The Advertiser, speaking with the tone of authority, thus explains the action of certain Harvard graduates in transmitting to Columbia their censures upon the Harvard crew :

"When the signatures to this circular letter had been obtained it was decided to delay its transmission to Columbia until it could be seen whether the boat club would not take some steps in the direction of censuring the crew for not staying on the ground till the race was rowed. But the proceedings of the boat club only confirmed the opinions of the signers, and the note has accordingly been sent. The position taken by the graduates is briefly this : (1.) The crew was sent to New London to row a race with Columbia, and it was the duty of the crew to stay till the race was rowed or forfeited to them. (2.) The race was unavoidably delayed by the death of the Columbia coxswain, but it was postponed by mutual consent to another day, subject to the same minor conditions which were to govern the first-named day. (3.) One of these conditions was that the race should be rowed upon a fair ebb tide, and this condition Harvard refused to act up to. (4.) But granting for the sake of argument that this condition was waived by Columbia, and that Columbia acted in an unjustifiable manner and sought unfair advantages, it was not for Harvard to take the law into her own hands and go out of training and leave New London before the day mutually agreed upon arrived. (5.) Whether the motives of Harvard were fear of defeat (which is not believed) or an utter indifference to the Columbia race, caused by the winning of the Yale race, in either case her leaving New London was a breach of duty to the college and a breach of courtesy to Columbia. This position is one outside the disputes between the two crews, and is based on a supposed breach of duty by Harvard, and not on the merits of any wrangling between captains and coaches. It assumes that the captain of the Harvard crew should have had but one ultimate object in view, and that the rowing of the race; and by not keeping his crew in control, and by yielding to the excitement of the moment, and so forgetting their object, the graduates claim that he laid himself open to their censure. How many men among undergraduates will finally adopt this view remains to be seen, but the graduates' note, it is believed, has settled outside opinion once for all."

We cannot see that this statement at all alters the status of the question. We still believe this address by the graduates unjust, and, to use a harsher expression, officious. The students of Harvard have placed full credence in the word of honor of their crew and coach. We hope and believe they will still continue this confidence in them. At least until new facts in the case are adduced, an event which does not not now seem probable, they are likely to do so. The HERALD feels that no good can come from any further discussion of this question. Every one in college or out of college who is likely to have an opinion in the matter has by this time formed it. We hope that the question may rest where it is.