RED TOP HOPEFUL AS BIG RACE DRAWS NEAR

New London, Conn., June 17.--With all heavy work in preparation for the big race on Friday now a thing of the past, all Red Top is waiting, full of hope. While the outside world seems to concede Yale's wonder crew an overwhelming victory, there is no lack of confidence here in camp. Work now is confined to short paddles, racing starts, and sprints, calculated to keep the oarsmen in their present excellent physical condition.

The races are on. Tomorrow the Waiters of the two camps will meet over the half-mile course. The Crimson waiters are training hard, and will be in bed by midnight tonight in preparation for their struggle in the morning. Thursday will see the Gentleman's Eight racing the Yale graduates, and the race between the Combination Eights. These races will be rowed one after the other shortly after 5 o'clock. Then on Friday at 10 o'clock the 1927 crews will settle their dispute over the middle two miles of the course, rowing upstream, and the Second crews will fight it out at 11 o'clock. The University race will be rowed downstream from Red Top to the Railroad Bridge at New London at 4 o'clock, wind and weather permitting; otherwise at 7.30 o'clock upstream. As last year, the fleet of yachts lined along the course will be asked to refrain from blowing their whistles during the race, in order to let the crews hear the coxswain's directions.

There is hope, and a deal of confidence, that the bedlam at the finish will be in honor of the Crimson, for Red Top prognosticators, while saying little in the face of heavy odds, are waiting for the final result to bear them out in the conviction that Harvard can and may spring a tremendous surprise.

There will be no further changes in any of the crews, unless an unforeseen accident should occur.

The Yale crew has rowed only one four mile trial, and that in 24.40. This time is good; but a Harvard crew has done the course in four minutes and 30 seconds under that time, and while this year's Harvard boat is no record breaker, there is a general feeling that Yale's great crew can break no records on the long course either. The odds are against Harvard. But

"Yale men say

Their crew is sure to win.

Let them bray

And put up all their tin.

We will cover

All they have to show.

And we'll show four miles of rudder

To the crack New Haven crew."

It cannot be said this year that we can fell the Elis "by the foolish way they row (splash! splash!)" but neither can it be said of the Crimson.