Evening star., 1897-04-03
OXFORD WINS AGAIN
Eighth Successive Victory Over Cam
bridge.
THE ANNUAL BATTLE OF TEE BLUES
Race Of the University Fights From
Putney to Mortlake.
EXCELLENT TIM f NJ ID f

r-pre~guiirg the universities OF ONloru anu
Cambridge was rOwed today over the usuai
course. from Putney to Mortlake. dis
tanee of feur and one-quarter miles. Ok
ford wor by scarcely two lengths Ihe
time was ~ minutes l. seconds
oxford has now won thirty-one out OF
the ffiy-four races rowed, and has been
The winner eight years in succession
The weather was bad for boating, the
sky was overcast. the wind was guslS'
some rain fell just before the start and the
atmosphere was raw and cold The bet
ting was > TO on oxford
The usual crowds assembled at all points
of vantage along the course. The rowing
experts expected that Cambridge would
have the best of the start and that OK
ford would lead from Hammersmith
bridge to the finish
Tn. crews were made up as follows:
Oxford-J. J. DeknoOp, bow, l'9 pounds'
O. q Edwards. No. =. 40 pounds, T. N
Phillips No. 2. 16s pounds; g u Burhel'
No J. l.8 pounds: r. X. Balfour. 80 D.
Iss pounds: r. Carr, No. 6 1i3 pounds; w
f t'rumIn No. :. 40 IL pounds; X. Gold
stroke It., IL pounds: II. r. Pechell, cox
swain 11s IL pounds
CambTi.igo-D. E. Campbell-Muir. bow
1-,gIp pounds. A. s Bell, No. =, Ill pounds
E j. u. Taylor. No. 3. 1872 pounds t. H.
Howell No. I. 10 pounds; W. A Bieber'
No = is;{ pounds: ID. Pennington No o.
111Ie pounds; V. Dudley Ward. No !. 1'o
pounds. w j. Fernie. stroke 16I pounds;
f, - Hawkins. coxswain. 1141e pounds.
1t is expected that there would be an un-
usual amount of interest in the Doat lace
today throughout the United States. as II
is the first time since the beginning OF
these races. in 1s2o. that an American has
rCweI in each boat J. j. Deknoop OF New
College. oxford. is from Albany. n. y, and
b H. Howell of Trinity Hail. Cambridge.
IS from New York city.
The start was fixed for 2:iJ pm. an hour
and a quarter before high WAGER. At pm.
the wind had freshened. and was apiercinS
cold. promising to he at the back of the
crews the whole way. ard making II posi-
bic that the record time might be beaten.
H. Coli the oxford stroke. and W. j.
Feruie. the Cambridge stroke, in inter
views with the representatives of the As
sociateI Press. Just before the race. said
that their crews were in the most fit condi-
ton for the contest.
The Cambridge men We're the first to en-
bark. having won the toss, and chose the
NiidleSex side of the river.
The water vas smooth and the wind
due east. The start was made at 2:24 pm.
william Effected admirable start. Fer
ME. Cambridge. got off the mark sharper
than Cold oxford. and at the Dukes Head.
the Cambridge men, minute after the
start. had the nose of their boat in front.
The light blues were pulling thirty-six TO
the minute, while oxford was striking
thirty-four with the long, clear pull so
characteristic of the crew. 1t soon began
to tell and at Claspers oxford was a
quarter of length ahead, was coming
away, and was soon half a length In the
lead. which was never decreased.
At WaIden's. Oxford's men We're rowing
well within their strength and pulling in
the most admirable form. They passed the
Crab Tree wharf three-quarters of length
to the good. Abreast of Harrods Cthe soap
works., Fernie Cambridge), who was well
supported. spurted and succeeded in slight
ly reducing the dark blue lead. though
oxford rowing in the most perfect I
form, which could not be said OF cam
brfige.
4 a a nj \, RrId drp
Oxford shot Hammersnhth bridge a
length ahead amid uproarious cheers from
the dark blue partisans on both banks.
There Cambridge began TO feel the effect of
the oxford wash, and at the rad mills, the
other side of Hammersmith bridge. and
one mile. six furlongs and fifty yards from
the start the race was practically over.
Gold was coming right away and leaving
the Cambridge boat as If 1t was standing
eiill.
At the Doves one mile. seven furongs
ard sixty yards from the start. oxford was
rowing tfirty-three and Cambridge was
striking thirty-twO, with the dark blues in
CreasiEg their lead TO three lengths a;
BarTe1 bridge, where oxford still in
perfect form, and il was very obvious that
Cambridge had er ough OF 1t. Some of the
light blues were paipably distressed
oxford by Two Lengths.
AT Barnes bridge Fernie called for a
final effort. and for a time the Cambridge
latter. however, without unduly sporting
passed the judges boat easy winners by a
bare TWO lengths. and in the second brs'
time-l3 minutes II secoEds-in which the
race has been rowcd over this course. The
best time made in 1Sti. when oxfcFr
Won by tne length and four feet in Is min
Utes ~ seconds This years dark blue crew
Won last year by less than third of d
length in ~ minutes 1 seconds.
Cambridge finished eleven seconds behint
Oxford.
The time of the dark blues at the CraI
Tree was 3m 55c.: at Hammersmith bridge
an. Z'is- at Chiswick Church. lin. OBS. an,
al Barnes bridge. 16m.
Good Race for Half Way
a special representative of the Asso-
ciAted Press followed the race on beard tho
press boat. The race was good one hall
the way over the course. but from thai
point on II became procession.
Cafnbridge's choice of MiddIesex shor,
was III order to take the advantage of the
start that position being out of the wind
When the pistol was fired Carnbrid2,
was hrst away, striking A. TO Oxford's -
This gave the Cantabs a lead of a quarter
OF a length. oxford, rowing cleaner aac
longer. drew up slowly. Cambridge keep
ting up the - stroke; oxford. striking 81
was stiil behind
Cambridge then Steered out too far con
tiHuinS -. while oxford. dropping to 81
obtained a clear length by the time Ham
mersmith was reached. Cambridge squirt
OXfgr,i. who kept up a long %.
IRE Light Blues again spurted belo,
Thorneychoft's, rowing 81 This !
minutes after the start. but II was II
good. FOR entering Corney Beach, Ok
ford had two lengths clear, aud was rowin
q magnificent long stroke at ~.
Very soon after oxford took Cambridge
water and gave the latter the wash gain
Ing u9 the Light Blue boat at every stroke
Cambri lge gamely spurted after passin
Barnes. and drew up length, but the Can
tats could do more.
During the last mile De Kn1op. III
American in the oxford boat. rowed wei
ard Howell. 'the American in the Can
bridge boat. though very tired, stuck gam.
iy to his work rowing fine losing rae,
The oxford rowed longer an
stronger throughout and with the follow
Ing wind were expected to do better tha
they did.
When the Oxford crew came up to III
start Guy Nicalls excited derision by stanr
ing In the bow of the oxford boat with
stopwatch in hand and shouting instru
tions 10 the Oxford crew.