Related article: he was one of the mainstays of the team in the bowling department, having no small share in the brilliant triumph of Oxford over the strong Australian team of 1884, and later in the season over Cambridge at Lords. Mr. Bastard also played regularly for Somerset- shire at a time when the fortunes of the western county were at a low ebb. He bowled with a beautifully easy action reminding one somewhat of E. Peate, the great Yorkshire bowler, and kept a much more regular length than most amateur bowlers. Mr. Bastard would have made a still greater name as a cricketer had he not unfortunately been handicapped with very short sight which seriously interfered with his batting of which he had a good idea, and frequently going in late made a most useful score : his efficiency in the field was also marred by the same trouble or Mr. Edward Bastard might have been one of the best all-round amateurs in the country. Sport at the DniTersitiea.— Taken altogether, the long list of Inter- 'Varsity contests so far de- cided this year have fallen out with a pleasing variation. Up to date the record reads: — Oxford, 8 events ; Cambridge, 6 events. Cambridge repeated their 1900 victory at chess, and by exactly the same margin, i.e., 5 games 2. Judging from the play, the pros- pects of another Oxford and Cam- bridge victory over the Combined Universities of America are un- commonly rosy. As last year, Oxford gained an easy victory over their rivals at golf by 28 holes 9, which now makes the Inter-*Varsity record level, 11 wins all and one draw in 1896. For the first time in many years Cambridge won the point-to-point steeplechase, Mr. Bell's Piggy finishing actually first. The race was decided over the Whaddon country and on points, the Light Blues winning by the narrow margin of 25 points 30. So far our predictions all turned out trumps, but the racquets matches provided a surprise. Messrs. Baerleen and Noel (Cambridge) won the doubles match by 4 games 2, while the first-named Cantab defeated L. F. Andrewes (Oxford) in the singles — last year's winner — by 3 games love. In justice to the Oxonian it may bie said that, owing to exigencies of the ** Schools," &c., he was somewhat short of practice. Thus (as far as the minor events were con- cerned) the Can tabs had more than held their own through- out, and immense interest at- tached to the Sports and Boat Race. The athletic meet- ing was held in wretched weather, while a nasty cross wind greatly interfered with the runners especially. Under all circumstances the attendance at Queen's Club was remarkable, t90i.] ti OUR VAN. it 389 and the times and performances quite sound. In the result Oxford again won by 6 events 4 ; albeit, the absence of President Workman in the •« Half," and that of H. A. Jones in the Long Jump, was a piece of bad luck for Cambridge. At the best, however, we now think that the Light Blues would only have made another draw of it. The best performances were those of President Workman (Cambridge) in the Three Miles (14. 58) ; G. Howard-Smith (Cambridge) in the High Jump (5.10J) ; J. R. Cleave (Oxford) in the Half-mile (1.59I); F. G. Cockshott (Cam- bridge) in the Mile (4.26J), and the dual victory of L. J. Cornish (Oxford) in the Quarter-mile (52^) and Long Jump (21 ft. 6J). A. E. Hind's victory in the ** Hundred " was the first decisive Cambridge win since 1900, and it would be ungracious to omit the double triumph of E. E.'May (Oxford) in the Hammer and Weight items. Nothing out of the common was put on record in these events, yet it must be remembered that the conditions are now vastly different to those obtaining in the days of ** Hammer " Hales (Cambridge). G. R. Garnier (Oxford) won the Hurdles, despite an injured leg, thereby emulating the doughty deeds of his pater in 1872 and his Buy Eulexin brother in 1896-7-8. By the way, Ibsen's heredity theory was again justified in many other instances. Messrs. Wilson (Oxford), and Churchill, Leeke (Cambridge), &c., are all sons of ** Old Blues." As the outcome it was generally felt that Yale and Harvard (U.S.A.) would have to be wonderfully strong this year to defeat the Sister Blues in the proposed re- turn International meeting in New York. As we write, however, it is doubtful whether this meeting will take place. Oxford and Cam- bridge cannot possibly compete in July, as wished by the Yankees, while the latter, from latest advices, cannot do so in Sep- tember, as suggested by the Eng- lish Universities. Unless some arrangement can be made for September, we fear the meeting will have to be abandoned al- together. There is no doubt that the Boat Race of the following day will ever remain — what the victory of Coroebus the Elean was to the Olympic Games — a kind of land- mark in athletic history. Exciting races have been witnessed before in 1840, 1856, 1865, 1877, 1886, 1 89 1, and especially in 1896 to wit, but never one like this 1 The conditions were awful, and the wonder still remains how the Oxford boat in particular was not swamped in similar fashion to the Cambridge craft in 1859. ^^ would require the pen of a Virgil and the fervour of a Macaulay to fit- tingly describe the fray which, always interesting, caused a per- fect thrill of excitement at the finish. Very briefly, however, Cambridge won the toss, and, after the first mile, led right away to within 100 yards of the winning post. They were two lengths ahead at the ** Bull's Head," and nearly as much at Barnes Bridge, the Oxonians meanwhile rowing steadily in the lee of their rivals with consummate judgment. Here the water was comparatively smooth, and 1896 history was repeated. Steadying his men beautifully, Culme-Seymour, the Oxford stroke, now spurted finely and caught the tired Cantabs hand over hand ; they drew level, and, with only a few yards to Flutamide Eulexin go, it was anybody's race. Locked to- gether, the boats lost or gained a foot at a time midst a scene of excitement never to be forgotten. In the result Oxford won by two-