New Brunswick Reporter, Saint John

The Tyne Crew Wins

Fifty Thousand Persons Present

(From the Telegraph and Journal)

The Tyne men rowed alongside about 3.15 and called for the Referee, who was speedily at hand, but Sheriff Harding, the Umpire on behalf of the St. John crew, protested against starting, as there was then a stiff breeze blowing and a high ripple on the water.

Adams, for the Tyne crew demanded a start, and claimed an immediate decision from the Referee.

The Paris crew had not at this time put in an appearance, and people spoke of St. John being afraid to start. The Tyne me were anxious for rough water, AS THEY HAD SIDEBOARDS ON TO KEEP OUT THE SPLASH OF THE SEA, -- an alarming deficiency in the St. John boat.

Presently the wind, which had been strong all day, commenced to lull, and Mr. Potter coming on board the Judges’ Boat, being pressed strongly by the Lachine Club, agreed to send for Sheriff Harding and see if a start could not be effected. That gentleman came and agreed with Adams to row at 5.15. A tug was sent down the Canal for the St. John men, and the fast of the Race being in the way of coming off, speedily restored general cheerfulness.

In a few minutes the Tyne men again came from the shore, and almost at the same moment the Paris crew were descried coming up the canal, and shot alongside the Judges’ barge.

They were greeted with loud cheers, and bowed their acknowledgement to their friends, at the same time saluting their rivals. They looked grace but confident, and, proceeded to disrobe themselves, displaying, when they did so, their pink shirts and caps, which had so often been badges of victory. The Tyne men also took off their white shirts and stripped to the buff, a somewhat immodest-mode but probably a Tyne fashion: then the boats backed into line here taken by the steamer, the Saint John boat by Mr. Retter, the Tyne by Mr. Newton, one of their backers.

Then there was a moment of applause; the starting fun was fired and away they went.

St. John, at once, struck 45 to the minutes and, in a hundred yards had drawn halk a boat’s length clear, Tyne starting at 40.

But scarcely had the start been made when a suddent gust of wind came sweeping down, which raised a rough sea right in the teeth of the boats.

The effect was, at once, painfully apparent on St. John.

Their stroke could not be kept up, and the Tyne boat, much the best in a sea, pulled by the four sturdy oarsmen of the North, lapped St. John, shot ahead, and in half a mile had crossed her bown two clear lengths ahead.

Tyne was rowing at this time 38 to a minute, a stroke which they perserved in all the way up the Course.

St. John now reduced to forty (40), toiled on losing ground all the way, rowing gamely, but the low feather of the oars, caused them to strike the water constantly, and splashed water into the frail shell.

At Dixie Island, a mile and a quarter up, Tne was 200 yards ahead, but in the smooth, water, inside the Island, St. John relieved this by several lengths.

At the opening by Bushy Island, St. John again fell back in the rough water, but along Isle Dorial, by a rapid spurt of 45, overhauled their opponents somewhat, but this advantage was again all lost when they opened on Lake St. Louis, out of the lee of the Island.

The Turning Buoy

St. John having chose the inside one, the outside was reached by the Tyne in 23.40; St. John turned 40 seconds later, making a better turn than the Tyne, but it was clear the race was lost!

The St. John crew rowed on as gamely as if only a length behind.

Three quarters of a mile from the turning buoy they had gained 4 seconds on the Tyne, but the latter, rowing at 36, had the race cleanly in hand. As the St. John men pressed pluckily on in their stern chase, they were repeatedly cheered and encouraged by the boat in line on the way, but no amount of cheering or power could change the fortune of the day.

Amid the roar of thousands of voices and the enthusiasm of the fortunate ones who had laid their money on Tyne, the Champion of England crossed the score spurting at 42 to the minutes; winners of the race and the Championship of the World!

The time made was 40 minutes 59¾ seconds, the St. John men crossed the score 30 seconds later spurting at the rate of 47, on a magnificent bust in speed as if the winners of a race, although sad losers, for the St. John men, a thing new to them.

The time tells its own tale.

With a boat full of water and a heavy nail sea and wind, unable to pull their peculiar stroke and their low feather of the yard they were defeated.

The St. John boat was seventeen minutes nine three-quarter seconds coming back to the turning boat, with a three mile tide in their favour. Any one who believes they cannot do better than that will be satisfied that they were beaten on on their merits; unprejudiced men will hold a different opinion.

The St. John crew were not badly distressed after their hard race. They immediately rowed down to their boat house.