The Express.
London, England, 1868-05-28 00:00:00

SCENE BETWEEN CLAPHAM-COMMON AND THE ELEPHANT

AND CASTLE.

The moat extraordinary scene probably ever
witnessed on a Derby night took place last evening on
that portion of the road lying between Clapham-common
and the Elephant and Castle. Owing to the extraordinarily
large number of vehicles of every description that went
down to Epsom in the morning it was anticipated that
considerable confusion would occur after dusk in the
evening on that part of the road near to London ; and to
provide for the contingency a strong body of the L, P,
and V divisions of police, both horse and foot, were placed
along the road between the above-named points. From
7 to 8 o'clock a continuous double line of vehicles came
streaming into town, and were kept in tolerably good
order by the police, moving on slowly, but steadily. About
8 o'clock, however, when the traffic began to grow very
thick, the leading horses in a 4-horse van, when near the
Horns at Kennington, fell down, completely blocking up
and stopping the traffic for about ten minutes before they
could be got upon their legs. Thia ten minutes did all
the mischief. The drivers of some of the carriages behind,
impatient to get on, broke the line which had been
hitherto well kept. Thu example was speedily followed
by others, and in a few minute', for at least two miles
along the road, all was confusion and uproar. In every
direction might be heard the crashing in of tail-boards and
panels, wheels got locked together, and for nearly an hour
vans, omnibuses, berouches, broughams, cabs, waggon
-
netts', carts of all descriptions, costermongers' donkey-
barrows, he , were mixed up together in one apparently
inextricable mass. Good-humour, however, generally
prevailed in all quarters. Many of the occupants of the
vehicles, especially those outside the vans and omnibuses,
seemed to enjoy the scene, and beguiled the time
by singing some of the popular airs of the
day, and unmercifully chaffing those who showed
any disposition to grumble at the state of affairs.
To add to the excitement and confusion of the scene, the
crowds of spectators assembled along the road to witness
the return home, always very large, was on this occasion,
owing probably to the fineness of the evening, nearly
double the usual number, and it was extraordinary that no
serious accident happened. Lhiring the time the block
took place bands of roughs and idle boys amused them-
selves by pelting the more respectable occupants of the
vehicles with small paper bags of flour, evidently made
up and sold for the purpose. This gave rise to several
fights, during the continuance of which the light-fingered
gentry ware plying a good trade. By dint of great exer-
tion on the part of the police, after nearly en hour's delay,
they got the vehicles again in motion, sod they slowly
pursued their way towards the "Elephant." As late as
11 o'clock one unbroken line of vehicles was still pouring
into town, and it was evident it would be long after mid-
night before the traffic would cease.

THE METROPOLITAN HORSE SHOW.—Yesterday
the ents for this show, to be opined on Saturday
at the tural Hall, were dually completed. A
number of improvements on pnwious shows have been
effected, and the carriage and implement department will
poetess come peculiar and novel features. The entry of
the Prince of 'Wales as a competitor renders it probable
that he will pay the show • visit. The whole of the bermes
intended for exhibition will have to be in their stalls
before nine o'clock to-morrow evening. The judges will
0021814111C0 their labours punctually at 10 o'clock on Satur-
day morning with the bunters, and next with the thorough
bred staUions, in which latter clam the Prince of Wales's
Arabs will appear. The judges will have the power to
order any of the hunters in Hamm 1 to 3 to be jumped
over gate* staffed with gorse, before awarding the prises.
The entries in these dames exceed 100. In oensequenoe of
the great number of entries it la not expected that the
fjudging can be concluded on Saturday. and it 'AU there-
ore be continued on Monday, on which day the show
opens to the general public.
A SECRETARY CHARGED WITH EMBEZZLEMENT.—
Mr. Henry Hollinpwortb, late secretary of the Bentham&
Pier Company, has been arrested at the instance of the
directors of that company, charged with embezzling more
than 300 f., the property of the company. The aanimed
absconded about two months since, but was captured on a
warrant in Loudon. He will be examined before the
magistrates at the Portsmouth police-court on Monday.
The accused occupied a good position in the town, having
been for some years a member of the corporation and
director of public companies in the district

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THE isms CHURCH QUESTION.