THE result of the club races on the 30th must be in every way satisfactory to those who are interested in the success of the club system. In both the four and six oared races the time of the winning boat was an improvement on the time made a year ago. Under the club system three races, each two miles in length, have been rowed by four-oared crews, and the time made in each race has been better than that of the preceding one. Thus the time of the winning four-oared crew in the fall of '74 was 16 min. 36 3/4 sec., in the spring of '75, 14 min. 59 1/2 sec., and this fall 15 min. 8 1/2 sec., - showing a difference of nearly a minute and a half between the time of the first and last race. Of the four clubs all but one has furnished a winning second crew; Holworthy taking the first race, Weld the second, and Holyoke the third.

The six-oared crews under the new regime have rowed two races of two miles and one of three miles. Comparing the time made in the first and last race we find a difference of only three seconds; the winning crew last fall making the distance in 13 min. 34 1/2 sec., and this fall in 13 min. 31 1/2 sec. But this slight improvement in time is not to be looked upon as insignificant, for in comparing these results there are considerations other than the mere marking of watches to be taken into account. Time in a race is purely relative, and depends almost as much upon the defeated as upon the victors. In the fall of '74 the Matthews and Holyoke crews had a sharp struggle over the whole course, and up to the last moment it was uncertain which crew would win; it is therefore natural to conclude that the time of the winning crew was as good as it could make. On the other hand, the crew which won this fall was not hard pressed, it had no incentive to do better than it did, though it is quite probable that it might have done better. Under these circumstances it is quite encouraging to compare the record of the two races.