The Sun.
London, England, 1869-06-02 00:00:00

THE INTERNATIONAL BOAT RACE.

The Boston Post of May 17 says :—" Since Harvard's
challenges were sent to the two great English universities
her men have not been idle, but Mr. Loring, with his
usual judgment and determination, has been out regu-
larly with his crew, and has about settled whose chances
for places upon it are most likely. In the three entire months
he yet has before the first day on which the race may berowed,
he will have ample time to get them into fine condition. He
has concluded to spend as many as five weeks in England
before the contest—his crew already, after considering
the liberal offers of both the Great Western and Inman
lines of European steamships, being booked to sail on the
10th of July, in the City of Paris. We are pleased to
know that Mr. Willard, the captain of the University
Nine, is daily improving his prospects for occupying
one of the thwarts of this important four-oar, as it is
reported that he is doing a round dozen miles every
day on Charles River in a stout working lapstreak.
Elliott, the builder of both the Yale and Harvard
shells of last and this year, will have a strong, prac-
tice four-oar, with coxswain's seat, ready for the crew
in a few days, till then their work being done in a six-
oar, with a heavy sandbag in the place usually occupied
by the bow-oarsman. While the question of rowing
the English was under discussion, boating at Har-
vard was almost at a standstill, hardly a boat starting
from the houses. But now at practice-hours
the river is very lively with six-oars, the four,
double, and single sculls. The four to go to England can
readily be distinguished from any four of the Union Club
by the fact that the Ramer always carries a coxswain,
the latter never. Of this crew, Messrs. Loring and
Simmons, owing to nearly four years of experience in
rowing together, have scarcely anything to learn, while
the careful eyes of the former are fast eradicating the few
faults that yet remain in the two waist men, Rice and
Bass. The question as to who shall go out as coxswain
is net yet definitely settled, three men at least being ener
to go, each having several qualities requisite for this im-
portant position, though the only one already named, Mr.
Arthur Burnham, of '7O, is the only one who has yet been
seen out in one of the long pulls which the crewdaily take.
He 'sits high,' is cool, very self-confident, matured
as to age, and more experienced than any of his rivals;
but is several pounds heavier than one or two of them.
Were the choice made to-day, he would probably be taken;
e month later, his chances would seem less good. As the
crew are only doing practice work now, and will be
for weeks to come, little idea can be formed as yet
as to their gait, Mr. Loring judiciously restraining them
prom rowing fast until they can row well and perfectly
';ogether. Their training, in the strict sense of
the word, will commence within ten days, though
their daily practice on the river now, and the generous
allowances of rations which each man manages
to dispose of, would seem to justify the in-
'erence that
,they are already in training : and
practically they are, too, for the old silly plan of limiting
a man to raw beef and bread crusts, with a thimbleful of
water now and then, has at last died a natural death at
Harvard, after struggling for several years, and now a
rower, like a farmer in hay-time, can ' eat what is set
before them, asking no questions for conscience' sake.'
Their rowing will increase in speed only, the distance to
be gone over being, if anything, rather shorter than at
present. Several men are at work vigorously for the
:bailee of going with the crew as spare men.".