28 AUGUST 1869, Page 1

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

THE event of the week has been the International Boat-Race, which came off on Friday, the 27th, at 5 o'clock. Harvard was not as good as we thought. The conditions were most favour- able—splendid weather and a clear cdurse—but with all those advantages the Americans made no more than a good race of it. Harvard, which had the advantage of the station on the Middle- sex shore, made the better start, and, rowing a very rapid stroke, took a manifest lead. They were well in advance as they passed under Hammerkaith Bridge, but here their antagonists began to close upon them. The struggle was now very exciting ; for about half a mile above the bridge the boats were nearly level ; but opposite Barnes Church the Oxonians had worked them- selves to the front, and the contest was virtually over. Harvard, indeed, rowed at this point very wildly, and it seemed likely that they would lose by a long distance. They steadied, however, again, and rowed pluckily to the end, finishing three or four lengths behind the winners. Oxford won by weight (they averaged twenty-six pounds more than their antagonists), and by a steady stroke which never flagged or changed. The Harvard boat was badly steered, and their time was defective, No. 2 always dipping his oar before stroke. The race was rowed in 22 min. 17 sec., a good time for a four-oar.