THE OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE BOAT RACE.

Evening Star, Issue 4145, 9 June 1876, Page 3

THE OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE BOAT RACE.

This exciting event qame off on April 8. The correspondent of an American paper states that Oxford won the toss for choice, of position, and selected the Middlesex side as the more favorable. The tide was about the middle of the flood, and was running like a millrace when the boats started. The water throughout was perfectly smooth, while a light following breeze materially aided the speed of the craft. Both crews launched their boats at twelve minutes to 2 p.m., and rowed down to the starting place, which is exactly 200 yards above the aqueduct at Putney. The finish is the same distance above the famed iim, the Ship, at Mortlake. Oxford rowed in the newest of . the two boats built for her by Olasper, the Oxford boatbuilder, while Cambridge occupied the new boat built for them by Swaddle and Winship, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, it having developed better qualities than their Searle boat. The race itself is described as follows The boats back up to the barges. The next moment the crews strip down to their boating jerseys, and the starter, Mr Edward Searle, hands the discarded clothes up to the umpire’s boat. A man in each barge holds on to the stern of each boat. A moment of suspense follows, during which evvy man in that vast throng draws his watch as a man in danger of his life draws his revolver, waiting for Mr Searle, the starter, to , give the word. A thousand necks are craned to see the “ first Catch,” and double the number of ears listen for the signal. The clear voice of the starter breaks upon the mr—“ Gentlemen, are you ready 1” Like machines the crews “ get forward.” A moment of absolute silence. Then “Go!” The oars grip xhe water. The race has begun. Time, 2h. 2min. 17sec. p.m; Both crews c night the water at the same moment, Cambridge getting off a little quicker than their antagonists. The form of both crews vm admirable, Oxford rowing thirty-eight strokes to the minute. Mr Edwardes-Moss, the stroke of the Oxford crew, showed signs of nervousness when, after the first quarter of a mile, he saw his antagonist drawing slightly ahead. Oxford immediately queened their stroke from thirtyeigffP to forty, but without any perceptible gain of speed. From this point to Hammersmith Oxford was badly steered, and they were thrown farther out by an eddy which caught their craft just opposite Bishop’s creek. At Graven Cottage Cambridge was three yards ahead of Oxford, who, from this to the Crab Tree, made ftitil% efforts to cm hike their oppo-

J nents. The Cantata meanwhile steadily maintained their rate of thirty-six a minute. They were admirably steered almost in the centre of the stream, and when Oxford, off the Crab Tree, made another struggle for the lead, Cambridge quickened their stroke to thirty-eight, while MrDavis, their coxswain, crowded the Oxonians towards the shore, Meanwhile, the Cantabs drew dlear of Oxford, and opposite the soap-works they succeeded in taking their adversaries’ water. This virtually ended the race. Hammersmith Bridge, one mile and five furlongs from the start, was reached in Stnin. 31 sec. Here Cambridge was a clear length ahead. At Chiswick Church Cambridge pulled still further ahead, and in rowing up to Barnes bridge concluded to increase their lead. Cambridge finished four lengths and a-half ahead, while Oxford stopped nearly opposite the Ship Hotel. The time as officially taken was 20min Idsec., the time of the winning crew being faster than last year’s by one minute and forty-three seconds. Both crews had evidently had enough, for, instead of paddling back, both went aboard the steam launch for Putney. : . * The betting at Putney was 2 to 1 against Oxford, and at Mortlake, amid great excitement, the betting men were offering 3 and 4 to 1 against them without takers. At the final weighing the aggregate weight of the Oxford crew was 1,355 pounds, against Cambridge’s 1,340, exclusive of coxswains, Oxford’s coxswain being seven pounds the heavier. Of the thirty-three races now rowed Oxford has won seventeen to Cambridge’s sixteen.