THE UNIVERSITY BOAT RACE.

Press, Volume XXXI, Issue 4316, 30 May 1879, Page 3

THE UNIVERSITY BOAT RACE.

The thirty-jiith annual aquatic contest' between the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge wee rowed on Saturday afternoon, April sfch, between Putney and Mortlake, in the presence of an enormous number of spectators. The Cambridge crew drew away at the first stroke, ant! won easily, never haying been headed by Oxford. The following i» a detailed account of the race:—Aβ Mr Searle ottered the word " Go " both crews caught the water eimultaneonely, bat from the very first stroke the Cambridge boat began to draw ahead. Davis . was rowing the slower stroke of the 37, to Mamott'e 38, but after the first half-minute he steadied down to the 36 which had proved their fastest i pace in practice. Cambridge, rowing strongly ' and better together than usual, improved their position rapidly, and opposite Simmon's boathounethe noseof their boat was more thanhalf a length in advance. Nothwithstanding that Oxford were rowing rather under than over their best pace, the? seemed weak and unable to thoroughly extend themselves. The time of their oar», especially on the bow side, was very irregular, and they continued to fall still, further in the rear at every strobe. At tho Bishop's creek, which the Cambridge crew breasted in lmin. 16300.,. the leading boat- was just clear, and the gap beween the two boats widened, as, they passed along the concrete wall. At Craven Cottage, where Davis was still: rowing . 36, while. Marriott's 33 had dropped to 37, Cambridge had added another length to their lead. By this time the race seemed virtually over, andi j in the opinion of those' on board the steam; boate, afi hopes of Oxford being able to retrieve the day were gone. In the shoot, the Dark Bluee, whose' time grew worse as they tired, continued to drop slowly but steadily in the rear. Off the Crab Tree, Marriott, finding his boat still losing ground, xnaie 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 aa those who were cheering on Oxford,- he tried to iafuee more life and energy into' hie crew. The bad time, however, Sept by the men behind: him, especially. 'No 7, negatived liis efforts, and the Cambridge men, rowing longer, but: without quickening, went away fait as they; approached the Boap.~Wbrls. There, as the course necessarily taken "by; the Cambridge coxswain brought the leading boat nearer to the Surrey shore, the Oxford crew for the first time encountered their wash. Difficult aa it is for the best of boats to-row steadily under euoh circumstances, a Crew so little "together,", as Oxford were completely at sea. Their position for a few minntes 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, thoogh in the- humiliating position of " follow my leader," they were at any rate free from the wash. Cambridge shot under FTii.TTiTneiiiTinif.Ti Bridge in 7 mm. 53 sec, leading by three lengths. Aβ the two boate paaei along Hammersmith-mall, which, ex usual, was densely thronged with epeetatom, they began to feel the effects of the wind, J from which they bad 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 end «urf by- rolling and splashing considerably. Jtor a,;-short time they were very, unsteady, and afc one time it almost seemed asif the hopeswiuoh Oxford men had formed of their crew being able to row Cambridge down egaiaet a wind might be realised. After a bit, however, the light blues rallied, and though they did not increase their lead'for 6 time theyprevented it being reduced.,.'lnCoreey ßeach 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, andior a moment it loosed aeirthay must interrupt their course. J?ortu- i nately, however, they were dear in time, and; the threatened danger -w» averted. At the 1 bottom of Churwick 2yot toe boate maintained the same reMrW poeitione that they; bad held on pajong tmder JBCunmcnmith'

1 bridge, but before reaching Chitwick Church, [ Marriott made another desperate attempt to i stave off defeat. Bowing most plnckil?, Jbe quickened from; the 37 whioh 'he hid dropped to against the wind to nearly 39, but his crew were too tired to maintain the effort long, snd though they for a tim* drew nearer the leading boat by half a length, before reaching the bathing place in the Duke of Dsvonehire's meadows, they resumed their old pofitisn. The time to Chiewick Ohuroh was variously taken at IS mm. 45 sec. end 13 mm. 40 sec, as the gangway, the point which marks the distance on the opposite bank of the rirer to the church, was completely hidden by the crowd of spectators. Up the long lane of bargee and steamers which extended from the top of Cornoy Beach to Barnes railway bridge the two crews rowed on, Cambridge still at the steady 36 they commenced with, and Oxford vainly spurting after them ia their rear. Spurt- as they would, they could not permanently reduce the lead, though they did, at any rate, succeed in preventing it being added to. Bsraes Bridge was reached in 17 snin. 40 sec, Cambridge leading by throo lengths and a half, and reminded by this landmark how near the race had drawn to its conclusion the Oxford stroke made yet another effort to recover pome of the lost ground. A spurt from Dans, however, who for the first time rowed 37, and the sheltered water opposite the Limes drew the Cambridge crew awny again, and abreast the Brewery they were leading by nearly four lengths, the greatest advantags 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 tho distance, but they passed the winningpost, amid the enthusiastic shouts of the crowd, winners by three lengths and a half. Time of the racg, 21min. 189ec.