NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1937, 10 May 1880, Page 3

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

THE UNIVERSITY BOAT RACE. The “ Times ” gives the following account of the race, which was rowed on March 22nd:—The two crews were afloat about twenty minutes past 10 o’clock, and paddled down to the Aqueduct, Oxford, as the challengers, showing the way, followed at a few minutes’ interval by Cambridge. At 10 35 a.m. both were lying ready for the start at the poet, the Oxonians having the Middlesex and Cambridge the Surrey Station. A few moments were spent in getting ready and in convoying their clothes onboard the Umpire's steamer, and at last Mr Searle gave the signal. The oars of both crews caught the water almost simultaneously, Oxford going cff at 39 to the minute, while Cambridge wore working up to 40. The quicker stroke of the lat ter took them a few feet in advance, and at the Duke’s Head their boat’s nose shovzod in front with a lead of a few feet. At Simmon’s yard they had not added materially to this lead, but at the Bishop’s Creek, reached in 1 minute 18 seconds, they might have led by a trifle more. Under the Concrete Wall Oxford gained slowly, and became almost level with the Cambridge boat, but, being out of the tideway, while the Cantabs had the best of the flood, the light blue representatives again held a slight lead at Craven Cottage. Oxford, however, as they opened out Crab Tree Roach again once more drew up, and at the Grass Wharf, peached in 3 minutes 45 seconds, held a lead of a few feet. At Walden’s Wharf Cambridge, rowing well together, were again enabled to got on even terms with their opponents, and a splendid contest ensued past the mile poet and Roseback Villa, vrhcre, in consequence of the Oxford men rowing indifferently and getting ragged and short, the Cambridge men, who were well together and in good form, once more gained a bend of a few feet, which at the Cra > Tree they had increased to perhaps an eighth of a length. Eor a few moments it looked as if the Cambridge crew wore going to row right away from their opponents, as Baillie, spurting, increased his lead to fully a quarter of a length. This, however, made his crew get short, and opposite Dorset Villa their time and swing were anything but good. Here the Oxford men, who had not quickened, got together again, as they had several times done in practice, and as the two crows raced up to the Soap Works it was evident that the Cambridge men had been rowed out by their spurt. At the Wharf the Oxford coxswain put his rudder hard over, and a fountain of water was the result, the way of the boat being very much checked thereby, and the Cantabs being able once more to draw out a slight lead, so that at Gwynne’a just below Hammersmith Bridge, they were again a quarter of a length in advance. In the straight reach for the bridge the Oxford crow, having at last got a straight bit of water, went up rapidly, and, as Cambridge were still abroad, the latter lost g-ound quickly, so that as they passed the bridge, reached by Cambridge in 8 minutes 20 seconds, tho Dark Blue crew wore a few feet astern. After shooting the bridge, Oxford, who were slowly gaining, gradually got on oven terms with the leaders, and at Eiffen’s Boatyard the two boats wore once again level. Nearing tho Doves the Cambridge crow again got ragged, but having the inside of the turn they managed to maintain the struggle as far as the middle of the Upper Mall at Hammersmith. Nearing the Oil Mills, Oxford forged ahead, and drew out a lead of a few feat, two miles having now been rowed. Opposite the West Middlesex Waterworks tho Oxford coxswain again put on a lot of rudder, which, as a matter of course, stopped tho boat and diminished the slight lead they bad. At the bottom of Chiswick Eyot, however, Cambridge got still shorter, and Oxford at once made their load into a third of a length. Immediately after this they went ahead fast, and halfway up the Eyot led by half a length. At the top of tho Eyot tho Dark Blue crew led by three-quarters of a length. At Ohis-

wick Church tho race wao virtually over, as Oxford was all but clear, and a few feet of daylight separated the two boats at Thorneycroft’s Torpedo Factory. Passing Corney Cottage Oxford drew away very fast, and were fully two lengths in advance at the Bathing Place in the Duke of meadows. Opposite the Bull’s Head Oxford, who hold a lead of two and a-half lengths, wore obliged to go out of their course to clear some barges in the way, but they reached Barnes Bridge in 17min. 43sec., about Osecs. ahead of their opponents. Adding to this advantage, the leading crew drew away and passed the flagboat easy winners by about four lengths, or 11 seconds in time, ia 21min. 22soc. from the start, as timed by a chronograph by Dent, of Cockspur street, Charing cross. The attendance was comparatively limited, and the weather cold. List year’s time was 21min. 18sec. FIRE AT MOSCOW. A letter from Moscow, dated March 12th, gives an account of tho terrible fire at the weaving mills belonging to M. Givartoffaki. The establishment consisted of several distinct buildings. In one of them, which was four storeys high, the ground floor was occupied by the counting house and the shearing room, and tho other storeys wore divided between printing rooms and dormitories for tho workmen who were engaged in the various stages of tho manufacture. Their number has been variously given at between 100 and 200, most of whom slept on the promises. There was a single staircase for the whole building, from top to bottom, and this was of wood. Tho fire broke out on tho ground floor at the foot of this single wooden staircase. Tho several storeys were formed by wooden joints laid across tho width of the building and covered over by light floorings of boards. There wore no dividing walls inside tho building ,- whatever partitions there wore were lightly constructed of wood. It is easy, therefore, to understand that within ten minutes the whole building was a prey to the flames. Tho unfortunate workmen, aroused out of their sleep, rushed to tho stairs, only to find them a mass of fire. They then made for the windows, tho only remaining means of escape, and in the scramble for safety many were thrown down, falling into the body of tho burning building. Many flung themselves down from tho third and fourth storeys, some of them being much injured. The police report states that thirty-three men were burnt to death in the building; two more men died subsequently of their injuries. Four women who had come ia from tho country to see their husbands have disappeared. Thirty persons are ia ths hospital suffering most seriously from burns and other injuries. But this ia not the worst. The police have ascertained that several workmen used to sleep in the building who wore not authorised to do so. Their number is not known, but tho police declare that several who are known to have acted thus are now missing. A GHASTLY DUEL. A sickening account of a duel in Morocco is given by a correspondent of the “ Ropublique Franeaise.” Two young men of noble birth were paying thoir attentions to tho daughter of a neighboring chief, and, as she showed equal favor to each of them, it was arranged by mutual consent that they should meet in single combat and fight a duel to tho death. Tho conditions of the duel were that they should meet on horseback, each of the combatants being armed with a rifle, a revolver, and a hunting knife. They were placed a hundred yards apart, and upon a signal given by one of the seconds they set their horses at full gallop and rushed upon each other. For a few moments the spectators could see nothing but a cloud of dust, from out of which wore heard two successive reports of a rifle, and then a third, followed by the neighing of a horse. When the dust had cleared away, a shocking sight met the gaz» of tho spectators; one of the combatants, concealed behind his dead horse, was taking aim at his adversary, who still remained in the saddle. The latter spurred his horse and made it roar, the noble beast receiving in his chest the bullet meant for his master. Tho rider, as soon as he was dismounted, rushed forward to grapple with his adversary, but a second shot fractured his left shoulder. Nevertheless, he retained sufficient strength to discharge two chambers of his revolver, both shots taking effect. A hand-to-hand combat then ensued, tho two adversaries, neither of whom was able to stand, stabbing each other repeatedly. When the seconds and spectators at last interfered the two combatants were picked up dead—one with his teeth firmly set in his adversary’s cheek, while the latter’s hand was thrust into a gaping wound in the other’s chest. THE SOUTH AMERICAN WAR. The “Panama Star and Herald” of the 18th ult., contains the following from its Lima correspondent :—“The newspaper ‘La Patria,’ of Lima, which may be considered as a semi-Government organ, announces that on the 15th of January a council of war wag held at Antofagaato to deliberate upon the next movement to bo made by the Chilian army, and it was decided that Arica should first be attacked by sea, and the forces under the command of Admiral Montoro would bo destroyed, and then the victorious eriemy would soon have Lima in his power. From very trustworthy intelligence received from Valparaiso the prevailing impression in that city was to the effect that Lima would be tho first objective point of the Chilian attack, and the Montero army isolated from the scene o; action. The last we hoard of Admiral Riveros and the Blanco Encalada was on the 2nd of February, when he visited Independence Bay, 150 miles south of Pisco, landed some marines and sailors, and destroyed the somewhat extensive guano-loading apparatus erected at the deposit. This achievement having been successfully accomplished, the enemy disappeared. Tho blockade of the southern portion is still enforced, but not with great vigilance. News from La Paz states that General Campero has been appointed commandor-in-chief of the Bolivian army. General Daza has disappeared from Arica, and is reported in Arequipa alone and unattended. The efforts made by the Chilians to wards exporting large quantities of i itr - o from Iquiquo do not appear to have b ten successful. Tho manufacturers of tho art do decline to act in accordance with tho aesires of the enemy, and are evidently fearful of tho penalties threatened by tho Lima Government on all Peruvians sending nitrate abroad. Smallpox to an alarming extent is reported in the Chilian camp.” A telegram in the San Francisco papers, dated Lima, March 25th, says—Tho corvette Union forced the blockade of Arica, fighting seven hours with two Chilian ironclads and a transport. She discharged her entire cargo while fighting, and has returned to Callao. Tho Union was undoubtedly sent from Callao with arms and ammunition for the Peruvians in the blockaded port of Arica, probably under command of Captain Villavieuncio, and has succeeded ia her errand, despite the Chilian blockading vessels. In the seven hours’ engagement, it is fair to presume that, the Union was assisted by tho monitor Manoo Oopae and tho fortifications of Arica. Captain Villavieuncio has already distinguished himself, as commander of the Challaco, by many successful trips with supplies for Peruvian sources on the southern ports of the Republic, delivering all despite every effort of the Chilian vessels to capture him. COLLAPSE OF THE WHEAT RING. The great wheat ring of Chicago, which was to put untold wealth in the pockets of American speculators by starving Europe into giving enormous prices for the stored-up grain, may bo said to have collapsed. There is no announcement, indeed, that it has broken yet; but heavier ehipments are now coining forward from America, and these are certain to increase. It is stated that this week 262,000 quarters of wheat are on tho way to Europe, as compared with 190,000 quarters in the previous week, and 312,500 quarters of maize as compared with the 250,000 quarters. These are considerable increases, and there is no doubt that they are fed from the Chicago “ elevators,” which are being quietly drawn upon. It has become necessary for the speculators to dispose of the grain in order to meet the hills now becoming due, and which supplied the funds with which they have carried on their operations. They must now see that there is no chance of gaining by further holding out. Wheat might go higher before the next harvest if the ring could retain its supplies, but even that is doubtful. By tho end of May it will bo possible to estimate the probable yield of the wheat crop in tho earliest States in tho Union ; and the prospects of the season are very favourable in America, where tho spring is a month earlier than usual. As there is good prospect of a favourable season on this side of tho Atlantic also, it can be understood that tho speculators must feel they have lost tho high stakes they were playing for. Not impossibly the collapse of their operations will

have a disturbing effect on the American stock and share markets, as many of the grain speculators are also loading stock speculators who have lately driven up prices. On the other hand, the conveyance of the stores of grain from Chicago will be good for some of the railways, especially for the Grand Trunk of Canada, now that its Chicago connection has been established. Of course, however, the American canals will take a large quantity, perhaps the bulk, and they are open much earlier than usual this year, owing to the exceptionally mild weather.