Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1895-04-03
OXFORD WINS AGAIN.
Dark Blues Triumphant in the Fifty
seventh Annual Race at
Putney.

Putney, Eng, March 3O.-Oxford won
the tifty-seventh boat race today between
the crews representing the universities
Of Oxford and Cambridge, crossing the
line two lengths ahead
The morning was gloomy and cold,
)ut this did not prevent crowds of peo-
Jle from vending their way to Putney
IL order to watch the final practice of
the crews.
During the morning both Oxford and
the Cambridge boats practiced starting
for about quarter of an hour Rain fell
at intervals throughout the morning and
a strong southwest wind was blowing,
but the banks Of the River Thames were
crowded at an early hour
At p. N. the Cambridge coxswain
went over the course again in steam
launch. Happily the wind moderated
greatly during the afternoon and at $3.50
p. N. was very light and the water was
almost smooth.
The press and umpire's boats took Up
their positions when the hour for the
race approached and they were shortly
followed by the crews. Oxford won the
toss and chose the Surrey side of the
river.
An Animated Scene.
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 The lighthouses Of the two
crews were beseged 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
last night. The crews started at 4:0S
and Oxford soon had lead of half
length
At Clasper's boathouse Oxford held her
lead, but at Craven cottage, less than
three-Quarters of a mile from the start,
Oxford was only quarter of length
ahead and at Walden's the dark blue
boat had not increased this lead
At Hammersmith's bridge, little over
one and three-quarter miles from the
start, Oxford had increased the lead to
half length and was widening the gap.
At Thornycroft's about three miles
from the start, Oxford was d length and
a quarter ahead and at the Devonshre
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 event
ually won by that distance.
Oxford started at forty strokes to a
minute, the Cambridge stroke contenting
himself with thirty-eight. The dark
and like clockwGrk. Opposite Lead Mills
Cambridge drew up little, but the hopes
of the admirers of the light blue soon
faded away and Oxford increased her
lead as she liked. Opposite the Doves,
about two miles from the start, Oxford
was pulling thirty-nine and Cambridge
thirty-eight strokes to the minute.
The official time of the winning boat
is announced to be 20 minutes 90 seconds.
Shortly after passing the Doves Cam
bridge again spurted and reduced Ok
ford's lead trife. But the dark blues
had increased their lead to two lengths
at the Devonshire meadows and this lead
Cambridge could not cut down to any
great extent. When the Oxford boat
shot under Barnes bridge the dark blues
were rowing well within their strength
and in perfect form. The Cantabs rowed
CALAMITY throughout and did better than
expected, but they had evidently had
enough of it at the finish. According to
the judges decision Oxford won by a
length and a half.
The race today was over the usual
course from obliquely opposite the Star
and Garter inn at Putney to the finish
line 120 yards above the Ship inn at
Mort lake. The exact length of the
course was 4 miles l furlong $50 yards.
If you stand o9 P,utney bridge and face
as the bows Of the racing boats point
up stream the Middlesex shore is on the
right hand and the Surrey shore on the
left. From the start the river curves
to the right as far as the Crab Tree,
thence to the left all the way to the
Ihree-quarter post, when it again in
clines to the right I'D to the finish.