Java APIs

Are generic objects nothing like templates objects? Because I can't understand why and how to get it to resolve to the right clone method, ie not call the protected object class's clone method verse the subclass class T's clone method. Here's my code. Pleae help anyone thank you.

public class Table< T > extends Vector< T >
{
	private class Row< T >
	{
		public Row( T e )
		{
			element = e;
			mirror = ( T )e.clone();
		}

		private T element;
		private T mirror;
	}
}