SCRATCH-RACES.

SATURDAY morning last was rather cold and windy for rowing, but the water was not "lumpy" enough to cause any difficulty or inconvenience, as the races were rowed in the club barges. At about half past eleven the four-oared crews got into line. There were three of them:-

(1) (2)

C. Weld, '79, W. S. Miller, '78,

W. E. Russell, '77, P. Tuckerman, '78,

F. M. Ware, '79, C. Isham, '76,

M. Bull, '77. P. Keyes, '79.

(3)

J. R. W. Hitchcock, '77, W. A. Brownlow, '76,

W. Kessler, '78, H. H. Brown, '76,

Number one, which was on the inside nearest the bank, and number two turned the inside stake, while number three had the outer stake entirely to itself. The same rule was followed in the six-oared race.

At the word the crews made a rather good start, the inside crew getting perhaps a slight advantage in the "send off." Before the turn, number three had practically fallen out of the race. Number one turned first, quickly followed by number two, who had kept well up to the inside boat. The race home between these boats was a continued struggle. Number one crossed the line about a length ahead. No form, of course, was shown in this race, but it was pluckily rowed from beginning to end.

In the single-scull race there were two contestants, D. T. Seligman, '76, who rowed in a lap-streak, and had the inside position, and H. G. Danforth, '77, who rowed in a shell. Seligman hugged the bank so closely after starting that he succeeded in running aground several times before the stake-boats were reached. He pulled a rather quick and strong stroke, but used his arms too much and swung his body too little, - a fault very common among men who have learned to scull in boats with sliding seats. Danforth turned first, and won easily by about thirty seconds. He pulled a long, easy stroke, and showed pretty good form.

The last race was for six-oared barges. There were three crews only, as in the four-oared race, made up as follows:-

(1) (2)

R. W. Guild, '76 (stroke), P. W. Page, '77 (stroke),

M. Bull, '77, S. Perkins, L. S. S,

J. R. W. Hitchcock, '77, W. M. LeMoyne, '78,

H. H. Brown, '76, T. W. Preston, '79,

W. E. Russell, '77, G. S. Raymer, '78,

F. M. Ware, '79. D. O. Ives, '79.

(3)

W. F. Weld, '76 (stroke), P. Tuckerman, '78,

W. S. Miller, '78, P. Keyes, '79,

C. Weld, '79, C. Isham, '76,

This was the most unsatisfactory of all the races. There were a number of fouls, and it was extremely difficult to decide on whom to lay the blame. Every account of the contestants differed in some points. As far as we can judge, the incidents of the race were as follows. A fair start was made, all the crews taking the water at the same time. The boats kept well together on the way up, and at the stakes Guild's crew was leading by a half-length, while the other two crews were about even. As Guild turned the stake, the bow of Page's boat ran into the stern of the boat in front of him. This delayed Guild's crew a moment, and Weld's crew got around and off first, and steered immediately for the inside. Number one, however, was now around and rowing for home, and as the outside crew attempted to take the inside, Guild's crew fouled Weld's

The other crew, which was behind, now passed the fouling crews, and came in a long way ahead. Guild's crew came in second. Weld retired after the foul, as one of its out-riggers was broken. The referee, after hearing both sides of the race, decided that it should be rowed over; but the two inside crews showing an argumentative spirit, it was found impossible to carry this decision into effect, and the race later in the day was given to Guild's crew. The reasons for so doing ought perhaps to be stated. Before the turn, as we have seen, Guild's crew was ahead, and as they went round they were fouled by Page's crew, who were from the moment of the foul out of the race. In the second foul between numbers one and three, although Guild fouled Weld, still Weld was thrown out because he attempted to take his opponent's water, which is contrary to the law of boat-racing, that "each boat shall keep its own water throughout the race, and any boat departing from its own water will do so at its peril." Page was disqualified by the rule that "no fouling whatever shall be allowed; the boat committing a foul shall be disqualified."