Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-09

eishts and apparently has opened the way
for many similar contests In the future.
interest In the international rowing event
was heightened by the fact that Harvards
crew earned a decisive victory over Yale
at New London in June last. while Cam
bridge was this years winner of the race
with Oxford In way the two crews We're
representative of the best college rowing
talent of the two countries.
The race was brought about through the
efforts of X. C. Lehman. member OF par
lament who acted as instructor to the
Harvard crews for two years IL was
agreed that the two crews should be near
ly as possible like those who raced against
Yale and Oxford respectively.
The personnel OF the crews agreed upon
for today's test showed but few changes
from the winning organizations which
manned the Cambridge and Harvard sheiis
IN their victories this year over their Tor
midable home rivals oxford and Yale, re-
epectively.
The Harvard crew sailed from New York
July ~ and went at once TO Bourne Eni'
England, where they remained until ten
days ago. 1t was deemed advisable that
the crew should go to Putney for the last
days of the practice in order that they
might become familiar with the tortuous
course over which the race was rowed.
Effect of Climate.
The changes of climate had an erect
upon the Harvard men soon after their ar
rival at Bourne End, and for a time 1t was
thought the personnel of the eight might
be seriously impaired: but under the careful
supervision of their medical adviser, Ut.
Manahan and the famous COACH Wray, the
crew soon came around all right, and In the
latest figures sent over it is shown that the
conditions have eventually proved so Ia
vorable to the Americans that nearly all
have taken on from one to ten POUNDS III
weight.
Since the American crew took up its quar-
ters on the Thames the rowing sharps OF
England have had much to say in praise
and criticism of the work of WrayS men,
The old discussion as to the relative merits
of the English and the American styles OF
rowing has been revived in all its various
phases, and there is no thought that even
the result of today's contest will nave Sc,
rious weight in settling the much-nooteu
question. .
There WAS a remarkable change in senti-
Tuent among the English experts during the
last few DAYS. however, and from the opiH- :
ions freely expressed when the Harvard
crew first landed-that the Americans would
have no chance with the Cambridge rowing
nachines-many of the most noted OF the
critics on the eve of the race predicted sue
cess for the visitors. The steady way me
Harvard men had of rowing, with stroke
which varied barely at all during the luil
tourney over the long winding course, set
the Englishmen to thinking ponderously ana
sent the betting odds tumbing from : TO
In favor of Cambridge to very nearly even
money two days before the rowing of the
race.
Harvard's Improvement.
Harvard's crew outweighed the Cambridge
eight They showed steady and unexpected
improvement from the very first days OF
training on English waters and their last
fast trials over the course caused a great
tide of public favor to set in in their direc-
ton Faith in the superiority of the Cam
bridge crew was considerably shaken. and
as a result the interest in the race in
creased The English papers commented
instantly on the fact that all the Harvard
oarsmen sat in their boat at precisely the
same height. their shoulders being per-
fectly level. with the result that all the
blades dipped at the same angle, whereas
different heights would produce different
angles Splashing and loss of power.
In addition to test of strength and skill
among the oarsmen, today's race was
looked forward to keenly for a comparison
of the English and American styles of boat
building. The English have adhered to the
old methods of building and equipment,
while the American shells shown this year
on the Thames represented the very latest
In modern improvements, especially with
regard TO oarlocks. outriggers and Slides
for the seats. The Englishmen were
amazed at some of the features of the
American boat, but would not admit the
advantage of any of the late equipments.
The Course.
The race started at Putney bridge. fine
stone structure spanning the Thames. Thence
the course Is straight to Hammersmth
bridge and the crew that gets good lead
in this stretch of nearly mile has seldom
been headed in the turning and twisting
course in the history of Cambridge races
which have been rowed here for many
years. Under Hammersmith bridge the
racing crews passed into good stretch of
water. which takes a gradual sweep 20
the first big turn in the course passing
Thorneycroft's torpedo works. where a
large crowd of invited guests are always
hand on race days. All along this part
of the course the banks are usually lined
with people on the towpaths. They are.
indeed. enthusiasts. for all they can hope
to is glimpse of the two shells as
they rush by.
Past Kew the course takes another turn
before Barnes bridge is reached. This is
the bridge where the London and South
western railroad crosses the Thames. and
Is regarded as the crucial point of the
whole race. There is a tradition that the
crew which passes first under this bridge
cannot be beaten. and only once has this
tradition been violated. That was in 1896.
when the Cambridge crew, after being hot
favorites all through the practice season
and leading by several lengths in the
stretch. lost in the eighth OF mile between
the bridge and Mortlake owing to a foolish
bit of steering by the coxswain.
Englishmen Pumped Out.
Todays race was probably the most sur
prising ever rOwed the Thames. not so
much because of the result. as it had been
considered anybody's race since the crews
moved to Putney. of the way in which it
Cambridge. as had been feared by the
supporters of Harvard and hoped for by
Englishmen, got away better than their
opponents. securing lead which they main
tanned and which they increased to three
lengths before Hammersmith bridge was
reached. Both crews as they went under
the bridge were rowing steadily at twenty
eight strokes to the minute, neither ap-
parently exerting themselves. Suddenly