New-York tribune., 1896-03-29

CLOSE AND THRILLING CONTEST BETWEEN THE
TWO ENGLISH UNIVERSITY oREws-oXFoRD's
SPLENDID Squirt AT THE END SETTLED IT.
(BY CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE.l
fcopvrfoht 1896; by The Tribune .fssocationJ
London March 2S.-The University boat race
to-day was won by oxford at the last moment.
when success seemed hopeless. Cambridge was
the favorite crew on the river and in the betting
ring. While the crews did not differ materially
In weight. the Cambridge men looked more mus
cuar and sinewy. and their boat had more life
In It, They had the air of a winning crew
when they padded TO Putney. and indeed. were
confident that they would lead all the way. so
they did as far Barnes Bridge. but IN the
final reach they We're beaten
The race was a splendid struggle with a squirt
BY Oxford at the end which will not be for
gotten in many day on the river The race
was so close that the slightest thing al inc
start or finish may be said to have determined
H. For example, Cambridge was first at the
stakeboat. and her men were compelled TO wait
some time for oxford. A cold. raw wind was
blowing and the spectators in boats IN the
middle of the river suffered severely from II.
The Cambridge crew started in the race De-
numbed with cold, whereas the oxford men were
fresh and barely warming to their work. Iha'
momentary difference in condition ma! ha'o
been decisive Then. at the close. the wind Die"
heavily in great gusts and the water pe!ohu
Barnes Bridge was very rough
Cambridge. having won the TOSS hau ciosei'
the Surrey side. but oxford on the maj reac"
had smoother water, owing to the shelter OF the
bank That was a slight thing. but wheh
crew wins by two-fifths Of a length. tribes De-
come decisive.
Never was a crew more dazed than Cambridge
at the close It had rowed well from the start
leading at the mile. shooting Hammersmith
length and a half ahead. holding the advantage
firmly at Chiswick. and being greeted at barnes
as certain winner. Suddenly the Cambridge
men found themselves beaten In the last oVo
yards They looked stupefed. ana paooieo
ashore like men in dream. Oxford had won
when spectators afoat and ashore were shout-
Her pucky stroke Barnes was passed CON
triyed to call out some latent reserve power IN
HE MON oxford crept UP and could not be
shaken off, Both crews were working 10 the
uttermost. but oxford was at frst even WIN .I
Cambridge and finally ahead with three men III
front When the stakeboat was passed. so ciose
was the struggle that nobody on the press poas' @
directly behind. could tell whlch crew nau WI VII
The crews rowed throughout in faultless styie.
with greater swing Of oars and more leg anu Dou!
work than is ordinarily seen in American wa,eis.
Two men in the Cambridge crew at MortIahe
looked the worse for the struggle, but the Oxford
men were fresh. and tumbed ashore IN hlsh
state of exhilaration, for they had won d @ iace
Putney the banks We're lined with spectators al
most continuously between the two limits Inou-
sands had stood for hours waiting for a nashihg
glimpse Of the two crews and when the ooatS
were sighted all began TO cheer ike Madhleii,
After the crews disappeared around the curve OF
the river the throngs mad to stand waiting
long time before they knew which boat had won.
AS the press boat went down the river with the
dark blue above the light-blue flag, roars OF APP
pIause and rounds Of cheers were heard Crowds
al boatrace are easily pleased. All they want
IS good sport and IL does not matter which poat
wins They had good sport to-day. 1t was an
exhibition OF scientific rowing power. endurance
and genuine British pluck They needed some
thing like this, for the weather changed for the
worse during the morning, and the race was
rowed during a storm Of sleet and rain
The University sports yesterday We're favored
with better weather and there was large at
tendance and general satisfaction over cam
BRIDGES victory In athletics although win ohIy
80 notn+ 20 snare The most noticeable exploit
was Fitzherbert's record-breaking quarter mile
which caused general enthusiasm Betting men
lost heavily to-day the boat race, and also yes
ferday on the Grand National at Liverpool. when
Tho favorite horses were all hopelessly beaten II
was a bad beginning for the new seasons gam
oi'"e ~ ~ J. y. F.