The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-09-09

spurts during the first stages Of the contest, running their stroke up from thirty-four to forty or thereabouts, and then lowering 1t again. The visit ors were prepared for this, however, and Wray urged upon them the neces- sity of pulling their accustomed stroke.
 Harvard's crew outweighed the Cam bridge eight nearly four pounds to every man.
 They showed steady and unexpected improvement from the very first days of training in English waters, and their last fast trials over the course caused a great tide of public favor to set in their direction. Faith in the superior ity of the Cambridge crew was consid. erably shaken and as a result interest in the race increased. The English pa pers commented constantly on the fact that all the Harvard men sat in their boat at precisely the same height, their shoulders being perfectly level. with the result that thoir oars dipped at the same angles, whereas different heights W ould produce different angles, splash ing and loss of power.
 In addition to a test of strength Of skill among the oarsmen, today's race was looked forward to keenly for a comparison of the English and Ameri- can styles of boat building. The Eng fish have adhered to the old methods of building and equipment. while the American shells shown this year or tEe Thames represented the very latest in modern improvements.
 The race started at Putney Bridge, fine stone structure spanning the Thames. from which only a favored few were permitted to view the gate way On the left hand the course led by the boat houses of half a dozen fla nous rowing clubs. presenting a sight
 
 Harlem River, New York. Among these clubs are the famous Leander. the Thames Rowing Club and the Lon don Rowing Club. On the other bank IS the palace of the Bishop of London. Fulhelm Palace full of historical and architectural interest.
 At Hnmmersmith Bridge.
 From Putney the course Is straight to Hamnersmith Bridge, and the crew that gets a good lead on this stretch of nearly mile, has seldom been headed in the rest of the turning and twist ing course in the history of the Oxford Cambridge races which have been rowed here for years and years.
 Under Hammersmith Bridge. the rac- ing crews passed to a good stretch of water which takes a wide and grad ual sweep to the first big turn In the course at Twickenham, passing Thorne- rrofts Torpedo Works, where a large crowd of invited guests are always on hand on race days
 Past Kew the course takes another turn before Barnes Bridge is reached. This Is the bridge where the London and Southwestern Railroads crosses the Thames and is regarded as the crucial point of the whole race. There is tradition that the crew which passes first under this bridge cannot be beaten. and only once has this tradition been violated. That was in 1896, when the Cambridge crew. after being hot favor ties all through the practice season, and leading by several lengths in the stretch, lost In the eighth of a mile between the bridge and Mortlake, Ow ing to a foolish bit of steering by the coxswain, which enabled Oxford to pull the race out of the fire.
 Membership of Crews.
 The membership of tho crews and their weights, according to latest re- ports. follows:
 Harvard Weight Bow-R. M Tappan ..... ... ..16s No. 2-S. w Fish ..... =. ...166 No. SC. Morgan. Jr., ... ....... .176 No. 4-P- W. Flint ..... %. ....s..1I0 No. 5-J. Richardson ..... .lS2 No. 6-R l. Bacon ... ..... .....,.lS5 No. I'D. A. Newall ... ..... ......lS2 Stroke-O D. Filley (Captain) ...1S2 Coxswain-M. B, Blagden .... .....100 Cambridge Weight E'3w-Ab close-Brookes tFirst
 No 2-J. F. H. Penham CJesus) ..l69 No. S-H. M Goldsmith (Jesus) .'7O No. 4--M. Donaldson. CIHirst Trin-
 ity) ..... %. ... ... ..,.....l .l9l No. 5--H. c. Baynes (First Trim