Year: 1875

I


fets in America as well as in England.
Though the annual race fails to create the
same furure on THE side Of the Atlantic Nat
is created by the Oxford and Cambridge
match on the other, it is not because less m
terest is felt in the subject OF boating by
our people than that shown by the English.
I Our difficulties are physical and geographi-
cal A sparser population and longer dis
tances prevent such an aggregation OF
humanity at Saratoga Lake as annually
Gathers between Mortlake and Putney, but the
enthusiasm is as great on this side OF the
ocean as on the other, and the interest In the
result is even more widespread. Besides all
this, boating with us is stin in its infancy.
Physical culture was never regarded
as Of much value by American
colleges, and its growth has been in
defiance Of college rules. Institutions
founded for seotarian purposes could not
be expected TO look with much favor upon
a practice that was likely TO place the body
on a higher plane of development than the
soul, and it was good many years after
the English universities had set us the ex-
ample that the American undergraduate took
to the oar at all Even when boating began
to attract attention only two of our leading
institutions of learning furnished crews for
the university match Harvard and Vale
were satisfied to contend with each other
year after year. and none of the other col
leges seemed to think it necessary to seek
to take part in the match. When the change
came it was revolution. Experience dem
onstrated that the so-called Harvard stroke
was a mistake, and when Yale abandoned
the system which had come to be regar ded
as American it began TO be perceived that
excellence in rowing need not be confined
to these two universities. Other colleges
formed crews and entered the lists and the
New England contests on the Connecticut
River or Lake Quinsigamond became Ameri-
can in fact as well as in name. Last
year Saratoga Lake was chosen as the
best and most fitting field for contest that
had grown immensely in proportions as well
as IN the interest that was felt in it. The
match this year takes place on the same
ground, and hereafter the beautiful sheet Of
water at Saratoga win doubtless be made the
theatre Of the annual Intercollegiate re-
gattas.


In less than a fortnight the match for 1875
viii be rowed. Fourteen colleges have en-
tered for the race, and not fewer than thir-
teen are certain to take part IN it. Active
preparation and thorough training for the
match have been going on FOR a long while,
and each of the crews seems to think ii has
bright prospect for the honors OF the day. In
another column we tell tho history OF these
crews and Of their training, and the complete
ness Of our information, together with the
valuable map by which we illustrate the
forthcoming match, viii commend itself to
boating men and to oil who are interested in
any way in the colleges or the regatta. The
interest centres as matter OF course in Yale
and Harvard and in our own Columbia Os the
: winner OF last years race, but where there
are so many newcomers and such re-
doubled purpose to win on the part of
the old contestants it would be rash
at this early day to risk an opinion as to the
probable result Even with all the facts and
information which we have gathered and





HIIALD to-day an intelligent conclusion is
impossible. This much, however, seems cer-
tain, that the contest will be the most brilliant
one over rowed in this country, and whoever
wins the match OF 1876 Will win it at the cost
OF more skill and endurance than ever were
shown before. The failures Of the past have
taught al our'boating men an invaluable les
son. and the newest crews are able to profit
from the mistakes Of the older ones-thesc mis-
takes being warnings Of historic significance.
With so much earnest and manly endeavor it
makes little difference who wins the race, but
we wish to say to ali of the crews that as there
can b. only one victor it does not follow that
there may not be as much manliness in defeat
as in victory. We trust the contentious and
chickering's of last year viii not be repeated
first Of all because there shall be no
occasion for them. But even despite occa-
sion, these college regattas can be conducted
with the utmost decorum and good feeling,
and the college youth should remember that
IL is due 70 themselves and their colleges, ms
wei as to the American people, that nothing
should occur 10 mar the harmony of an event
( in which there is such universal and kindly
! interest If these intercollegiate contests are
10 become national in their character 1t can
only be through manliness as well as Drawn,
i and this year more than any other will deter
mine the favor with which future races are to
be regarded.


We suppose the usual opposition will be
made to ,lis as to the previous regattas by
those who imagine that manly sports must be
demoraizing in their tendency and effects.
II j. consolins to reflect, however, that this
opposition is gradually wearing itself out.
il premises being false it's conclusions must
be false also, and never since the old Latin
maxim Hsns sana n coypore san0 was first
uttered, has its truth been so clearly demon