New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-06-27
THE COLLEGE REGATTA.
HARyARD,S VETERANS. J

OLD OARsMEN IN THIS YEARS CREw-THE NEW
CONGRATULATIONS or THE OXFORD CLUB
SYSTEM
frRox THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT or THE rRrBUNE.l
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. June 22.-Harvard enters the
Regatta this year with the most brilliant prospects,
OF her last years crew she retains the four finest
oarsmen in the very places which they then occu-
pied. and has substitutes for the other two men,
who believed to be superior in all respects In
Williams. Trinity. Wesleyan. and Dartmouth. one
trained man from last years crew is found breaking
in five green hands, but in Harvard's crew hve
skilled men are found and only one green hand.
Mr.. Otis, the new bow having received thorough
training for the Freshman Of last year. in which
be pulled No. s, Mr.. Taylor No. 2appears as the only
entirely man. To complete the list, it may be
said here that Princeton has entirely new men
Yale has two from last years crew: Cornell and
Columbia, by present accounts, three each Harvard
alone, of all the colleges entering with four men
who pulled in last years University race.
The boating traditions of Harvard are OF great
value to her. The best systems of rowing and train
ing and the true principles upon which men should
be selected for! have been studied by intel
hgent men here for many years past and several Oh
the most famous of the old stroke oarsmen are
settled near by at Boston. always ready to give the
captains the benefit of their advice and experience
The English system studied by Loring and
others of the International crew while in Europe,
and the wisdom and condensed experience of past
and present college generations has been summed
up and put forth in book form for the instruction OF
the whole body of students in a pamphlet entitled
Principles of Rowing at Harvard" in which every
thing connected with rowing exhaustvely treated
1t is intended from time to time to issue new editions
of this book which shall be carefully amended and
expurgated by successive captains to conform to the
most advanced ideas upon the subject OF rowing.
BOATING ON THE CHARLES RIVER.
The Charles River flows three-eighths Of mile
from the College. Its scenery consists of coal
wharves and dock mud. but Its bank a boat-hOuse
stands of grand proportions, containing perhaps
sixty boats. Even this is not sufficient, and the
present accommodation is Immediately to be sup
pemented by another great boat-hOuse of similar
capacity. With 800 students to pick from, and l,lOo
to levy contribution upon it Is apparent that tar-
ward is the strongest aquatic power among the col
eges and her crew of this year. in respect to the ex-
perence of the men and appointments of every
kind is undoubtedly the most fortunate and best
equipped which will enter at Saratoga.
In observing boat crew, three things are note
worthy: 1. Their primary physical characteristics
the individual power of the men, their of train
ing and their uniformity of physique. 2. The char
acterstics of the stroke which is set for their ni-
tatlon g. The form and style in which they pull
the stroke-that is the accuracy of the time in NOV
ing forward or back, and the uniformity of their
movements in sliding, finishing, and feathering.
HARvARD's FORM AND STYLE.
Taking these three points in reverse order. may
saw without question that Harvard is the only
have seen since leaving Yale which has passed the
formation period sufficiently to permit any critical
observation of their form and style a crew. These
men row spendidly i saw them the day after
Glass day. and with substitute i'll the boat, whose
deficiencies were at times manifest But. as stood
on the float and watched them approaching he fell
into the swing and the boat moved up steadily as
an Atlantic steamer The oars sunk just to the edge,
the feathers of spray flashed together, all the seats
slid the same distance, aud the went gracefully
forward like one. A in this condition is a
pleasant thing to look upon. and great relief after
watching the rocking and racketing of a new crew.
Harvard oars have always been noted for STYLE and
this crew proves exception.
NEW STROKE.
In the characteristics of their stroke there ap-
pears decided change, made in Difference to the
English idea as exempliied last year. Rule OF
the old directions for rowing in the manual OF ar-
ward was as follows:
Rapid recovery forward after featherng. by an
elastic motion OF the body from the bps accompanied
by an slide forward the arms being immediately
shot their greatest extension ana kept perfectly
straight through the rest OF the recovery.
The elastic motion from the hips in the rapid re-
covery and the shooting out of the hands gave the
movements of the Harvards always peculiar
aspect of life and vivacity very attractive to the
superficial observer; but it was always i'll thought
Of and has this year been finally discarded The
recovery is now slow. The arms 30 forward de-
liberately in the English fashion, by which, 1t
seems to be acknowledged. the tax upon the wind
of the oarsman is much lessened, and he is gen.
orally less fatgued. This change has made much
more business-like and less brilliant stroke than the
former one, but it is neatly performed that it
gives pleasure to the spectator by its STYLE
This stroke however. bears but little resemblance
to Cooks stroke at Yale, apparently differing from
it in the general peculiarty of a longer reach for
ward and longer stroke and III the minor points
of higher feather, and less disposition 70 throw
the head back and stfen at the end of the stroke
The Harvards have always pulled with quick
catch aud jerk of the oar through the wafer or in
the language of their rules " horizontal and dash
ing pull through the water Immediately after the
blade is covered" This is now made more apparent
by coming after the slow recover but in reality the
stroke il little changed in this respect. The stroke
as a whole is considered an improvement on that of
last year by boatmen outside Of the college.
THE CREW.
Taking the men individually their positions and
weights are as follows: ~
Bow W. J. Otis. ................T l56
No. 2, ". r. TAYLOR. 10
No. 8, II. L. Morse. 10
No A Wendell (;ooyern.....H $50
No. 8, Daniel Bacon. .............D 40
I.1E