The Class Races.

A clear sky looked down upon the Charles River yesterday, and beheld one of the most magnificent races that ever took place on the course. Before twelve o'clock people had began to gather in rear windows on Beacon street, and interested spectators chose favorable positions near the finish and waited. At a quarter of one, three tugs were moored at the drawbridge and rapidly filled. One bore a huge green and white banner, and an enthusiastic body of sophomores clustered on its pilot box; the second was jammed with noisy and excited freshmen, and covered with red and white bunting, and the referee's tug contained a mixture of the sedate of all classes, and a few ladies. The tugs moved up the course and reached the Brookline bridge at twenty minutes past one. The sky was still clear and sunny, but there was a stiff east wind blowing right up the course, and the water was lumpy. The crews were not long in appearing. '88 was the first to appear, and came darting through the draw amid enthusiastic cheers, and took the inside position; '89 followed and took her position next '88; '87 came through with a clipping stroke and took her stand on the outside; '86 had some difficulty in getting ready, but took up her position between '87 and the freshmen. The boats were got into line with comparative promptness, and at 1.55 p.m. Mr. Borland fired the gun as a signal to start.

THE RACE.At the signal, the crews went off with a rush, '89 and '87 setting the pace at 38, with '88 a little in the lead, and rowing 36. The latter soon separated from her rivals, hugging the shore and dropping her stroke to 34. A beautiful struggle for the lead now began between the three other boats, '86 holding it for a few rods and then yielding it to '87, who, in turn succumbed to '89. At the sluiceway '87 had the lead with the freshmen one and '86 two or three lengths behind. The '88 crew seemingly far in the rear, kept smoothly on near the shore. '89 continued her fast stroke, but '88 and '87 dropped to 34, and '86 to 32. There was no marked change in position till Dartmouth street was reached, when a magnificent struggle for first place between '89 and '87 "hilled" the latter, and put '89 to the front, with '88 two lengths and '86, five lengths behind. The freshmen kept their place but a moment, however, for '88 quickened her stroke, and with a strong, continuous spurt swept by them and finished first, amid the wildest excitement. The plucky freshmen took second place, half a length behind, and another half length ahead of the juniors. The seniors, who sandily rowed through a hopeless race, finished six lengths in the rear. The time of the winning crew was 12 m. 30 sec., and of the second, 12 m. 31 sec. Altogether the race was the most satisfactory that has taken place for years on the Charles River course. There was no accident to mar the enjoyment of it, and the crews were so evenly matched as to make the struggle a memorable one in boating annals.