On account of the long continuance of cold weather which prevented the ice from breaking up until the last days of March, the class crews were confined to the gymnasium three weeks longer than usual, and are consequently behind in their work upon the river. This delay in getting out the boats, together with the nearness of the class races, the second of May, gives the crews a very short time for preparation. Five weeks is hardly long enough to learn the difficult art of watermanship. It cannot, therefore, be expected that the class crews will attain the standard of perfection which they reached in former years. This lack of time upon the water presses hardest upon the freshman crew, who are all new men, and need a longer time to get into condition for shell rowing. All the crews, except the freshman, are now using sliding seats in barges, and will enter their shells in a few days.

The senior crew is strong and heavy. According to Dr. Sargent's tests, that is, in proportion to weight, they would probably be found stronger than any crew on the river, not excepting the university crew. The eighty-five crew of last year was also a powerful one, but did not win. The seniors are, therefore, not full of confidence, but view with zealous eyes any improvements made by their rivals of '86 and '87. The marked faults of the senior crew are a bad finish, and two deep a dip; some of the men settle at the finish, and rush the recover. They are now rowing as follows:

POSITION. NAME. WEIGHT.

1. J. E. Thayer, Capt., 157

2. R. S. Gorham, 153

3. R. Boyden, 165

4. O. R. Hansen, 158

5. B. B. Thayer, 176

6. A. Keith, 170

7. W. B. Homans, 169

Stroke. C. F. Gilman, 177

Average weight, 165 3-8

The substitutes are Edgerly, Read, Harrington and Foster. This week, during the absence of B. B. Thayer, Harrington is rowing with the crew. Only a brief mention can be made of individual faults. No. 1 invariably catches behind in consequence of an extra reach he endeavors to take; No. 2 does not pull his oar clear through to the end; No. 3 swings out badly, and feathers under water; No. 4 swings in, and faces his oar over too much; No. 5 uses his slide too soon; No. 6 sinks his oar at the finish; No. 7 rushes the end of the recover; No. 8 allows his oar to "sliver out" at the finish.

The juniors will have the best men of their successful freshman crew, among them Hamlin, of last year's university crew. Other changes have been made in the personnel of the crew, so that eighty-six will have a stronger eight this year than last. As a crew, they have taken to the water very well. They are rowing a fast, lively stroke, and pull the heavy 'varsity barge with comparative ease. Their own barge, the bow of which was stoven in at the scratch races last fall, has not yet been repaired by the boat club. The members of the crew are now at a training table at Memorial.

The crew rows as follows:

POSITION. NAME. WEIGHT.

1. M. S. Latham, Capt, 141

2. E. D. Codman, 153

3. J. C. Ayer, 161

4. C. R. Brown, 147

5. W. R. Dewey, 162

6. T. H. Cabot, 164

7. E. E. Hamlin, 184

Stroke. G. B. Harris, 165

Average weight, 159 5-8

The substitutes are Huddleston, 184 lbs., and Rogers, 177 lbs. The most noticeable fault of the crew is a tendency to rush down and hurry the stroke. Yesterday they rowed thirty-eight strokes a minute in a heavy barge. No. 1 jams his hands down on the shoot, No. 2 takes too much water on the beginning; No. 3 has too violent a shoot; No. 4 don't pull his oar through to the finish; No. 5 settles; No. 6 has an imperfect finish; No. 7 swings back too far; stroke dips too deep at the beginning.

The sophomore class has turned out a number of good oarsmen. Five of their freshman crew are now on the university crew, but sufficient good material remains in the class to make a very good eight. The men have shown considerable improvement, and are now rowing together in good time. The oars, however, are not carried through the full length of the stroke, and several men swing back too far.

The crew rows as follows:

POSITION. NAME. WEIGHT.

1. A. S. Hardy, 144

2. R. P. Fiske, Capt., 157

3. W. Alexander, 155

4. C. F. Ayer, 172

5. W. Endicott, 187

6. T. B. Scott, 159

7. F. S. Coolidge, 154

Stroke. F. Remington, 155

Average weight, 160 3-8

Rantoul, who has been absent during vacation, will probably take a seat in the boat on his return. The individual faults of the men are the following: No. 1 faces his oar too much and dips too deep; No. 2 also faces his oar too much; No. 3 clips and swings in; No. 4 does not pull his oar through; No. 5 settles at the finish; No. 6 takes too deep a dip; No. 7 hangs at the full reach; stroke meets and allows his oar to sliver out at the end.

The freshman crew, more than any other, shows the need of a regular coach. The crew is still rowing on stationary seats, and slowly learning how to pull the oar blades through the water. The crew can hardly be expected to take better than fourth place in the class races. There is, however, good material in the two eights for a crew, which ought to be in good shape by the time of the race with the Columbia freshman crew.

The first eight is rowing as follows:

POSITION. NAME. WEIGHT.

1. E. D. Hale, 154

2. C. F. Adams, 153

3. F. G. Bradlee, 162

4. T. R. Thomas, 159

5. R. H. Fuller, 170

6. T. C. Woodman, Capt, 165

7. J. R. Purdon, 158

Stroke. A. Porter, 155

Average weight, 159 1-2

The different members of this crew clip part of the stroke after hanging a short time on the full reach. The body swing is not bad, but of watermanship, have still considerable to learn. The oars are dipped too deep, and in consequence come out before the end of the stroke. The freshmen crew has had so short a time on the water, that a more detailed criticism cannot well be given, and, indeed, would not give a fair idea of the capabilities of the crew. The individuals have not yet fallen into special faults, but all show a lack of familiarity with an oar handle.