A SUMMARY of the contests of the regatta week at Saratoga will be found in another column, and we do not propose to load our columns with a lengthy recapitulation of the questions which the result has left in dispute.

The superiority at base-ball must be conceded to Yale. This is the first break in a long and brilliant series of victories for Harvard, and it will take Yale many years of continuous success to wipe out the score against her. Our Nine deserve great credit for the steady pluck with which they played. The liberal arrangements made with the clubs were strictly carried out by Mr. Mitchell. In fact, Saratoga has in every way vindicated its character for straightforward dealing. The promises of the S. R. A. in regard to pool-selling, accommodations, etc., were observed with the most punctilious exactness. The greatest order and decorum prevailed, and the much-dreaded John Morrissey was rather a blessing than otherwise, by concentrating whatever wickedness there was in town behind the green curtains of his club-house. Never before has Saratoga been filled with so large or so respectable an assemblage as that which thronged to witness the Regatta of 1874, and it is safe to assert that no other place suitable for a regatta can be found to accommodate such a multitude.

Perhaps the greatest inconvenience to the visitor was the trouble of conveyance to and from the lake; but even this was not serious after the first day, when teams of all descriptions, from the stately landau to the sluggish lumber-cart, were impressed into the service, drawn by the report of rich plunder, from the country within a radius of fifty miles. The price for transportation to the lake immediately dropped from five dollars to fifty cents. We learn on good authority that, should Saratoga be fixed upon for the next regatta, a long-contemplated plan for quick and cheap carriage to the lake will be carried into effect. This would remove every objection to Saratoga but one, that of the delay caused by rough water; and this, it is held by men familiar with the lake, could be obviated by setting the race in the morning, - to be rowed at a certain hour, or the first favorable time thereafter. In this way it is claimed the chances of a postponement would be very small.

The races set for Wednesday, July 15, came off promptly. The Freshman race was remarkable for the brilliant spurt of the Princeton men at the finish, which gave them the race over Yale. On the whole, we are inclined to support the action of our Freshmen in not entering for the race. The interest taken in, and the good resulting from it is not sufficient to justify the expense and trouble, which had much better be concentrated on the University crew. Our entry in the single-scull race, Mr. Devens, pulled a very good race, taking into account the time he devoted to training, which was, we believe, hardly three days. We remember feeling rather badly at the time that the reputation of the College for sculling should be staked on a race for which so little preparation had been made.

The great event of the week, the University race, after a double postponement, came off on the morning of Saturday, July 18. The result is satisfactory to none but the gallant sons of Columbia, and, even in their case, we are confident that the gentlemanly spirit of rivalry which is characteristic of them would have prompted them to prefer a fair trial of superiority with their two most formidable rivals to the walk-away race they had of it after the Yale-Harvard foul.

It is evident that some radical change in the manner of conducting a University race is necessary to insure a fair, interesting, and satisfactory race; but on this subject we reserve suggestions till a more favorable time, when we shall have some to make.

In regard to the foul, with a very few remarks we can afford to let the subject rest; inasmuch as everybody capable of judging of the courses and position of the two boats at the time of the foul has decided in favor of Harvard, with the exception of the Yale crew themselves.

We fully indorse the position taken by the Captain of our crew in refusing the challenge of Yale, and the ground which he took for that refusal. Claims of intentional foul we do not propose to make, nor shall we revert to any disputed questions of fact to sustain the position taken by Harvard. The two following facts are clearly established, and are amply sufficient to justify the ground taken by Captain Goodwin in his reply to the Yale challenge.

First, that Mr. Cook, immediately after the disaster to his boat, called to Columbia, who was leading at the time, to go in and beat Harvard, making use of language which no man of gentlemanly instincts would use, even under excitement.

Second, that at Moon's dock, before a crowd of spectators composed of gentlemen and ladies, he, with others of the Yale crew, used the same insulting language in regard to Captain Goodwin, and, appealing to the usual rowdy argument, wanted to fight him on the spot. The cool and gentlemanly behavior of our crew at this time alone prevented a general and disgraceful fight.

The form of the referee's decision is indefensible, involving a strained interpretation of Rule XIV., which would make it impossible ever to allow a claim of foul. Practically, however, this is of no account, as the position given to Yale, and the referee's testimony as to the courses of the boats at the moment of the foul, are a clear indication of his opinion as to which boat should bear the blame of the foul. No one can regret more than Harvard that he refused to order the race rowed over, which it was his plain duty to do, in accordance with Rule XII. It is worthy of mention, and is not, we think, generally known, that the Harvard crew preferred a petition to this effect with the judges, at the same time with their claim of foul, and before leaving their boat.

With pleasure we drop this whole unprofitable question, having said only what we considered necessary in support of the position taken by Harvard. The unpleasant things we have considered it our duty to say are not directed against Yale, but against the unadvised conduct of its representative, in rebuking whom we are confident a large party of Yale men would join us, although the Courant sees fit to excuse him by the use of most dangerous casuistry.

The result of the foot-races for the Bennett prizes would be most humiliating to Harvard had she ever given any encouragement to this branch of athletic sports. As it is, the result shows that she cannot expect to walk away with beautiful silver prizes by sending a few practically untrained men at the last moment, without even knowing whether they are the best men to represent her or not. We hope this most interesting department of athletics may be given more prominence another year, with the addition of leaping and throwing contests; and that Harvard. if she does anything, will at least do the best in her power.

In conclusion, we would recommend an early convention of the Colleges to make arrangements of avoiding the mistakes of the last.