Morning journal and courier., 1888-06-16
NEARrrG THE srnUaGLE.

The Xale-KHarvard Heat Raee-Specus.
 lations and PrOspeets-YaleNo Not over
 Samgu1ne But Doing Steady, PersaS.
 tent. Careful work in Preparation
 for she Great Contest.
 The work of the Yale University crew in New Haven is over, and to-day they will take up their quarters with Captain Brown on the bank of the Thames at New London.
 In spite of the watchful work of ex-Captain
 Rogers, who is coaching the crew, their row ing has not improved of late. Captain Stevenson thinks their work is worse than it was two weeks ago. The men are aware of their weakness and laber faithfully to over come their individual faults, but all seem to
 think the race will be close one if Yale wins, and no one knows how far behind Yale will be if Harvard crosses the line first. Harvard's crew has lately made some ex- eellent time They sometimes use paper shell and sometimes an English boat. There are but three old men in the boat, although all the members of last years crew are in college. This seems to say that the new men are better than the old ones, and Harvard
 will send crew to New London that will be far superior to the fine one of year ago. All are large, powerful fellows, averaging
  and superior to them in strength. They have been coached by MT. Watson to the same stroke as last year, and their excellent action in the boat raises high hopes at Harvard. The practice on the harbor in the spring is usually used to perfect the stroke of the Yale crew, and only attention to speed is given during the two weeks at New London, but this year, owing to >roughness of water and other unforeseen set-backs, their stroke re- mains faulty and needs much hard training to mend it. For three weeks the second crew, formed to give the University crew practice, has not been upon the water. A weeks hard work is needed to place the crew where it ought to be at this time, and every thing seems to be backward.
 The crew is magnificent to look at when skipping. through the harbor alone or in comparison with the freshmen--a sight that, no wonder, brings confidence and enthusiasm to inexperienced ones-but we haven't seen Haryard's crew. With Harvard only should comparison be, and Harvard has crew that can stand any test.
 The great fault with Yale is her blade work and lack of uniformity. The blade-work is irregular and there is lack of life at the catch and finish. These faults must be mended before speed is attempted. They take the water well at the stroke and have graceful swing and good control of slides. A great thing in their favor is their power of endur- .ance and want of over-confdence. A stroke of B or 34 to the minute was roWed in the spring, but it has now fallen to 30 or 31. The regular stroke of 33 to 34 will be used in the race and will not be raised above 35 or 36. The new shell, which arrived three weeks ago and had to be refitted, will be ready in three or four days. The crew will feel strange in it at first and should have been put into it before. Hard work is all that can make up for lost time and Yale will lose unless her men de better in the next few days. As Captain Stevenson says, "An we can do is to keep working and put our faith in heaven"
 The men thongh somewhat lean from train ing are in good health, have no trouble from boils, etc., and there has been no sickness in the boat except a slight case of measles. All are used to hard training and Captain Stew enson will keep them at It until tuesday of the race.
 The Yale launch has already been sent to New London, and as soon as the men arrive they will probably be taken under the per sonal care of the well known ''Bob" Cook. MT. Cook, whom in New Haven few weeks ago, believed that the cause of so much se- crecy at Harvard was because the Harvard crew was rowing the same stroke which he has introduced at Yale. He also believes that the crew which rows it's stroke best this year will win, rather than from any peculiar ity of the stroke.
 There have been several changes in the Yale boat lately. Brewster '01 has taken the place of Hartwell 'S0 s. Captain Stevenson, who was rowing at No. 3, has moved to his last year's place at No. 6, and Woodruff is changed from No. to No. A. As the crew novu io furfhar foo{a oVsa oa foIInwa.