The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-07
CONTEST FOR The CHALLENGE CUP
PREDICTIONS AS TO THE GREAT
BOAT RACE.
THE YALE CREW AND THE LEANDER WILL.
MEET IN THE FIRST RACE To-Day.
THE AMERICANS HAVE WON CHOICE
OF STATION, Bur THEIR FRIENDS
HARDLY BELIEVE THEY WILL WIN
OVER Both ENGLISH CREWS.

New York, July 6-"Bob'' Cook in his
special copyrighted cable from Henley.
on-Thames to the Commercial Advertiser
says:
within the next twenty-four hours the
crews OF Yale and Leander will have met
in the first of the races for the grand chal-
lenge cup. 1t will doubtless be hard
rowed race and Yale has somewhat the
advantage in having drawn the choice
of station, the Bucks side of the course.
For my own part, however, without affect
ing to feel pessmistic. am forced to ac-
knowledge that on the eve of the race,
do not see how Yale can win. I4eander
mas very fast crew and ought to defeat
Yale They have had more experience
and row better together.
Even should Yale win the heat to-
morrow against Leander | shall not feel
IN any way more sanguine of our ulti-
mately winning the for the very next
day we must 20 up against the New Col
lege crew and the best judges here think
thls crew the fastest England has ever
produced. In fact, it is generally con-
coded that New College will take the
grand challenge cup. To-day. for in
stance, the New College crew out and
rowing III practice forty strokes to the
minute. Their speed was tremendous.
Whlle Yale crew is well pleased with
having won the choice of station on the
Thames, the real value of this choice is
not so great rs many suppose 1t all de-
ponds upon the wind. Should the breezes.
which are frequently very strong here.
blow from the Bucks shore, it is estimated
that YaFsSwill have an advantage of at
least one'Iength by reason of the protec-
ton afforded by buildings and trees along
shore. If, however, there should be head
wind there will be no advantage whatever
in having the choice course.
X One of the interesting events of the
day here was the arrival of the French
crew. They came ahead of their boat and
Yale loaned them her practice boat for the
day. This naturally established friendly
relations with the Frenchmen at once and
they used the boat with evident satisfac-
ton and perhaps with some curiosity.
I'm talks have had with persons of
good 3t.igment they seem almost unani-
mously of the opinion that both Leander
and New College will finish ahead of Yale
for the grand challenge cup. But they
all place Yale in third position. This. of
course, is very close figuring Even
should Yale finish third, the trip and ex-
perierice will be of great value. We have
learned much that will aid other Yale
crews IN future years. In concluding
this, probably my last letter to the Com
mercial Advertiser, before the race to-
morrow, / will not say that Yale's crew
is, or that am hopeless of winning. We
hope, but we realize that the chances are
greatly against victory for the Blue. If
we win shall be surprised and | need
not add that it will be the pleasant sur
prise Of my life
The great crowds of people present and
the excitement which reigned on all sides.
made this afternoon appear like a regatta
day. All the crews were out and Eaton
raced with Leander for two minutes. The
Yale men Were afioat Mt $3.50 and proceed
ed Il few yards when Captain Treadway's
stretcher broke, owing to the negligence
OF the boatman. The main body of the
Yale men who reached England on board
the Umbria, arrived here during the af-
ternoon and proceeded in a body to the
headquarters of the crew. There they
cheered the Oarsnen heartily.
The Americans are receiving MANY
cable messages of encouragement One
of them was from the New York Associa-
ton of Yale Alumni.
In rowing in a two-minute trial this
afternoon, the New College (OXforCD crew
did three quarters of length better than
Leander had done. Yale's record in the
same time is and IA lengths less than
Lenders. When Leander rowed with
Elton this afternoon they did as they liked
and dropped their strokes to thirty-five to
the minute. Yet in the two minute row
they did three quarters of length better
than Yale. The town is full OF life and
hustle tonight and there is much re-
pressed excitement over the coming con-
tests, interest centreing largely on the
contest for the grand challenge cup 1t
is evident that this is due in no small
part to the participation of the Yale crew
in the battle. The Yale contingent
which came over on the Umbria are very
much in evidence.
Sporting Life, whose reports have been
the most accurate of all the English pa.
pers, will predict in its issue tomorrow
that Leander will win by a length over
Yale. This authority says that there is
not more than that difference between
the crews. But if the wind is strong from
the south and west, it expects that Yale
will be the winner
SENTENCE OF DEATH