OUR SPORTING COLUMN.

Oxford. - Belts Life, in speaking of our proposed race with Oxford, says that it is improbable that that college will row Harvard, as the general University sentiment seems to be against it. This paper also says, in speaking of our race with Oxford in 1869, that Oxford's crew was the best four-oar she ever had.

ATHLETICS.Amateur Ten-Miles. - An amateur championship belt for this distance has been offered by the Boston Y. M. C. A. Athletic Club, and is open to New England amateurs only. If there were only some man in this University who would make the attempt to win this belt for Harvard, we are sure he would be encouraged by all in college who are interested in athletics. The feeling that it is not "quite the thing" to enter amateur races never influences men who are anxious to compare their strength with that of men other than those they have beaten, and, if possible, to improve their record. Persons desiring information about this belt may address Mr. C. P. Huckins, Y. M. C. A., Boston.

N. Y. A. C. - This Athletic Club holds a winter meeting at Gilmore's Garden, New York, on January 3 and 4, and offers a capital programme, open to amateurs only, which includes walking, sprint and distance running and hurdle-racing, bicycle riding, etc.

Cambridge University, November 20. - H. J. L. Evans, 5 yards start, won the half-mile handicap in 2 min. 1/5 sec., which would be better than 2 min. 1 sec. for the full distance. W. H. Churchill, scratch, won the strangers' quarter-mile handicap in 56 2/5 sec.

BICYCLING.Suffolk B. C. - This organization attempted to hold its annual races at Chestnut Hill Reservoir on Saturday, December 14, but not a single entry was made and the races fell through.

ROWING.M. A. A. O. - The Metropolitan Association of Amateur Oarsmen of New York have issued a programme for their next regatta on July 4, 1879. The races are for eight-oared shells with coxswains, and four-oared shells without coxswains, open only to college clubs; four-oared and six-oared shells with coxswains for juniors; four-oared, pair-oared, and double and single sculls for seniors and juniors, open to any amateur club. Apparently the first part of the programme is intended as an opposition to the National Association, who have just offered such handsome cups for college crews only. There will be a great chance in these two regattas for all ambitious colleges to send crews and witch the world with feats of noble oarsmanship, but we are thankful the races are held so late in the year. Were it otherwise, a crew from the Michigan University, or the Hampton College of Virginia, might win one of these races and insist upon our rowing them before setting sail for England.