Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-30
The Fifty-Seventh Boat Race With
Cambridge.
DARK BLUE TOOK And KEPT THE LEAD
The Thames Thronged Despite
Gloomy Weather.
RAIN FELL AT. INTERVALS

PUTNEY; England, March 30.-Oxford
won the ffty-seventh boat race today be-
tween the crews representing the Uni
versities of Oxford and Cambridge, cross
ing the line two lengths ahead. The morn
ing was gloomy and cold. but this did not
prevent crowds of people from vending
their way to Putney in order to watch
the final practice of the crews. During
the morning both the Oxford and the Cam
bridge boats practiced starting for about
a quarter of an hour.
Rain fell at intervals throughout the
morning. and strong southwest wind was
blowing, but the balance Of the river
Thames were crowded at an early hour.
At 3 Pm the Cambridge coxswain went
over the course again in a steam launch.
Happily, the wind moderated greatly dur
ing the afternoon, and at 3 o'clock was
very light and the water was almost
smooth. The press and the umpire's boats
took up their positions when 4 o'clock, the
hour for the race. approached, and they
were shortly followed by the crews.
Oxford won the toss and chose the Sur
rey side of the river.
The scene on the Thames was as ami
mated as usual, and until the course was
cleared the river was alive with craft of
all kinds.
besieged by their admirers early in the
day, and both Oxford and Cambridge were
loudly cheered as they launched their
boats.
The betting just previous to the start
was unchanged from that Of last night,
when the odds were 8 to 2 on Oxford.
The crews started at 4:0S pm, and OK
ford soon had lead of half length.
At Clasper's boat house oxford held their
lead, but at Craven Cottage, less than
three-quarters of mile from the start,
oxford was only one-quarter length
had not Increased this lead At Hammer
smith bridge. a little over one and three
quarters miles from the start, Oxford had
increased the lead to half length. and
was widening the gap.
At Ihornycrofts, about three miles from
the start. Oxford was length and a quar-
ter ahead, and at the Deyonshire meadows
% the dark blue was leading by two lengths.
oxford, at Barnes bridge, slightly over
three and half miles from the start, held
the lead of two lengths, and eventually
won by that distance. -.
Oxford started at forty strokes a minute,
the Cambridge stroke contenting. himself
with thirty weight. The dark blues, through
/ out the race, pulled steadily and like clock
work. Opposite the lead mills Cambridge
drew up little, but the hopes of the ad-
mfrers Of the light blue soon faded away,
and Oxford Increased her lead as she liked
Opposite the Dover, about two miles from
the start, Oxford was pulling -thirty-nine
and Cambridge thirty-eight strokes to the
minute.
The official time of the winner was an
nounced to be 20 minutes so seconds.
Reporting the News.
NEW YORK, March 3O-In less than one
second after the result Of the English boat
race had been received in the Associated
Press Office in this city it was flashed over
its wires to every portion of New England,
all points in. New York state, and the
larger cities In Canada. At the same in
stant 1t was trersmitted over the south
crn and western wires to Philadelphia,
Baltimore, Washington and Pittsburg, from
which latter point it was distributed to the
west, reaching Denver within two seconds
from the time it was cabled from the fin
ish line on the Thames.