The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-30 00:00:00

SPORTING. NOTES,

ROUSE, BROTHERS, ROUSE.
The Christmas festivities over, turfites are beginning,
to stir themselves and prepare for active business.
Attention is now steadily directed towards the future,
and the rising prospects of sport are eagerly watched.
Clerks of courses are not idle, but are working ener-
getically, and with a generous spirit of emulation to
procure nominations for the stakes advertised to close
on Tuesday next—a day fraught with no little interest
and anxiety to race officials. That the entries for the
leading events will show some slight diminution in
numerical strength is expected ; still the shortcomings
will not be sufficiently marked to cause uneasiness.
The promoters *f steeplechases seem little dis-
couraged by the uninterrupted series of failures
which have distinguished the current season. They
are preparing their programmes with a steady deter-
mination to -render them attractive. The new
year's sports will be inaugurated at Manchester on Mon-
day, but the ceremony promises to be dull and uninte-
resting. The events to be decided are three —the Man-
chester Steeplechase, the Stretford Steeplechase, and the
Railway Plate. Nine horses only have accepted for the
first•mentioned race, and four for the second l Still,
perhaps amusement enough will be afforded to the Man-
cheater holyday-folk, who are the main supporters of the
gathering. An attempt is about to be made to get up a
day's sport at Croydon, but unless the business be con-
ducted on an improved system, I entertain but slender
expectations of the ultimate popularity of the under-
taking. The managers of the Oundle meeting are
actively employed. Their promises are fair enough,
and if report be true the sport will bs ample, and of
a superior character. They have strong assurances of
patronage from many of the oldest and staunchest
supporters of steeplechases. Still, so many ani-
mals are being reserved for the Grand National
Steeplechase that a probability exists that the fields
will be somewhat insignificant.

I have great pleasure in recording the liberality and
patriotism which have been displayed in the principal
training establishments, the members of which from the
head lad down to the smallest stable boy, from the
housemaid to the scuttery girl, have each contributed
their mite in aid of the fund for the relief of the
soldiers' wives and families. The Danebury Stable,
following the example so worthily set at New-
market, sent twenty-two pounds seventeen shil-
lings and sixpence, John Day, Alfred Day and Wal-
ter Day heading the list with a contribution of 51. each.
John Scott has contributed 10/. himself, the aggregate
amount collected at his stable being twenty-five pounds
ten shillings. By the way, Mr. Scott has been feeding
and entertaining the poor of his locality right royaly,
and in a style worthy of the good old times.
A correspondent to a weekly paper bas been indus-
triously calculating the amount of forfeits due from
owners and nominators of different horses for stakes
during the season '53-'52. From his statement, it ap-
pears that the names of upwards of 700 horses are down
on the list, and that the total amount of forfeits due is
eleven thousand five hundred and thirty.five pounds I
This announcement strikingly indicates the vast pecu-
niary interests involved in horse-racing.
Some changes—at present not particularly marked or
significant—have been made in the Derby betting.
Next week I will enter into a discussion of the preten-
sions of the leading favourites.
Dec. 30.

A FRESH MAN.

ARKIIT NEWS-O'lllS DAY.)

COVENT GARDEN.
The supplies continue seasonably good, and the demand
is steady, as follows :
FRUIT.—Pine apples, English, 5s to 7s 6,1 per lb; apricots,
Os to Os per doz. ; hot-house grapes, 5s Od to 9s Od per lb ;
foreign ditto, 10d to is 8d ; melons, Os Od to OA each
peaches, Os Od to Os ; nectarines, Os Od to Os per dozen ;
apples, 4s Od to 12s Od per bushel • pears, 2s Od to
6s Od per half sieve; Orleans plums and
green gages Os to
Os Od per punnet ; ditto, Os to Os Od, and common plums,
3s 0 I to Os Od per half sieve ; cherries, Od to Os per pound ;
lemons, Gd to is per doz.; oranges, 4s Od to lOs per 100; fil-
berts, 93s per 100 lbs ; cobnuts, 180 s to Os; almonds,
Os to Os per lb. ; walnuts, Od to Od per 100; figs, is Od
to 2s 6d per lb,
VEGETABLIM.—Savoy cabbages, 6(1 to is Od per dozen ;
rod ditto, 2s Od to 4s per dozen ; French beans, Os Od
to Os per half sieve ; brocoli, 6d to is 4d per bundle ;
potatoes, 100 s to 130 s per ton ; vegetable marrow, Od each ;
peas, Os Od to Os Od per bush.; broad beans, 9d to is per half
sieve ; turnips, 10 to 2P per bunch; carrots, 2id to 6dper
bunch ; cucumbers, is 6d to 2s each ; garlic, Os 6d to
Os 8d per peund ; spinach, le 3d to is 9d per sieve ;
onions, 2s Gd to 4s Od 'per bush. ; Spanish ditto, is to 3s
per doz. ; leeks, 2d to Od per bunch ; shallots, 4d to 8d ;
horse-radish, 2s Od to 5s Od per bundle ; parsley, 2d
to 3d per bunch ; celery, 9d t. 1. as
bunch ; endive, 9d to is Od per score ; beet, Gd to is 3d
per doz.; parsnips, 2s
spo
Od
sprouts,
radishesrtaio o ser
s( artichokes,
o perc
dOtshoidte°BolvgP eose2rsr;3l3,e punnetd
chillies,
n.e6rnes;
hl per2lha
lsa6lfintds doz.olel lets;ov et;m6iiclmssascpbala lafsooe: tmh;assil lettuces,Od
i6rwsf scli
00e9:2°41
as;
per 100.