The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-31
OXFORD oUTRoWS CAMBRIDGE
THE vICToRs COVER THE COURSE
IN 20 VI. 80 :.

The Cambridge Crew Clearly Out-
eIassed and Beaten by Three
Lengths at the Finish without
Much observation-disclosures Bay
ard and His Wife and Daughter
Among the SDectators-The Banks
of the River Lined by an Immense
Crowd of People.
London, March S0.-An immense crowd
OF people OF all classes and conditions
thronged the banks OF the Thames this
morning TO witness the race Of the crews
of the University Of Cambridge and OK
ford The race was rowed over the cham
pionship course from Putney to Mortlake.
four and half miles. As in former years
the start was made from boats moored
just above Putney bridge and the race
was finished at the Ship hotel at Mort
lake
The club houses were gaily decorated
with flags of all descriptions. though club
colors predominated. Cambridge launch
ed their boat first and were followed al
most Immediately by oxford. Both crews
were heartily cheered by their respective
partisans as they carried their boats down
10 the river and the cheering continued
launching of the boats was very prettily
done and the crowd showed their appre-
citation of the scene. Every bit of aYaila-
BILE space along the river was packed with
people, who cheered their respective fav-
orites in season and out. The river was
alive with every conceivable kind of craft,
hut the arrangements for keeping the
course clear were perfect ana no boat
was permitted to obstruct the way to
the goal at Mortlake.
The weather was cold and raw, with
squalls of drizzling rain, which however,
did not deter anybody from keeping his
or her place in the crowd and patiently
awaiting the start of the race. There was
very heavy southwest wind which put
the water in pretty bad condition. oxford
won the toss. United States Ambassador
Bayard was on board the umpires boat at
Putney, which followed the crews through
out the race. Mrs. and Miss Bayard oc-
cupied places on the grand stand at Thor
neycroft's torpedo factory at Chiswick,
midway of the course.
AS a pistol was fired by Mr.. william,
both crews got well away Opposite the
boathouse the oxford crew had already
got the canvass bow of their boat In front
Of the Cambridge boat. For the first min
ute oxford rowed thirty-eght strokes and
Cambridge thirty-sx. oxford was draw
ing ahead rapidly and at Bishops creek
the Oxonians were leading by half a
length. Favored by the shelter afforded
by the Surrey shore, which the Oxfords Sc
lected after winning the toss their boat was
rapidly increasing its lead over the Cam
bridge shell and they were rowing easily.
At Craven cottage oxford was a length
ahead. Cambridge spurted, but could not
gain against Oxford's long sweeping
stroke. Shooting Hammersmith bridge
oxford was still a length ahead Cam
bridge made another squirt with the same
hFIr off I.s.sN
cred both crews and Cambridge had a
shade the best of it, oxford being barely
a length ahead at this point. This was
more than two-thirds of the distance, but
the Cambridge partisans had not given up
hope. From this point however, Cam
bridge fell behind and at Barnes bridge
Oxford was three lengths ahead. From
Barnes bridge TO the Ship hotel. Oxford
practically maintained that lead and won
easily by about three lengths
The official time of the race is 20 minutes
30 seconds.
shortly before the race the southwest
winds died away somewhat but II was
still stiff breeze and the tide was strong.
There We're frequent showers. but there
were also intervals of sunshine The UNI
pires and press boats and steamers carry
ing the oxford and Cambridge students
and guests took positions just above the
futney bridge the arches OF which were
closed to traffic.
Lord McNauEhten. who was a member
of the Cambridge crew Of 1852, presided
at the banquet given TO the crews at
the Cafe Royal this evening.
All of the arrangements for the race
were the same as those which We're car
RED out in 1894. The crowd was In expec-
tation that the race would be started
about II O'Clock, but it was decided 20
start 1t at o'clock, when the tide should
be full. In spite OF this long walt in the
disagreeable weather from the early
hours of the day, the crowds kept in
creasing rather than diminishing. until
every bit of available space was damned
with humanity.
Oxford won the toss for position and
chose the Surrey or south side of the
river, where they would be sheltered great
ly from the gusts Of wind.
The starting signal was given at 40S
p. m,
The race was rowed under conditions
completely different from those which gov
erned the race of 1894, when the water
was perfectly smooth and there was
scarcely breath of wind To-day there
was a strong southwest wind, with rain
and sleet. and the water was rough
throughout the course. In these adverse
circumstances, had the crews been
equal. the result of the toss for position
would virtually have settled the race ow-
ing to the shelter from the wind, which
the selection of the Surrey side of the
river afforded. The time was 1850, which
despite the adverse conditions, is 40 sec
onds faster than the time in which the
Oxonians won last years race, when they
finished three and one-half lengths ahead.
Oxford has now won twenty-nine and
Cambridge twenty-five races since the
series began the contest in 1877 resulting
in dead heat. The first contest between
the two universities was at Henley in
1898. the next in 1896 Siuca ISA5 the raea
has been rowed on the course from Put
ney to Mortlake. except on three occa-
sions-in 1886. 1856 and 1S63-when the
order was reversed, and the crews pulled
from Mortlake to Putney.
NAIL AM (,ROsSmInS