The Sun.
London, England, 1837-06-05 00:00:00

LONDON,. MONDAY EVENING, JUNE 5, 1837.

SPORTING OTTE' LIAGE—NCt.
iIIPP ODROME RACES.—SArunDAr.
( From the Sunday Times.)
" Quadrupitante putrem sonitu quatit ung-ula
" Mount ye, spur ye, skir thb plain."—BvaoN.
The long-announced and ardently-expected opening of the
Hippodrome occurred Saturday. The introduction of such
a thing in, or at least near, the metropolis, is in itself an event,
and a few years will prove it to be so, in the history of horse-
racing. A Hippodrome existed in Stamboul ; and shall " a
malignant and a turbaned Turk" dare to excel us in the eques-
trian arts? Forbid it Pegasus and Ducrow 1 Despite of opposi-
tion of all sorts—despite of the claimants of right of way, and
every other sort of obstruction—the Hippodrome has opened.
Its huge circumference being duly encircled by very high
wooden palings, at least seven feet in altitude; and guarded in-
ternally by iron hoopings ; but all this availed not against the
gigantic efforts of the Kensington right-of-wayers. Down
went bolt and barrier; prostrated were hoops and boarding;
the claimants fairly made their way over the course. The
proprietor, finding it impolitic to oppose such a demonstration
of public feeling, consented to the " way" remaining open, and
some thousands thus obtained gratuitous admission. The foot
and carriage entrances were in the meantime thronged, and
the Notting-hill, as well as the other door, was besieged by
visitors from one o'clock until a late hour in the afternoon.
There certainly was a call upon the inhabitants of the me-
tropolis to show what they were made of, to which they unani-
mously responded. Every vehicle that coach, cab, or cart
builder ever constructed or imagined, was en route soon after
midday. Oxford-road looked like Sutton on the Derby day.
Every order of man, woman, and child, vehicle, and quadruped
showed. We must, on such an occasion, be allowed to break
away from the common course of description, and dazhato the',
invocation we can imagine the projectors having vaiMted.
Success to the public-spirited individual who first proposed
bringing Epsom nearer town, transferring Doncaster to Bays-
water, and carrying the heretofore afar-off scenes home to our
very hearths. Come, ye dwellers of the west, come from the
squares of Belgrave and Berkeley ; come from Mayfair and
Marylebone, from Pall-mall and Piccadilly ; come ye also, of
a far different grade—come from Petticoat-lane and the purlieus
of Houndsditch ; come, ye thousands, from the hundreds of
Drury ; come from the counting-house in Cornhill ; from the
Filacres, in Fig.tree-court ; come all, of every sort, either
" on the ten-toed machine that the hay-makers use in Ire-
land," or across anything that by the utmost stretch of inven-
tion may possibly pass for an equestrian quadruped.
By half-past two o'clock some 12,000 or 14,000 persons
must have been upon the ground, and the sound of the bell
was followed by a rush to places. We shall not descant upon
the want of arrangement opposite to the Chair, because here-
after it will no doubt be remedied. The first race was
A Plate of 100 Guineas, given by the proprietor of the Hippo-
drome. Entrance, two cove. ; to go to the second horse. Three
yrs., 7st. 41bs. ; four yrs, Bst. 61bs ; five yrs, Bst. 131bs ; six and
aged, 9st. 4lbs. Mares and geldings allowed 31bs. A winner once
in 1837 (matches and handicaps excepted) to carry 31bs. ; twice,
51bs. ; three times, 71bs. extra. Horses having started twice in
1837, and not vson,allowed 31bs ; three times, or more,slbs. Two
miles. Winner to be sold for 200 sovs.
Mr. Wickham's Pincher, 6 yrs.
Mr. Shelley's Reuben, 4 yrs.
Capt. Gardnor's Ethilda, 5 yrs
And entered but not started—Mr. Bacon's Tiara, aged; Mr.
Brown's b. c. by Albany, dam by Smolensko, out of Zoralda.
Reuben made the running; Ethilda looking after him,
Pincher only intent on saving his distance—there was nothing
like pace about either. At the turn towards the chair, up the
rising ground, Ethilda got the lead and kept it, coming in
easily first, Reuben second, and Pincher third.
Second Heat.—Pincher led, followed closely by Ethilda,
Reuben outside awaiting his chance; thus the running con-
tinued until they had got round and within view of the win-
ning post, they were now altogether well round the corner,
when Pincher went in front and won cleverly. Ethilda second.
Third Heat.—Ethilda had had enough and was " off."
Reuben and Pincher started, and a wretched run was the re-
sult; Pincher having the lead throughout, and crawling in
some lengths in advance. It would be profanation of the
term " pace" to apply it to either heat.
A Plate, of 100 sore., for which Mr. Sowerby's Rioter, Mr.
Wickham's Pincher, and Mr. Balchin's b. c. by Nigel were
entered, was declared off.
The course was now changed for
A Plate of 50 sous., added to a sweepstakes of 100 soya. each, to
be run over the steeple chase course ; two miles ; 12st each ; •
the winner of one steeple-chase race in 1837, of 50 soya. or up-
wards, to carry 71b., of two 101bs. extra. Horses having started
for a steeple chase in 1837, of 50 sovs. or upwards twice, with-
out winning, to be allowed 71b. ; three times, 101 b. Two mile
heats.
Captain_ Lamb's bm. Lady Teazle

111 i. Jackson's g.m. Cinderella
Mr. Elmore's b.g. Lottery
Mr. Balchin's Cockswain Dyson 4
Mr. Seffert's b.g. Sky Rocket
The course taken for this was the extreme of the circle of
the Hipprodorie, and involved eight leaps, some of them of no
common character; the distance and starting posts were
shifted, and the grounds over which the steeple chasers had
to run was anything but a billiard table.
First Heat.—They went off together beautifully, after a
stride or two Becher, contrary to his usual habit, went in
front, and led right away to the first jump; a sort of shedrail,
with a hedge above, and a drop upon the other side, upon
some new manure ; over this Cinderella led gallantly, fol-
lowed by Lottery and Lady Teazle ; Coxswain charged it but
fell heavily, throwing poor Powell, who received a contusion
on the shoulder, and was thrown out of the race. Over the
next jump Cinderella continued to lead, but at the third, a
band with rail and posts at head and hedge outside, in some
places seven feet high, she refused ; Lottery and Lady Teazle
charged it gallantly, and Beecher turned the mare and went
at it again; again checked, but made a standing scramble of is
over; the order was now Lottery in front, the Lady next, and
poor Cinderella lag last, but in the fourth leap staggered the
foremost of the van; it was a dry ditch of about three feet in
front of a rising bank, and on that bank a rail and hedge, six
feet in height ; this was followed by a pass of about six yards,
and then a rail (dead wood), with a dry ditch on the off side.
Lottery and My Lady looked so long at this, that Becher
pulled up, and came into decent running with them, but there
was not sufficibnt time for Cinderella to alter her position ; she
therefore continued to drive the others before her up to the
fifth jump, a brook of about six feet in width, with a fence on
a hillock on the other side, a rise of full five feet ; the brook,
with a very " shakey" bank, and between three and four feet
of water. Lottery had now secured and kept the lead, and
came in two lengths in advance; Lady Teazle second, and
Cinderella last.
Second Heat.—Lottery led throughout, took every leap
without a scrape, and making at the last a tremendous effort ;
Lady Teazle. running and leaping well, and Cinderella improv-
ing upon her efforts in the first heat. The position of the
horses never changed, and Lottery was the winner by at least
three lengths, Cinderella running a much better third than the
Lady did a second.
This ended the advertised sports, for a Handicap Sweep-
stakes announced in the cards was off: but a large concourse
of spectators seemed by no means inclined to quit the grounds
so speedily ; racing, jumping, &c., proceeded in all direc-
tions. Every difficulty of the steeple chase was tried and re-
tried by aspirants to the equestrian honours. Smith, who had
achieved a glorious name among the steeple chasers of Ire-
land, was there with his " ould Irish horse," and he took the
second jumps a most dangerous one, the reverse way, thereby
increasing the difficulty tenfold. He also took the first jump
(where Powell fell), backwards and forwards, and afterwards
for a trifling wager, rode a mare (who had refused it twenty
times when bestridden by her master) beautifully over it.
On a ground, the circumference of which exceeds two
miles, it is difficult to calculate numbers, but we should say
that from fifteen to twenty thousand persons were present.
We never remember upon any race course so many eques-
trians. Carriages full of all our beauty and fashion crowded
the rails. The number of distinguished persons was too great
for us to attempt to give a list, but we noticed the following :
DUKES—Grafton, Beaufort, Brunswick.
Loans—Jersey, Anglesey, Uxbridge, Southampton, Mac-
donald, Poltimore, Kinnaird, Harewood, Clarendon, For-
rester, Wilton, Neville, A. and J. Paget, Waterford, Lyne-
doch, &c.
Sir J. Kempt, Colonel Peel, Mr. Greville, Mr. Stanley,
Mr. Standish, the Hon. T. Finnes.
Lord Chesterfield and Count D'Orsay officiated as stewards
—and certainly, so far as patronage goes, the projector of the
Hippodrome has every reason to feel most abundantly satisfied;
but it is one thing to attract, and another to preserve, public
attention. Mr. White has much to do ; and as he has been
profuse in his expenditure upon the property in one way, be
must be equally so in another ; he must have higher stakes,
and then, and not till then, will he obtain better horses. The
running of Saturday was not even second-rate in character;
that for the plate of 100 guineas was contemptible, and the
Steeple Chase only became interesting from the leaps. Out
of four affairs advertised, only two came off ; this will not do,
and must not be repeated. The delay between the first race
and the Steeple Chase (a full hour) robbed the grounds of
many visitors, and exhausted others. There was a lack of re-
freshments, and those furnished were of an inferior order. We
name these things with no intention of injuring, but with the
sincere view of benefitting the proprietor. We were sorry to
notice that another edition of a beastly song, alluded to in our
notice of Reigate Race, was sung within hearing of some of
the first families in the kingdom. Surely some amid the many
policemen present must have felt that those obscene balladmon-
gers should have been removed.
Amid other things calling for amendment is the course it-
self, which is a shelving one, so that in a race the horse's off
feet arc higher than his near ones. This must ho remedied,
either by levelling on one, or turfiing on the other side.
(From the Observer.)
There was another meeting of the vestry at Kensington
yesterday morning, for the purpose of agreeing to certain re-
solutions, having for their object the conviction of the meeting
that unless the magistrates were to swear in a considerable
number of the inhabitants a riot and breach of the peace was
to bs apprehended at the Hippodrome, as crowds of persons
had aSsernblad, by Whorn there was a general expression of de-
termination to break down the fence, with a view to enable

thetii id tithe poisegsitiri of the eneient footpath over which the
public considered they had a " right of way."
The venerable Archdeacon POTT presided.
Several of the parishioners, amongst whom were Messrs.
Stark, Hawkes, Hanson, and Herepath, addressed the vestry
at some length, offering it as their opinion, that unless special
constables were sworn in, the most lamentable results might
arise from the anticipated proceedings of the day.
Mr. Haiisost upon this moved a resolution to the effect,
that, " after certain of the inhabitants had been sworn in as
special constables, they should proceed en masse to open the
footpath and keep it open."
The Chairman then, addressing Mr. White, said that, as
the parishioners had an undoubted right to the path, and as
he bad understood Mr. White would have also to contend
with a similar party from the parish of Paddington, or, the
other side of the course, he felt Mr. White ought to open the
path and admit the public, until the question was decided.--
(Loud applause.)
Mr. White could not give the parishioners and the public
admission as a matter of right, but should feel happy to do so
as an act of courtesy. He should feel, happy to admit them
all at the gates, and would sign any document,.certifying that
his so doing should not prejudice any claim they might have
to the path.
The vestry-room being incapable of containing the number
of persons now in attendance, the meeting adjourned to the
National School-room, in the High-street.
Mr. Stark then read to the vestry the following letter, which
his colleague, Mr. Griffiths, had that morning received
" 2, Terrace, Kensington, June 2, 1837.
" Gentlemen—You put to me the question whether it is
your duties, as surveyors of the Highways of the parish of
Kensington, to cut through the obstruction raised by Mr.
Witjap acroso the footpath leading from Nottipg-bill, on the
Uxbridge road, to Kensal-green, on the Harrow-road, to-
morrow. As surveyors your peculiar duty is pointed out by
the Late Act. On an obstruction like the present you are to
lay your information before the Magistrates and proceed to
conviction. Mr. Tidd Pratt has, in his opinion, told you what
may be done afterwards. You are asked, as surveyors, to
break through the obstruction. I think, as surveyors you
you have no such peculiar powers. Supposing the evidence
produced by us last Saturday to remain uncontradicted, you,
or any stranger to the parish, and merely as a subject to the
King, are entitled to break through the obstruction. For my
own part, whatever I may think of Mr. White's conduct, I
do not advise such a step to be taken to-marrow. There is a
possibility, at such a time, of great mischief following such a
proceeding, and the mischief, however right I might feel my-
self, I could not face. I could not think myself justified be-
cause I had what may be considered (and what in this case I
do consider) right on my side, in running the chance of being
the cause of so much wrong.
" I strongly recommend you, however, before there shall
be any number of persons collected to-morrow, again to de-
mand entrance, and, in the presence of witnesses, to receive a
refusal of admission. If there be a wish that there should be
an actual breaking through, let such be on any other day than
to-morrow. Negligence cannot be imputed to you, my fellow
parishioners, in the course
..9f any after-proceedings, because
you and they considerately avoid the case of riot, where multi-
tudes are assembled together.
" I am, Gentlemen, yours very obediently,
" CHARLES JENNINGS.
" To the Surveyors of the Highways
of the Parish of Kensington."
Considerable discussion here ensued, in the course of which

Mr. Hanson said the vestry had no right to give up the path,
and if he went dow❑ alone, he would have it opened. He
should withdraw his former motion, and move that this meeting
now proceed to the Magistrates'office, and report the necessity
of swearing in special constables.
The venerable CHAIRMAN said it appeared it would be use-
less to spend longer time in tliscussing the matter. What they
had proposed had been rejected, and he could only say ho was
sorry for it.

Thanks having been voted to the Chairman, the vestry then
proceeded to the Magistrates' office, where Messrs. Codd and
Pilkington were awaiting their attendance.
After Mr. Stark had repeated the statement he made to the
vestry, and Messrs. Hanson and Hawkes had represented to
the Bench their apprehension that the peace of the neighbour-
hood would be disturbed,
Mr. Codd recommended them to follow the advice of Mr.
Jennings. Each inhabitant of the parish had the power of
laying an information against Mr. White, which would be
heard by the Bench. He trusted that those who had the
greatest influence over their fellow-parishioners would, pre-
vious to leaving the room, pledge their word they would not
go near the race-course that day.
Messrs. Hanson and Hawkes immediately gave the required
pledge, which was instantly followed by others of the inhabi-
tants, and after thanking the Bench they left the office.
In the meanwhile, however, two young men, named Brown
and Turner, had (as it is alleged) with the consent of Mr.
White removed the fence on that part abutting on the foot-
path, and on our reporter entering the grounds of the Hippo-
drome he found they were rapidly being covered with thou-
sands of elegantly dressed persons, who came on horseback
and in equipages of all descriptions.
They took up their position on a hill in the centre of the
area, commanding a beautiful view of both courses. To three
we may add, the assemblage of horsemen could not be leso
than three or four thousand ; and we do not exaggerate when
we state that when this multitude was viewed from any point it
fully equalled in gaiety and respectability, if not in numbers,
anything we have witnessed at any of our most fashionable
races. There were not less than thirty thousand present, and
allowing that only one-half of those paid at the rate of Is. for
pedestrians, 2s. for horsemen, 3s. for gigs, and ss. for car-
riages, we are persuaded that Mr. White must have felt fully
sensible of the value of his undertaking, and the manner in
which the inhabitants of the metropolis ate likely to appreciate
his exertions. The character of the establishment, both for
public and private purposes, was described on a former occa-
sion. It embraces two courses, beautifully turfed—the one
for races, and the other for steeple chases, with appropriate
leaps, so enclosed by rails as to render the distinction obvious,
and embracing the most ample accommodation for pedes-
trians, charioteers, and horsemen, the latter of whom have,
in the course of a circle of two miles in circumference, ample
scope for a healthful gallop, while the charioteers may extend
their drives over the same area. From the hill one of the
most 'magnificent panoramic views in nature is commando ;
and those who witness it for the first time can only feel sur-
prise that such scenery could be met with within the short
space of a mile and a half of London, and this, too, with scar-
cely a spire of London itself visible. On the top of the bill
marquees, tastefully decorated, were pitched, and here, under
the provident care of celebrated purveyors, refreshments of all
sorts, including ices, jellies, and champagne, could be obtained
at moderate prices, and we believe were consumed to no trill
ing extent. In other respects there was the same diversity
of amusements observable as on other more public race courses,
a circumstance attributable to the free ingress of persons whose
room would have been more desirable than their company.