Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

11 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

- >X- O 17V XT TALK.

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

> X- O 17V XT TALK. BT OTTB LOIfDOSf OOREKSPOITOSHT. QwrwdertvsiU urderstand that we do not Hxrtdcwrselxe* r&pontibte for oar aAfe correxpondmi s o/pwMnt, Tins talk of the clubs for the week past has been the row at Newmarket, in which that celebrated institution, the Jockey Club, cut as poor a figure as certain recent court-martials. Newmarket is to the racing world what the City of London is to the moneyed world. It is not a place of amusement -it is all business. Men go to run horses or to bet on racehorses. Ladies come rarely out of curiosity, or as the wives of racing men, and they are quite out of place, as the Heath is wild and bleak, and the language of the frequenters is generally coarser than the recent weather. The Jockey Club, some seventy years ago, was a social club, like White's and Brooke's, and occupied a suite of apartments, magnificently decorated by Italian artists, at Tattersall's. These rooms have long been the residence of the principal partner in that celebrated firm, and the club now has its head-quarters at Newmarket, where it rules supreme on the Heath, lays down racing laws, and decides all disputes which arise on racecourses under its jurisdiction. The Jockey Club can dismount a jockey, taboo a trainer, and ex- clude by edict any betting man from all the prin- cipal racecourses in the kingdom. It is, in fact, a sort of Venetian Council of Ten, nearly as secret, and quite as arbitrary; the judges being the stewards of the club, who are elected annually. The court held by these judges is supposed to be governed by the rules of a court of honour and the judges or stewards, having generally had to deal with men in the inferior position of jockeys and trainers, have had pretty much their own way but the other day, during what is commonly called the Csesarewitch week—the prize formerly given by the Crown Prince of Russia being rua in that week—the stewards of the Jockey Club met their match in Colonel Burnaby, of the Grenadier Guards, one of the Admirable Crichtons of the day. The ruling representative man of the Jockey Club is the Honourable Admiral Rous, a brother of Lord Stradbroke, an oracle on all racing matters, a heavy better, and a clever dogmatical man. Colonel Burnaby is one of the most distinguished officers of his rank, speaks all languages, has been employed on special service in Syria, fought in the Crimea, and is altogether a military man of mark, and at present his particular passion is racing and betting. He is in the prime of life. One of the professional turfites, a noisy fellow, raised a report that Colonel Burnaby, in a match of his mare Tarragona, had publicly made a sham bet-flash bet they call it at New- market-in her favour, and privately Employed a commissioner to bet against her. The end was an inquiry before the Jockey Club stewards, to which Colonel Burnaby and his friend were sum- moned. The first curious incident, and this has not been noticed by the sporting press, who re- ported the affair, was that Colonel Burnaby was accompanied by a gentleman in black. u Who is this ? said one of the stewards you cannot introduce a stranger here." This," said the colonel, is a short-hand writer. As I am about to be put on my trial, I mean to have the pro- ceedings correctly reported." This innovation was discussed, but the colonel was firm, and the: stewards had to yield to a claim so obviously just. Admiral Rous, as usual, took the chair. The next step of the colonel was to say, "I protest against any steward taking part in this inquiry who has expressed an opinion on it." As no one stirred, he continued, —— has said publicly, I I hate that fellow Burnaby, and 1 mean to put him down if I can. Blank Blank replied, passionately, I never said anything of the kind," Colonel Annesley," replied Colonel Burnaby, have you not heard Blank Blank use these words ? Yes, I have," answered the Honourable Colonel A. That was the sensation the second. Witnesses for what may be called the prosecution were then called, who thought, and suspected, and doubted, but proved nothing. Colonel Burnaby then denied on his honour that he had won on the match he asserted, on the contrary, that he had lost nearly £400, and told what bets he had. Admiral Rous called for the production of his betting-book, a most unheard of demand. It was immediately produced, when the admiral declared that here were traces of erasures and alterations. On this, at the colonel's request, the inquiry was adjourned to the next day. In the meantime he telegraphed for one of the Bank of England clerk experts, skilled in detecting falsifications. This gentleman, after examining the betting-book with powerful glasses, declared that there was not the slightest evidence of alteration or erasure. Colonel Burnaby then claimed that his self- elected judges should pronounce their opinion distinctly—say that they were satisfied, or, if not, what more they required. This part of the affair was adjourned. The general opinion is that Admiral Rous and his friend, the Duke of B-, have seriously damaged the character of the Jockey Club as a court of honour. L.' AmOIlgSt Hit; bigiltt U1 maj uc JLIutcu that at the last meeting of the Middlesex magis- trates a license was refused to the Cider Cellars, which, for something like a century, has been noted for songs of an objectionable description. Public taste will not stand what it did. It is not often that these notes refer to theolo- gical questions, but an extract from a work just published by the Bishop of Natal, has made so much sensation that I cannot pass it over. It appears that a native Zulu had been reading the record of the Deluge, and asked: "Is that all true? Do you really believe that all this happened thus -that all the beasts, and birds, and creeping things upon the earth, large and small, from hot countries and cold, came thus by pairs, and entered into the ark with Noah ? And did Noah gather food for them all, for the birds and beasts of prey, as well as the rest ? Upon this Bishop Colenso observes "I felt that I dared not, as a servant of s the God of truth, urge my brother man to believe i that which 1 do not myself believe, which I knew 1 to be untrue as a matter-of-fact historical narra- j tive." When we remember how a tumult was i created in Lord Melbourne's time by some very doubtful phrases of Dr. Hampden, since a bishop, < one is curious to learn what will happen to a ( bishop, who denies inspiration to the whole Book of Genesis ? One asks what next, and next ? One of the few practical reforms of last session has just come into work. The Land Transfer- office has just been opened, and the chief registrar, Mr. Spencer Follett, has now to bring it into working order. A proprietor who chooses to register his title in this office, when once it is accepted, has cut off all the trouble and expense of long investigations and long deeds. The first cost will, no doubt, be serious, but after that a man may sell or buy almost without a lawyer's assistance. The conveyance can be completed in about fifteen words beside the name of tke parties and the description of the place. To those who have had anything to do with buying, selling, or mortgaging land, especially those who buy small quantities, or want to borrow small sums, this act, when worked out, will be a great blessing but it will take time to drive the attorneys into this straight and narrow way. j What a curious place is London! Une hears oi distress, bad trade, cotton famine, and grumbling shop-keepers; and then go down to Brighton, and find the place crammed, hotels and boarding- houses full, and not a good furnished house to be had; the promenades crowded with highly- dressed folks, who do not seem to have a care in the world. Z. Z.

OUTLINES OF THE. WEEK. e

FEARFUL RAILWAY COLLISION.

VIOLENT STORM, SHIPWRECKS,…

MELANCHOLY INTERRUPTION OF…

ITALY

•,.,FRANCE.

HER MAJESTY'S VISIT TO BRUSSELS.

AMERICA.

TERRIBLE PIT ACCIDENT.

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