The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-11 00:00:00

SPORTING NOTES.

GAMES ACROSS COUNTRY.
The steeplechase " interregnum" will be of short dura-
tion. Two days' sport h advertised to take place at
Waltham on the 20th and 21st inst., and on the very first
(lay of the new year the Stretford Gathering of " Man-
chester Men" will, weather permitting, be holden, accord.
ing to annual custom. The doings of the past week were of
sufficient importance to claim slight attention. The most
important proceedings were relative to the Wolverhamp-
ton Steeplechase, and the withdrawal of Miss Mowbray
and the British Yeoman. The game which was playa
with these animals presented, however, no novel feature,
but it was nevertheless carried out with surprising coolness
and indifference. For many days prior to the meeting

lfiss Mowbray and The Yeoman had arrived at Wolver-
hampton, and were shown on the race course
At exercise regUlarly every morning. On Monday,
lowever, the day before the race, Miss Mowbray was, it

;aid, lamed in consequence of treading upon a broken bottle.
Still the British Yeoman was there safe and soind, and
he at least people expected would start for the steeple-
,thase, and indeed not a little curiosity was evinced to see
him "perform" after his very long season of rest. Expec-
tation, however, was disappointed, for on the horses mus-
oring at the starting post " Mason's two." about whom
there had been so much talk, avers absent. The race was
won by Peter, who for some unexplained cause was regarded
with much distrust. Jemmy the Black was the favoulite
and was really intended, but he ran like a cur, and proved
himself moderate indeed across country. The Hurdle Race
was only remarkable for the accident which occurred to three
out of the fourteen competitors. Allah ,relio, Freedom, and
Gaslight fell. Freedom was the favourite, and bat for his
mishap I think he would have won. Ho, however, looked
somewhat big, and his appearance altogether afforded no
favourable indication of the training skill of " young Sir
Robert's groom," under whose care the horse has recently
been placed. Ben Laud ought really to insure his jockeys'
lives. Nearly everybody that rides for him meets with
an accident. Poor Green was severely injured at Harrow
by Massaroni's falling, and here; at Wolverhampton,
Harry Lamplugh has an awkward tumble with Gaslight.
The fact is Ben Laud's " rips" are allowed to start for
Hurdle Races before they have learned to jump.
So far as sporting affairs are concerned the future pre•
cents merely a blank. The Derby is speculated upon, it
is true, with varying briskness, bat the " movements°
relative to it appear to be uncertain in their tendency.
Notwithstanding the growing dislike which is evinced is
well-informed quarters for Grzculus Esuriens, this horse
maintains his position of leading favourite. Polydore, the
recently-named colt by Cotherstone out of Polydora, is
advancing steadily in the betting. Report states that he
• has had a " rough spin" with St. Hubert and Oulston.
By the way Baron Rothschild's offer for 3,0001. for Wild
I •
Dayrell, one of the best-looking and most dangerous oat-
'
shiers in the Derby, has been refused. I shall take an
early opportunity of collecting some notes relative to the
principal Derby horses.
I Dec. 11.

A. FRESH MAN.

THE REINFORCEMENTS.

It has been decided that the reinforcements for the
cavalry in the Crimea will not be sent out until the spring,
when the 6th Dragoon Guards (Carbineers) and the 7th
Dragoon Guards, with a regiment of light cavalry—it is
supposed the 16th Lancers—will embark for the seat of
war. Each of these regiments will be augmented during
the winter months by volenteers from other cavalry regi-
ments, the mounted Irish constabulary, and by recruits to
dO sabres, exclusive of farriers and. trumpeters. The
cavalry regiments at present in the Crimea are to be in-
creased to a similar number. The height of recruits having
been reduced to 5 feet 6i inches for the light eavalry regi•
meats, young and active men offer themselves freely, and
on Saturday there were no fewer than 60 cavalry recruits,
who had been finally approved, billeted in the metropolis.
Last week an inspection took place at the Maidstone
Cavalry Depot by an order from the Horse Guards, and
the number of men fit to servo in the Crimea was ascer•
tained. The invalids from India were exempted. Each
light cavalry regiment at home will receive horses and men
to drill and train, so as to fill up vacancies in the regiments
now at the seat of war. 120 horses and 60 men are to be
received at the depot for the 13th Light Dragoons.

17pwards of 40 fine young men (recruits) have joined the
;arrison at Woolwich within the last few days, 18 of
whom are volunteers from the Lancashire Militia, and.
tmong them are two sergeants.

On Friday Messrs. Tonge, Curry, and Co., of Liverpool,
sold the clipper Wildfire, 400 tons, lately belonging to Mr.
Edward Oliver, to Messrs. Peto, Brassey, sad Co., for
4,500/. She will be despatched this week to Balaklava
with a complete railway plant and a company of navvies.

The Adelaide steam-transport, expected to arrive at the
Royal Arsenal on Saturday, to tpke on board stores for
conveyance to the Crimea, will, after partially loading at
Woolwich, proceed to Portsmouth to embark troops for
jon voyan c e to Balaklava.

Two powerful steam-tugs, the Express and the Tartar,
belonging to the Liverpool Steam-tug Company, have been
purchased by Government for service in the Black Sea.
rho Express left Liverpool for her destination on Thursday,
Put was obliged to put back on Friday, in consequence of
,he heavy weather in the Channel, with her maohinery

larnaged.
Tho whole of the screw-boats belonging to the South
American and General Steam Navigation Company have
keen chartered for the transport service. Tho Emperatriz,
1,800 tons, is expected to be at Queenstown in a few days
he Bahiana, 1,700 tons, is being rapidly fitted at Liver*
pool ; and the Emperador, 1,800, which is expected from
the Brazils the latter end of the month, will be converted
into a troop-ship immediately on her arrival. The Lady
fano will sail from Liverpool for the Crimea in a day or

two with 400 tons of hay.
The steam-transport Cosmopolitan, No. 157, left Ports-
mouth on Satarday with a load of the wooden huts for
the troops in the Crimea. She took out a large quantity
of stores also for the Government depots, and a good con•
signment of warm clothing and other necessaries for the
comfort of the troops, which have been purchased by *
subscription originated in Portsmouth by Colonel E. Na-
pier, of Merchistoun-hall, who continues to receive sub-
scriptions in aid of further purches for the same object.
A large French ship of 1,000 tons burden is daily expected
off Southampton to load with wooden houses for the
Crimea. She is to be towed by the French war steamer
Vhlegethon. The screw steamer Hetton left Southampton
for Balaklava on Thursday last with a further supply of
wooden barracks for the British army. The steamers
John Bowes and Sir John Easthope are also loading.