The Sun.
London, England, 1862-07-05 00:00:00

INTERNATIONAL CHESS CONGRESS.

Yesterday, the fifth day of these public perform-
ances at St. James's-hall was one of the most inte-
yes-di...lg of the series. Great curiosity and sympathy
''sere excited among our own countrymen towards
Mr. Blackburne, who had undertaken a similar task
to that which Herr Paulsen performed on Wednes-
day so successfully, namely, playing blindfolded
against ten different players simultaneously. Mr.
Blackburne is quite a young man, who, until a
comparatively recent date, was altogether un-
acquainted with chess. He has obtained already
a considerable reputation, especially at Manchester,
where he last year played a similar blindfold match
most successfully, and he is likely to prove himself
competent, ere long, to raise the character of Bri-
tish chess-players among our continental neigh-
bours. He is not yet fully able to hold his own
against their veteran professionals, as is proved by
his play in the grand tournament now daily pro-
ceeding, and in which he has not only lost to
Anderssen, who has conquered in almost every in-
stance, but he has also been beaten by Mr. Deacon,
Mr. Hannah, Rev. Mr. M`Donnel, and Mr. Robey.
But as if in Come slight way to compensate him for
this ill-success fickle Dame Fortune smiled upon
his efforts in his game with the Rev. J, Owen (the
only gentleman who in this contest has as yet
triumphed over Auderssen), whom he vanquished
rather easily, as also Herr Steinitz, one of the most
accomplished players of the time. Mr. Blackburne's
blindfold match yesterday was against the ten fol-
lowing gentlemen :

1. Lord Ravensworth.
2. H. T. Young, Esq.
3. W. J. Evelyn, Esq.
4. A. S. Pigott, I.Bsq.
5. H. B. Parminter, Esq.
6. Walter Chinnery, Esq.
7. J. F. Gillam, Esq.
8. Rimington Wilson, Esq.
9. A. G. Howard, Esq.
10. A. G. Puller, Esq.
The match commenced at a quarter-past one, and
was carried on with untiring energy, under the
observation of a large number of persons who were
assembled to note its progress. About seven o'clock.
Mr. Pigott, against whom Mr. Blackburne lad
played the king's gambit, resigned, after a clever
struggle. Half an hour afterwards Mr. Young, who
had adopted Phillidor's defence, was allowed to draw,
as was also subsequently Lord Ravensworth, against
whom Mr. Blackburne had tried the Sicilian open-
ing. About half-past nine Mr. Evelyn resigned,
and the match was continued for some time after
without decisive results. Eventually Mr. R. Wilson's
game was withdrawn. Mr. Parminter and Mr. Gil-
lam won. Mr. A. G. Howard and Mr. Puller resigned.
These are results which, coupled with tbe man-
ner in which they were brought about, will do much
to establish Mr. Blackburne's reputation as the most
promising of young English chess players.
It should be mentioned that Mr. Blackburne is
infinitely more expeditions in his blindfold play
than Herr Paulsen, and that he exhibited much
acuteness in some of his calculations. For instiince,
in one game the moves had not been made upon the
board as they should have been, but the mistake was
not discovered until a move was notified to Mr.
Blackburne which did not correspond with his cal-
culations, and he immediately said it was impossible,
for that the piece named was not upon the square
mentioned. Upon reference to the written score he
was shown to be right, and the error was corrected.

The Grand Tournament was advanced by three
games, each of more than ordinary interest. Mr.
Barnes lost to Mr. Paulsen, Signor Dubois lost to
Herr Anderssen, and the Rev. Mr. Owen played an
extremely fine game with Mr. M'Donnel. Of
these games that between Anderssen and Dubois
was, however, the most brilliant, indeed it may be
considered one of the gems of the Congress. Herr
Anderssen had the move, and played the bishop's
gambit, which Signor Dubois defended irregularly.
Anderssen played with great spirit, and a boldness
that apparently almost amounted to temerity,
but by a splendid dash he succeeded about the
15th move in capturing a bishop. The game through-
out was of the character best described by the word
" slashing," and was watched with great interest by
a crowd of distinguished amateurs. It lasted little
more than an hour, Signor Dubois, finding his po-
sition quite hopeless, resigning at the 25th move.

The match between Mr. Barnes and Mr. Paulsen
was a good specimen of a steady game. Mr. Barnes
had the move, opening with king's bishop's pawn
two—an irregular and defensive opening, but con-
sistent with the favourite theory of this skilful ama-
teur, that the defence of chess is stronger than the
attack. The attack lasted upwards of four hours,
but Paulsen having gained a pawn ultimately com-
pelled his antagonist to succumb.

The game between the Rev, Mr. Owen and the
Rev. Mr. M'Donnel was one that will long be re-
membered in chess circles. Both gentlemen brought
to the contest reputation and skill of the highest
order, both were Englishmen, and both were in
such a position at the tournament that a defeat
would seriously affect their chances of a prize: The
game commenced at 2 o'clock. Mr. Owen had the
move, and opened with his favourite Sicilian open-
ing, playing pawn to Q.B. 4. Mr. M'Donnell also
adopted a close game, playing pawn to K.B. 4.
Each player knowing the other's strength, aid re-
membering how much depended on the contest, ad-
vanced to the battle with great wariness and pru-
dence. Indeed for some time the game was cautious
almost to heaviness, the advantage being slightly on
the side of Mr. Owen, 14I'Donnel's left flank being
rather weakened and exposed, whilst Mr. Owen's
base of operations was preserved intact. At length
M'Donnel began to feel his strength, and made a
bold charge with his advanced guard of pawns,well
covered by his queen in reserve and by a distant but
skirmishing bishop. The charge was successful in
materially strengthening M'Donnel's position, and
enabled him to perform a beautiful manoeuvre, by
which, through the sacrifice of a knight, he gained
an advantageous exchange. From this moment he
held the victory in his hands,but it was not until the
54th move that Mr. Owen, who never resigns whilst
there is even a shadow of a hope, was so far over-
powered that he could no longer maintain the fight.
The battle occupied seven hours, the time being
chiefly taken up by Mr. Owen, who consumed
nearly an hour to one move. The announcement
of M'Donnel's victory was received with some ap-
plause.
In the handicap tournament Herr And
erssen lost
a game to Mr. Lamb, giving that gentleman a
knight. telegraph
To-day (Saturday) the great match by g
Ibetween Paris and London will take place in St.
Sa

irnes's Hall

MET.ROPOLITAN _BOARD OF WORKS.

The ordinary weeklY
meeting of the Metropolitan
Board of Works was held yesterday at their offices,
dens, Mr. Freeman in the
Spring-gar chair. The
cash statement showedthe balances in the hands of
the treason were, on current accounts, £116,711
9s. Bd.; deposit accounts, £10,470, and on Go-
vernment securities, -il
—69,892 ss. 11d. Various
tenders for the engine-house and works for the
southern outfall sewer were considered. The engi-
neer's estimate was £312,000, including £30,000
for extras. The Board sat
for some time with
closed doors, and ul •
timately decided on accepting
Mr. Webster's tender, because he had done the pre-
vious work well and satisfactorily. The tenders
for engines and
pumps were next considered ; the
engineer's t. es mate was £45,000. The Board de-
cided to f
re er the matter to three engineers to
ascertain which proposal would be the cheapest,
taking inte consideration the cost per horse-power
of working the engines. Mr. Miller moved that a
resolution of the Board of the 20th of June last, to
the effect that the Board should not petition against
the Tramways Bill, be rescinded. An animated
discussion ensued, during which it was admitted
that a large number of persons had travelled by
Train's tramway because it was cheap, expeditious,
and commodious, but it was a nuisance to others
who used carriages and ought therefore to be re-
sisted. On a division the motion was lost by a
majority of 19 to 9. On the motion of Mr. Doulton,
seconded by Mr. Robinson, ;
a
A was resolved that
day be set apart for inviting the Speaker and mem-
bers of the House of Commons and members of the
House of Lords to visit the works inspectand
them, the day to be fixed by the Speaker. The
Board then adjourned.