OUR SPORTING COLUMN.

Henley. - The Regatta Committee announce in a late circular that they "wish it understood that this regatta is open only to amateurs," and that they "reserve the right to refuse any entry." That is, without defining an amateur, they announce that they will only receive amateur entries, and then leave it to their stewards to decide what an amateur really is. It would seem that some body of men might take the matter in hand, and give a decisive answer to this very puzzling conundrum. When an American committee announce that "this regatta is open only to amateurs," we always find in the next paragraph, "we define an amateur to be," etc., etc. Nothing could be fairer or plainer than this, and unless Henley really fear us it would be well for her to stop this dodging business, and publish her definition. The Columbia crew sail for England on May 22, but they will hardly do much for their college, as they are evidently rather slow.

That Definition. - At a meeting of representatives of Oxford and Cambridge, and the principal boat-clubs in London, held on April 10, the following definition was adopted: "An amateur oarsman or sculler must be an officer of her Majesty's army or navy, or civil service; a member of the liberal professions; or of the universities or public schools; or of any established boat or rowing club not containing mechanics or professionals, and must not have competed in any competition for either stake, or money, or entrance fee, or with or against a professional for any prize, or have ever taught, pursued, or assisted in the pursuit of athletic exercises of any kind as a means of livelihood; or have ever been employed in or about boats or in manual labor; or be a mechanic, artisan, or laborer." This tells the whole story. The English fear crews like the Watkins Glen, the Nautilus, the Beaverwycks, etc., etc., and have so worded their definition as to exclude these and similar crews from Henley, and restrict the regatta to 'gentlemen' entries, and proves what we said in our last, in regard to the definition, to be true.

Yale. - The average weight of the Yale Eight is 165 3/4 lbs., against an average of 176 1/4 lbs. for our crew. They will have a new coxswain this year, as Aldrich has grown too heavy. There are four men from last year's crew in their boat, while we have seven in ours.

ATHLETICS.English Amateur Championships, London, April 15. - 4-mile bicycle race, R. R. MacKinnon, 14 min. 9 2/5 sec.; mile-run, A. F. Hills, Oxford, 4 min. 28 4/5 sec.; half-mile run, H. Whateley, Oxford, and L. Knowles, Cambridge, dead heat in 2 min. 3 3/5 sec.; 100-yards, L. Junker, L. A. C., 10 1/5 sec.; quarter-mile, J. Shearman, L. A. C., 52 4/5 sec.; 120-yards hurdles, S. Palmer, Cambridge, 16 1/5 sec.; seven-mile walk, H. Venn, L. A. C., 52 min. 25 sec., first mile in 6.35; wide jump, E. Baddeley, Cambridge, 22 ft. 8 in.; high jump, G. Tomlinson, 5 ft. 10 1/4 in.; four-mile run, J. Gibb, L. A. C., 20 min. 29 sec.

Rare Excellence. - At the charter-house athletic sports held on April 20, in England, W. J. Growse won the wide jump at 19 ft. 11 in.; mile run in 4 min. 51 sec.; 200 yards in 22 1/4 sec.; 100 yards in 11 1/2 sec.; the quarter in 57 1/2 sec.; and the 660-yards steeple-chase in 2 min. 41 sec.; a most wonderful all round performance.

Columbia. - This college held her sports at Mott Haven last week, but the fields were small, and the performances poor. Princeton held her sports about the same time, but her events were not productive of many starters or even fair time.

BICYCLES.A Correction. - We made a statement last week concerning American-made bicycles, which we find on inquiry we were not warranted in making. It seems that one of these machines, on a journey to Lynn, quietly dropped to pieces in the middle of the road. We need not say that no such catastrophe need be feared from the excellent vehicles of which Messrs. Cunningham, Heath, & Co. are the agents.

Bicycle Race. - It is to be hoped that this race will fill well, and that all those who start will finish. A race is never won until you've passed the post, and even if beaten it looks much better to see a man ride his race out pluckily, and not give it up because he is not ahead.