From me "Norta-Cmya Darcy News"
or Avcusr 16, 1877
From Chefoo:—The long looked for race bet tween the crack pulling boats of H.M.S, Fly and the U.S. sloop of war Monocacy, came off on Monday afternoon. Betting had been 5 to 1 in. favour of the American boat, but before the event took place the odds had diminisheggto 5 to 4 with few takers. The English bé@ is a six-oared gig, but as the Americans entered a twelve-oared cutter, it was necessary to double bank the gig, and row her with twelve oars, which rather overweighted her and only allowed the men to handle shorter oars than usual. Still. in smooth water, the English crew hoped to overcome these difficulties, and the contest was accepted on these terms,' The stakes were $260 a side, and with the wagers laid it is said that over $1,000 changed hands. Monday was the day fixed for the race, and on that day as the harbour was visited with a strong breeze from N.W. with a heavy sea on, it was felt that the advantage would be on the American side. Their boat being larger and less liable to ship water, it was thought they would make the best weather of it, especially as the English boat on that morning had returned from her final trial row in the port, with so much water in hey that the men had it nearly up to their knees, The wind moderated a little in the afternoon, but there was still a nasty lumpy sea on. At five o'clock "give way" was the word, and the two boats started for their five miles contest. The English boat seemed to be lost in the foam and spray, which came over her bows as she was lifted through the' water by the determined oarsmen, but she kept her head well to the waves and in less than no time took the lead of the American boat, which did not get "weigh on" as soon as might have been expected. The race across the harbour was one continued lead for the Fly's and they kept up 55 strokes a minute during the whole course. The Americans pulled strongly also but the English boat rounded the buoy three minutes before her competitor, and pulled way from the cutter. When nearing the flagship the two foremost oars of the English boat were quietly laid in, and the two "bows" planted a blue flag with a yellow cock painted on it over the stem of the boat, and resuming their oars, took the stroke again, and the crew then made short work of the rest of the course, and came in winner by about 3 minutes. The vessels in harbour cheered the winning crew as they near them, and the blue jackets of the gave their Victorious comrades a thorough old British hurrah as they came within hail,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.