
reticence was only due to the unfavorable cable
from Oxford. In an interview with Mr.. George
Adee, who rowed bow in the Yale crew of 1867,
it will be seen that the cable received by Yale
from Oxford on March 20 WAS in terms Just the
opposite of being reassuring.
"Instead of the cable leading to any hope Of
a definite arrangement Mr.. Adee says, lit
presented little prospect of match between
Oxford and the winner of the YaleHarvard
struggle. In fact. ". A. L. Fletcher of Christ
Church, captain of the University Boat Club at
Oxford, cabled Yale that he was afraid it would
be impossible to keep his men together"
WILL ROW IN OTHER REGArrAs
"You see" continued Mr.. Adee, "a majority
Of the men who rowed in the Oxford boat
against Cambridge are practically engaged to
represent either their college or other clubs
such the Leander the Thames or London
or Kingston at Henley and other big regattss.
Furthermore. one Of the best men in the eight,
Vivian Nichols would not be likely to give up
the probability of winning the diamond SOULS
and afterward the amateur sculling champion
ship to come over here with the possibility Of
rowing hard race and maybe losing one
I'VE. that is. Yale and Harvard. have always
been anxious for one Of the English varsity
crews to come over here, not because we have
any idea of our own superiority. but because
We have always been anxious to see how our
style of rowing approaches that Of the English
men.
WHAT BOB COOK LEARNED IN ENGLAND.
Dol "a h. al
of Harvard at the hands of Oxford he was in
England for two months and, as one might have
expected, was treated ROYALTY. He returned and
the result of what one may call his English
ideas was that tale rowed away from all the
colleges here. Now il has been puzzle to men
on this side as 70 whether the two months Bob
COok-who is a natural born cOach-was there
was sufiicien; to inculcate into college crews
the spring and manner of getting their hands
away that has been accepted as the best means
of speed in England.
40 solve this without any opening Of dis
pute it was necessary to have one of the two
English varsity crews come over. In order to
bring the issue as near a certainty possible.
Yale and Harvard decided that TO limit the
name of time between July Is and August at
New London would be an extra incentive for
the English crew to accept These dates were
fixed upon. well as the location. because the
New York Yacht Club squadron, making its an
nual cruise. would be In the harbor at the
time, and that. you know. is one of the pretsiest
sights in America.
no PROSPECT OF RACE.
1T would seem that all our plans will result
in disappointment, and l myself have ADAM
doned hope Of the Oxford eight visiting u.s.
suppose two or three colleges made up an
eight to come over here?'' asked.
AS far AS | am personally concerned they
would be heartily welcome" was Mr. Adee's
reply. But" he continued. lit would be a
moot point as to whether Yale or Harvard
would contest against them looking at it from
an international point Of view. You see, if
either of our universities to row against
an eight composed principally of men who had
merely rowed in their college eight it would be
nothing to their credit to win and all the more
tn their discre}it IL thav Lost