262 LIGHT SCIENCE FOR LEISURE HOURS. 



actually lost at the rate of about eight inches' per 

 stroke. This result is not much affected by the more 

 rapid stroke rowed by Cambridge during part of the 

 race. Changing the rate of stroke is rather changing 

 the way of putting in the work than changing the rate 

 of working. Yet it may fairly be admitted that Oxford 

 could have won by several more lengths had they 

 pleased ; or, rather, could have reached the winning 

 post several seconds earlier had they been hard pressed. 

 But probably the best Oxford could have done would 

 have been equivalent only to a gain of about a foot 

 per stroke; and the reputation of the Oxford crew, 

 individually and collectively, justifies the belief that it 

 was 'in them' to beat Cambridge at that rate per 

 stroke, whatever the style adopted by Cambridge and 

 whatever .the system of training. If this were so, as 

 may reasonably be believed, Cambridge did all that was 

 in them to do, as well in practice and in training as in 

 the race itself, from the first stroke to the last. Men 

 can do no more than their best. It is of races so 

 rowed that * it is usual to say that the losing crew 

 were beaten but not disgraced,' and this could fairly 

 be said of the race of 1878. Men who were able to 

 watch the race closely admit that there was no sign of 

 flinching in the Cambridge boat from first to last, 

 though there were signs enough of distress, as there 



always will be in a long stern chase. 



Echo, 1878. 



