THE UNIVERSITY BOAT RACE.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1646, 30 May 1879, Page 3

THE UNIVERSITY BOAT RACE.

The thirty-sixth annual aquatic contest between the Universities of Oxford and Cainbridge was rowed on Saturday afternoon, April sth, between Putney and Mortlake, in the presence of an enormous number of spectators. The Cambridge crew drew away at the first stroke, and won easily, never having been headed by Oxford. The following is a detailed account of the race : As Mr Searle uttered the word " Go " boih crews caught the water simultaneously, but from the very first Btroke the Cambridge boat began to draw ahead. Davis was rowing the slower stroke of the two,'viz., 37, to Marriott's 38, but after the first half-minuto he steadied down to the 36 which had proved their fastest pace in practice. Cambridge, rowing strongly and better together than usual, improved their position rapidly, and opposite Simmon's boathousethe noeeof their boat was more than half a length in advance. Notwithstanding that Oxford were rowing rather under than over their best pace, they seemed wea*. and unable to thoroughly extend themselves. The time of their oara, especially on the bow side, wag vpry irregmlar, and they continued to fall still further in the rear at every stroke. At the Bishop'a creek, which the Cambridge crow broastod in lmin. lGsec, the leading boat was just clear, and the gap beween the two boats widened as thev pasoed aloi'g the concrete wall. At Craven fcottage,' where Davis waj still rowing 30, while Marriott's 38 had dropped to 37, Cambridge had added another length to their lead. By this time the race seemed yi'tually over, and in the opinion of those on board the steam boats, afi hopej of Qxford, beipg able to re-

trieve the day were gone. In the shoot, the Dark Blues, whoso time grew worse as they tired, continued to drop slowly but steadily in the roar. Ofl' (ho Crab Tree, Marriott, finding his boat still lou'ng ground, made the first of a gallant series of efforts to avert defeat. Quickening to 38, and rowing in a style which won the admiration of every one on board the steamers, as well with those whose sympathies were with Cambridge as those who were cheering on Oxford, he tried to infuse more life and energy into his crew. The bad time, however, kept by the men behind him, especially No 7, negatived his efforts, and the Cambridge men, rowing longer, but without quickening, went away fast as they approached the Soup Works. There, as the course necessarily taken by the Cambridge coxswain brought the leading boat nearer to tho Surrey shore, tho Oxford crew for the first time encountered their wash. Difficult as it is for the best of boats to row steadily under such circumstances, a crew so little "together" as Oxford were completely at sea. Their position for a few minutes was no enviable one, as they rolled and splashed along, but off the Distillery Beaumont relieved them of their trouble by steering them into the wake of their opponents; there, though in the humiliating position of "follow my leader," they were at any rate free from the wash. Cambridge shot under Hammersmith Bridco in 7 min. 53 sec, leading by three lengths. As the two boats passed along Hammersmith-mall, which, as usual, was densely thronged with spectators, thoy began to feel the effects of the wind, from which they had hitherto been tolerably sheltered. Coming round the bend of the river they found the water growing rougher and rougher, and off the Doves Cambridge evinced their dislike of the wind and surf by rolling and splashing considerably. For a short time they were very unsteady, and at one time it almost seemed as if the hopes which Oxford men had formed of their crow being able to row Cambridge down against a wind might be realised. After a bit, however, the light blues rallied, and though they did not increase their lead for a time they prevented it being reduced. In Corney Reach the water was very rough —not a long, steady roll but a short surf, which made a clean feather very difficult. At this point of the race three great skiffs laden with holiday makers crossed the path of the boats, and for a moment it looked as if they must interrupt their course. Fortunately, however, they were clear in time, and the threatened danger was averted. At the bottom of Chiswick Eyot the boats maintained (he same relative positions that thoy had held on passing under Hammersmith bridge, but before reaching Chiswick Churjh, Marriott made another desperate attempt to stave off defeat. Rowing moit pluokily, he quickened from the 37 which he had dropped to against the wind to nearly 39, but his crew were too tired to maintain the effort long, and though thoy for a time drew nearer tho leading boat by half a length, before reaching the bathing place in the Duke of Devonshire's meadows, they resumed their old position. The time to Chiswick Church was variously taken at 13 min. 45 sec. and 13 min. 40 sec, as the gangway, tho point which marks the distance on the opposite bank of the river to the church, was completely hiddon by the crowd of spectators. Up the lorg lane of barges and steamers which extended from the top of Corney Reach to Barnes railway bridge the two crews rowed on, Cambridge still at the steady 36 they commenced with, and Oxford vainly spurting after them in their rear. Spurt as they would, they could not permanently reduce the lead, thougli thoy did, at any rate, succeed in preventing it being added to. Barnes Bridge was reached in 17 min. 40 sec, Cambridge leading by throe lengths and a half, and reminded by this landmark how near the race had drawn to its conclusion the Oxford Btroke made yet another effort to recover some of the lost ground. A spurt from Davis, however, who for the first time rowed 37, and the sheltered water opposite the Limes drew the Cambridge crow away again, and abreast the Brewery they were leading by nearly four lengths, the greatest advantage they gained at any period of the race. For the last two hundred yards of the course the foul wind and the untiring efforts of the Oxford stroke prevented Cambridge increasing the distance, but they passed tho winningpost, amid the enthusiastic shouts of the crowd, winners by three lengths and a half. Time of the race, 21min. 18seo.