The age-herald., 1901-03-31
OXFORD SNATCHES BRILLIANT VICTORY Won the Great Boat Race from
 Cambridge C0XSWAIN'S GREAl WORK Until Near the End Cambridge Had the Lead, But oxford's Steering Told and She Gradually Forged
 Ahead and Won Race.
COXSWAIN'S GREAl WORK

London March 30.-Oxford's coxswain snatched a victory from Cambridge today In boat steering race, after the Light Blues (Cambridge) had led by length and a half at Barnes bridge, an advan- tage which at that points Is supposed to mean a sure victory.
 The crews were So evenly matched that clever steering meant everything. In this alone the Dark Blues( OxfordD had the advantage The weather could hardly havo been worse. Rain fell all night, and with a strong wind made a discourag- ing outlook. The race was upstream on a flood tide. with a seven-knot breeze on the port quarter at the start which was at 1925 a. m.
 Both crews rowed down to the start ing staffs. There was little to choose be- tween in action or physique. At Colonel Williams signal, the crews caught the wa ter together. but Cambridges snappy stroke gave them a shade the better of the start
 Cambridge rowcd thirty-four strokes to the minute at the start, and Oxford thir- ty-hvc. which brought the Dark Blues abreast of Cambridge and gave them fractional lead. which they lost before Hammersmith bridge was reached.
 Cheers for Cambridge.
 Cheers rose from Cambr,dge's steam boat as their boat passed Hammersmith bridge half a length ahead. On the OK ford steamer there was a deep silence and anxiety At Thorneycrofts very 4,o+ md the course brought the wind around and ahead There the superiority of Brocas (OXford's) boat showed itself. Both crews dropped their stroke to twenty mine. but Oxford was the steadier. Still Cam bridge gained. At Barnes bridge their lead was a length and a half. Then the Oxford champions on the Oxford steamer gave tongue for the first time and yelled encouragement to their crew. The re- sponse was instantaneous, and as heart breaking as the pace had been for the first mile, which was one second under the record. Oxford quickened her stroke to thirty-two and then to thirty-four, and Cambridge quickened to thirty But the latter lacked the driving power of Oxford, who went up, foot by foot. The crowds on the banks caught the contagion of the steamers and surged to- ward the final.
 Oxford crept slowly up and overcame the Cambridge lead, in spite of the con- stant quickening of the Cambridge stroke On the Cambridge steamer the passengers following the race cheered de- spairingly and Cambridge qnickened again spairingly, and Cambridge quickened again to thirty-six-forty. The Oxford bow lapped the Cambridge stern for a time and the race hung in the balance. Oxford quickened to thirty six and Cambridge struggled gamely but 1-.A h.. l.. Ia- Co signally in her steering at each turn, while Oxford never lost an inch on the geometry of the course
 Oxford Comes Forward.
 In the last POO yards Oxford's bow be- gan to show ahead and she relentlessly overhauled Cambridge, who rowed strong to the finish Nevertheless, deep-throatei cheers arose as the crews flashed between the red flags a the finish and Cambridge saluted Oxford as they ceased rowing.
 Then to the American spectators came a surprising feature. The winning crew rowed to their landing place and carried in their own oars and boat, instead Of being themselves carried in on the should CTS of their admirers as would have hap ponad in the case of an American crew.
 The times at the main points of the course were: Cravensteps, minutes, $ seconds; mile minutes, 54 seconds (beat- smith bridge minutes, 8 seconds; Chis- wick. Il minutes, 56 seconds; Barnes bridge, 19 minutes