The Express.
London, England, 1862-11-11 00:00:00

THE REINDEER BET.

Admiral Roue this morning publishes letters
from Lord Portsmouth, Count Bathyany, and Sir W.
Codrington, relative to the above bet.
Lord Portsmouth rites :

" Eggesford Rouse. North Devon, Nov. 9, Pea
"My dear Admiral,—l forgot t mention in my state-
ment of what occurred at Mamboed that a paper was passed
round the table at dinner with this on it—' Colonel Bar.
naby bete 51. with Mr. Stewart on Reindeer v. Reindeer,
referrible to Johtuon.' This caused the discussion and the
beta ea to which was sight. The next morning Colonel Bar.
naby came to me, and asked me to sign a statement to the
effect that the bets he made were referrible to Johnicio.
I declined—' Colonel Burnaby, I had no bet with you w
with any one else on this subject, and I will not help you
to recover your beta,' or words to this effect. I cannot
reconcile Colonel Burnaby's statement in the Morning
relating to the original bet with the paper I saw Nandrd
cooed the table at Mamboed, and with Colonel Buruaby's
request to me the next morning. Asa friend of your: I
feel bound to tell you all I know of this.—Yours truly.
" POILTSMOUTH.

" I feel sure that Newman, Wentworth, Lamb, Mr. Gni-
wicks, &a. will corroborate this statement of whatthe papa
contained." . . . . .

Count Bathyany says that when the betting about tin
word Reiodeer took place at Mambead, nothing was said
about soy dictionary. " Secondly, that when, after fliDDer,
Captain Stewart strongly insisted on the case being decided
by Johnion's Dictionary, I declared that Mr. Ten Broect
had never admitted any such reference. Thirdly, I believe
that it was in consequence of my strong opposition to the ro
ferringor deciding to any dictionary that it war sereednpon
to refer the question to you and Justice Colbourn."
Sir W. Codrington says that at the dinner Captain
Stewart was the only one, he believes, who betted on tine
same side with Colonel Burnaby. After the bets were made
there was a discussion as to how they were to be settled.
Johnson, Webster, and Welker were named ; but Colond
Burnaby and the majority were strongly in fever
of Johnson. "AD old edition was produced, chick
gave it Reindeer, and when I and others objected to
such an old edition, Colonel Burnaby said, ' When
I speak of Johnson, I mean Johinco as published in bison
lifetime.' To this I said, ' I give way to you there, bat
Johnson must himself have published more than ore edi•
lion, and as the last edition is always considered the mod
correct, if Johnson is to decide, it must be the last editing
written during his own lifetime.' However, what we in.
tended to bet about was not how words were spelt in olden
times, but how a man of authority and of good educating
wouli spell in the present day. Nothing was settled about
the bets that night, and I left Hamhead the next morning,
end therefore was not present at the warm discussion that I
bear took place the next night. I was not at the Fun
October meeting, but when I went to the Houghton I heard
that Captain Stewart had consulted you ; and I then told
you of the bets I had made at Mambetul, an.l I understood
you to say these beta were considered to be dropped."