The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-08
CAMBRIDGE CREW FGVORITE.
RIVAL VARSITY FIGHTS WILL
MEET on THAMES TO-DAY.

Special CaOls DsspateAss 10 THn SUN.

Special Gable Dsspafchss to THE SUN.
PUrNHY, Sept. THE betting on the race
between Harvard and Cam
IL 0 10 s on the Cantabs. Rudolph G.
Lehman, who will referee the race, said
In m interview to-day that he believed
the race would be very close.
Il have been charmed he said, 'to soc
the pleasing way in which the two crews
have fraternized. 1t is the spirit that
must do us good
II. M. Goldsmith, the captain OF the Cam
bridge crew, expressed the opinion that
'the Harvard crew IL much stronger than
this years Oxford crew was, and one that
would row for all they were worth to the
finish.
Il think we will win" he added, but
there will be very little in IL at thef finish. l
think we will gain a slight lead at the start
and will probably nave increased 1t at Ham
mersmith Bridge. The struggle from that
point will be long and desperate. We will
possibly start with a stroke Of about 81 and
average 81 for the whole COURSE
Goldsmith thought the Harvard crew
In it's full course trial had lacked speed at
the finish. He was very enthusiastic over
Ca~mbridge's new boat. Muttlebury, Cam
bridges coach, preferred to await the result
before expressing any opinion az to the
merits OF the crews; but he confirmed Gold
smiths opinion OF the new boat, saying
that the members Of the crew were better
adapted TO il han to the one In which they
beat Oxford. The weather prospects for
the race are moderate TO fresh westerly
winds, which will be against the boats for
the greater part Of the course, and mild
cloudy weather. The winners OF the toss
for choice Of sides will probably find an adj
vantage in choosing the Surrey side Of the
river.
The Harvard crew expects to start for
home on September is by the American Line
steamship St. Louis from Southampton.
The race will be rowed at4:SO P. M, Green
wien time, which will be 1870 A. M. in New
York.
There was a good Hood tide this afternoon
and thousands lined the banks OF the river.
Cambridge made a very speedy two-minute
row, starting with h stroke at thirty-eight.
Later the Harvard crew had a minute and a
half spin, keeping the stroke at forty for
fifteen seconds. For a full minute it was
thirty-six.
LONDON, Sept. The only public topic
in London tonight is tO-morrow's raoe
between the Cambridge and Harvard crews.
The interest in the contest surpasses any
thing in the memories Of the Oldest Thames
watermen. They prophesy that, given
fayora Die weather, the river banks will De
thronged with nigh half a million spectators.
The betting continues in favor Of Cambridge.
AltAouSh Guy Norman and other Harvard
men placed e 900 at the Stock Exchange,
the odds Of II to 8 on the Cantabs, which
they obtained, remained unchanged. In
Vulnerable wagers ranging from El0 to
e2OO were made at those odds during the
day. Riverside experts, however, consider
that the odds are not justified. They believe
that even money is the proper figure.
The Cambridge crew has certainly come
on during the last three days and rs now
probably in better shape than when it beat
Oxford in April. The Harvard crew has
not made any similar sudden Improvement,
but has had a steady preparation and each
day has witnessed betterment in its form.
There ia no day on which the men have
appeared hat they have not improved
either in time or in starting or in unison
Of rowing. It Ia this steady progress which
makes their supporters 50 sanguine OF
success
The result OF the contest apparently
resolves itself into a question OF tactics
and power Of endurance. There seems
10 be little doubt that the Cantabs will be
able to beat the Harvard crew at the start,
and il they can induce Harvard to initiate
them BY squirting at above hirty-six strokes
the race will go to the light blues. Har-
wards chance Of victory apparently will
lie in their ability TO keep plugging along
at thirty-two, which IL admitted to be the
stroke with which they obtain the best
speed comparatively and at which the crew
works best.
Quiet confidence prevails among both
crews. Neither Capt. Filley Of the Har-
wards nor Capt. Goldsmith Of the Cam
bridge crew will consent to talk, feeling
that It is better to let the result do the talk
| ing. Both crews are ft and very cheerful.
! They will have a little practice tomorrow
morning, and will then rest until the time
! Of the race.
A close watch was kept tonight on both
lighthouses to guard against possible attack
on the boats. Fear that some attack would
he made on either shell was instilled in both
the Harvard and Cambridge quarters by
stories that the bookmakers, with large
amounts Of money hanging on the result
! Of IN race, would not hesitate to try secretly
TO injure the boats. A ridiculous story was
| circulated to-day that Messrs. Derby and
| Emerson Of Harvard watched the boats,
armed with revolvers, last night and hearing
the noise Of cat fighting exclaimed Here
| LDeV COHhtI hAd dAOW AVG BOAAns AOoAy W
protect the shell from the supposed i'm
pending attack.
Etherington Smith, n Of the best oars
men Of Cambridge University, said he never
saw a finer bit Of rowing than the Cantabf
did to-day. w. G. East, the Kings barge
master, similarly believes that the Cam
bridge oarsmen will require a lot Of beating
He said they had now got their form and
had every confidence in winning.
Mr.. Driver, the professional adviser
OF the Oxford crew and a well known oars
man, strongly fancies Harvard, basing
his belief in their superiority on their con.
sistency in their time trials. He says he
has never known such consistency In his
twenty years experience.
Tom Sullivan, ex-champion professional
sculler, thinks the crews are 80 closely
matched that winning the toss for position
may NEAR victory.
Coach Wray OF the Harvards said: Il
cannot tell who will win. There is not a
sufficient gap between the crews"
LONDON, Sept. 8.-The newspapers this
morning All columns with race matter,
rejecting the red hot interest manifested
in the contest. The form and achieve
ments Of the respective crews are discussed
in every aspect, but when il comes TO fore
casting the result almost every expert
writer limits what seems as though ID were
Ooin0 IN he n nrndiCtiOn nv an ~ Thar