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Show OXFORD WINS AGAIN. For the Twenty-sixth Time She Does Op Cambridge in the Annual Boat Eace, KEPT THE LEAD FROM THE START It AVas a lteautiful ltsiee Everything Wis Faviv.tl, hut Cambridge Wm Nut in it from the Very Outset The liiver Hanks Lined "VV'itii .peetators, Loxdox, April 9. For the tweury-sixth time iuee the inauguration of the Oxford-Cambridge Oxford-Cambridge boat races, the crew of the Oxford Ox-ford University boat club have passed the winning line ahead of their opponents. The dark blue of Oxford was ai;aiu carried to victory today by the strong arms of its wearers and thundering eheers greeted the oarsmen as they rested on their oars after titeir well fought battle for success. Altogether Al-together forty-five races have been rowed oneof wtffch, that of 1877, terminated in a PNfite crowd began to assemble at 9 o'clock, the early comers seeking the best points of advantage from which to view the contest. The wind was from the southwest. The water was perfectly smooth and all the couditions for racing were perfect. Tide was the flood before the time for racing. The crowds besieged the boat tiouse to get a glimpse of the crews. At noon, the time fixed for the race, the oarsmen appeared and this was the signal for thundering cheers that swept up aud down the river again and again. Those at the starting point, though they could not see the proceedings, eagerly gazed in the direction of thd officers as the coin was tossed for the choice of positions. Oxford won the toss, aud when this was known it was taken by supporters oi the crew as a happy augury of victory. Oxford cLose the middle south side of the river, where, if there was any advantage to be derived de-rived from the flood tide they would get it. The crews took their position at the starting line just above the aqueduct, adjoining Putney bridge and at exactly 12:15 the starting signal was given and Oxford took the water first and their boat jumped to the front. Cambridge was quick to follow and then the struggle began. With the perfect rythm of a machine the oars dashed iu and out of the water but strain and struggle as they would Cambridge could not close the gap between themselves and Oxford. The dark, blues on the shore I were wild with excitement and yelled encouraging en-couraging words to their favorites. But the cheers and the cries fell on deaf ears. Bending to their oars the Oxford crew saw nothing but their opponents behind them and muscle of their arms backs rase and fell as the steady stroke that keep them ahead was continued without flaw. When Hammersmith bridge one mile and six furlongs from start was reach, Oxford was still in front. There was hardly any change in the relative position of boats when the Lead mills, one mile and seven furlong? I from start, were passed Oxford was then a quarter length in front. Both crews were pulling at rate of thirty-six strokes a minute. min-ute. Cambridge was pulling steadily but their strokes did seem to have the power of their opponents, and they dropped slowly but surely behind. At Cbiswick Malt, about two miles and a half from the start, Oxford had increased its lead, and when Thorny-Crofts works, a little, distance further on, was reached they were two lengths in front. This lead they maintained to Devonshire meadows, just beyond be-yond Thorny-Crofts, when, though pulling no faster, more strength seemed to be put in their strokes, and the boats forged farther ahead. At Baiusbridge about three miles and five furlongs from the start they were two and a quarter lengths in the lead. In passing Bainsbridge, Cambridge -ported and gained a little on Oxford, but the latter fet sturdily to their oars and pulling a powerful telling stroke fairly lifted their boat out of the water. Past the osier beds four miles from the 6tart the boats spun, but with the advantage advan-tage on the side of Oxford. Cambridge, however, did not lose heart in the least and did her utmost to close up the gap. Their efforts were fruitless, fruit-less, however, and they dropped astern. Amid an uproar that was deafening Oxford crossed the line at the old ship, a good winner. It was at tirst announced that they had won by a length and a half, but the official offi-cial announcement of the judges put the distance at two lengths and a quarter. Oxford time was nineteen minutes twenty-one twenty-one Seconds. The time is the best ever made over the present course. Tin; best previous time was twenty minutes five seconds, made by the Cambridge crew wte n they won iu 1867, three and three-quarters lengths. . . |