The Express.
London, England, 1863-12-11 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 11, 1863.

THE -LIFIGHT YESTERDAY.

With the exception of the Daily News and the
Morning Post, our daily contemporaries were all " repre-
sented" at the anus yealarday sass Tar.bridiewelle,
cad en affair which • year or two sic would have
Man notioed only ia the Morning Advertiser, is ionday
described with every detail that could be obtained, by the
lillerscial correspoodeate" of tour of the bream rooming
*treas.

The account is the Timer ecompiou two edemas and
throoqoarkm, printed is the knot type used in the
pow, and !lewd la the mast elnellienene pennies. There
is also si desuriptino Was/ article on the ambiect. The
"math/ of the maa a their entrain* to the rine tad
their appearanse with "stripped," are deserthad, mad the
smallest issidomis of the fight Welt detailed with withal
still. The Amerkma is Mkt that to the first round if he
had "throws himself down with ids antagouist's head wider
him, be could certainly bans *teased Hiss, most probably
have broken hi nook ; bat, se it was, he suffered his
sanative to escape " lad Boyers is rebuked for
the way in widish he perforated his duty ag
second; "tin champion pugilist is at sea in this mild Ales,
sod is about the want esomil that One anneed the
Am, lifting his mss by the hair, or tar, or noes, or
whomever ha first IMAM hold of his. Nor see Cafe
those ions at least) musk better, for • heavy rose, named
Nle . lip.his most initiations middling, vexes and thrum
his principal in every way:" During the Igil, this wrifor
gays, those around the ring " with all the dreadful twist of
the first murderer in their veins, call eat is hungry acimake
fee clew fighting sad more blood." When the light was
over, Hosea' " was palmists ai the wrists, and even over
the heart the palpitates was fluttering, faint, sad low.
Yet be bed net foisted. It wee the insensibility of *chaos-
tics, the sheer vast of vitality, though almost till he col-
lapsed so soddenly be was supposed to be the Winner. One
gain was trying to heave op his limineose inonthato form,
while another stripped the wet drawers, stained deep with
his own blood, from the limbs of the stunned athlete.
There was a dreadful significance in the way in which be
was hauled about limb by limb, m warmer clothes were
dragged over his uncooseioos form, like dressing a oorpao
Yet DO one seemed to mind much, for all were crowding
round the victor, who, with very little signs of punishment
about his face, came gaily up is the thin back to town.
RIMY was loft with his mooode on the field be had fought
to win. No one seemed to think much of him—he was a
beaten man, and among pugilists there is no mercy for the
defeated. Pei, or foul, there is as yet only one morality
with them--suansos."

The writer of the leading article tells us, in scientific
fashion, that "Herres game was throughout to close and
' put the hug on,' so as to crash his antagonist by dashing
him violently to the ground. King's tactics were different,
and, to our mind', more creditable to a professor of tonsil-
inn. They micaisted simply in striking a series of sledge-
hammer blows on the most prominent and sensitive ports
of Heenan 's physiognomy, until the latter collapsed from
ethanstion. The affair was over in 24 rounds and 35 minutes,
but within this interval of time deeds were done which
can only be dimly received through the grotesque meta-
phors of pugilistic phraseology. There appears to have
been little science on either side, but it was a fair stand-up
fight without • cheek between two formidable heavy
weights, each more than six feet high, and ended in a de-
cisive victory."
The Hernia° Herald lauds the pollee for the assistance
they endowed :—" A number of policemen of the If dlr.
Moe kept a lies to the great gate of the South-Eastern Rail-
way, through the wicket of which three who had the =easy
for the tickets were allowed to pass. Right well did these
men perform their duty, • duty which we were glad to see
the police undertake." This writer says at the lowest cal-
culation there must have bees 1,103 to 1,200 persona pre-
sent, and, as everybody had to pay 31., the receipts may be
put down at nearer 3,5001, than 3,0001. There was a long
delay in choosing • referee, and " the wrangle was several
times nearly comb( to fisticuffs and a ' free fight,' as
would have been said by the many Yeakees who drawled
out their offers to bask Herr. Bat at length, chiefly by
the interpoeitica of one of the numerous members of
parliament, wbo, with peers and Others of both army
and navy were present, a referee was agreed upon."
King, the Herald rys, when bailed as the winner of
2,0001., " was well able to return the greethigs of his
triads, and even to walk across the ring and take the hand
of hie late opponent, who was now a fearful object, his face
being absolutely rimming with blood, while also swollen to
an extent which can scarcely be imagined. He was also
punished internally, for be vomited so much that it was
feared he was about to die ; and it was only after a very
considerable interval that be was brought in an open fly to
the station at Widhurst, where it was thought better he
should remain for the day at least. King returned to town
in the @inert train which arrived at Bricklayers' Arms
station at 2 o'clock." The " organ of the conservative party,"
waxing profinsional, goes on to say that " the truth of the
matter is that Heenan cannot fight. He can wrestle, he can
hug, be can beardowo, but he cannot spar. His days sa show
are over in this country, though he may aspire to fill the
place in America of the far-famed ' Yankee Sullivan.' If
he should have the temerity to meet Mace the latter would
smother him is blood or pound him into mincemeat in •
quarter of an hour. U the pugilists will only be true to
themselves and to their patrons, and will but discounte-
nance the rough. and their' ramping,' the ring may yet
recover some of the ground it has lest with • portion of the
public. From first to last yesterd►y there was nothing to
complain of, except the way in which the ring was kept."
Another account expresses surprise at the diaappearance
of the police. "In what way the force had been manipu-
lated mar remain an open question ; but it is certain that,
whilst they Were la considerable number OW two or three
other lines, they were only ' conspicuous by their absence,'
at the little village which had been selected for the fight."
During the fight, one gentleman among the spectators, who
had witnessed the horrors of the whole Crimean campaign,
" covered his face sadly and wearily with his hand, declar-
ing that he would prefer to jump into the ring and take
that punishment himself, than sit quietly by and endure
to see it inflicted." According to this writer, " King
after the 16th round, was awakened from his stupor by •
bite of Me ear, which one of his seconds gave him ; and,
being thing once more on Heenan, the old force of his
blows revived."

The Morniwg Adverti ter publishes memoirs of the men,
and adheres to the slang of the ring—the writer clearly
revelling in his work. In a neighbouring column the same
journal has an edifying " leader " upon the "covert infi-
delity " in the church, Bishop Colenso'a heresies, and the
Rev. F. D. Maurice's painful unsoundness respecting the
doctrine of Use Atonement.

The Sportily; Lift lays that the sudden manner in which
Heenan fell weak mutt arise from constitutional infirmity,
as "seldom or ever kaa a man been gifted with more mus.
cyder power, which was proved by the easy and effective
manlier in which he disposed of Torn King when an oppor-
tunity was afforded him to bring his great wrestling
powers into force. There was too much bugging
to conform to our ideas respecting the manner
of conducting a fair stand-up fight, but as the
rulers of the ring do not disallow a discretional use of the
system it will be some time before it is barred. John
Heenan, as heretofore, displayed the greatest gameness and
resolution. When so weak that he could scarcely stand, he
went up to take punishment with the heart of
a lion, and we can only remark th►t although
Heenan has been defeated, he is not disgraced.
The fight, as regards the arrangements, was a perfect
success, and the great muster of the upper ten thousand'
plainly shows that when things are properly conducted the
ring loses now of its popularity. This fight may with safety
be coosidered emir in the right direction, conduit* to the
revival of the :big, and another orderly meeting similar to
that of Thom* will do almost all that is requisite for the
Panama"

Bears Life supplies Its readers with the &newts( :

Round 1. Hannan stood forward and made play with his
left, both trying to measure their distance ; some open
sparring awned, an exchange or two, when HllOOllO as in
amid akeed, iT a ohm Yin{ by the neck with hi left arm,
and put on-the W-faabioned hug, continuing to hold his
man in such a way that the referee entered the ring and
strictly cautioned him not to repeat that operation in a
similar manner.

i.Kingrnsits the fighting as soon as he COMO to the
scratch. Thera was DOM* attempt at countering by both,
of the most homely description, eery wild, sod very