While the world is following the practice of the Okford
sled Cambridge crews for this year's boat race, the volume insti. gated by the Centenary Cornmemoration Committee conies from Messrs. Cassell, under the title of The University Boal Race-(15s.). It-is called the "Official Centenary History "; it is edited by Judge Charles Gurdon; President of the C.U.B.C; in 1877, the year of: the dead heat,- and eoinpiled by Mr. Drinkwater who rowed for Oxford - in- 1902 and 1903, and Mr. Sanders, the Cambridge stroke in 1923. The book it well got up and printed (not; we obserre, by either of the University Presses). The illustrations' few- but well chosen to illustrate the races of 1829 and 1923 and the develosi: ment of racing craft, and include a chart of the present course which we attributeto one of the ceimpilers. ' The bulk Of tpb book is devoted to the 81 races since " the -first challenge a century ago, to the crews find their training and to 'the races themselves. The post-tcllem controversies on style are judicially recalled. In appendices- we are given lists of -those who have rowed, summaries of the re-Salta, and other statisticS; the schools and eiitleigea. of "Flues," and even- the' pairs of grandfathers and grandsons who have both rowed ! Few sports have excited 'Wider interest and yet none has been kept' purer than University rowing; and the tone of this- book befits the subject.- The love of sport, of excellencein a science; of skill and endurance' and that self-Obliterating• spirit that makes a crew, are' evident this:Mg-boat; and the whole story is as modestly presented as though the 'boat race was a purely domestic affair of the Universities.
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