The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-10 00:00:00

DIEPPE STEEPLECHASES AND FETE.

--
The old, quiet, dozy, dirty
-little ict uresque city of
p
Dieppe has of late found itself suddenly fashionable and
famous from the sunshine of
Imperial favour having
shone upon its fantastic gables
and pinnacles, and high-
pitched Norman roofs. The consequence of the patron-
age of Napoleon the Third and his fair Empress, has
been such a scraping, and painting,
and cleansing, and
decorating ; such galas and shows
such an outburst of
flowers of fashion, bright uniforms, and such a show of
gold, silver, and worsted lace of every colour, and such
a profusion of flags on every
"coign of vantage" as
never was seen in the memory of that oblivious per-
sonage, " the oldest inhabitant." In addlition to flattery
and feastings, and frolics and firework s and bathings,
and pit-nits and parties of all sorts, hoteaceepers, horses,
and house-accommodation have been steadily advancing
in prices. As Thursday, however was advertised as
the day of a grand display of steeplechasing,
and know-
ing they, do not use to "manage these things better in
France, ' we departed per South Coast for Newhaven at
an early hour on Wednesday; but our intentions of an
early arrival on the scene were frustrated by an unfore-
seen accident, the boat Le Rouen, one of the new iron
boats of the Brighton and South Coast Co., which was
to have received the 101 i. 30m, a.m., passengers,in
making the difficult and shoal harbour of :Dieppe at early
morn, had touched the bar, and tearing
away her rudder,
had become unmanageable ; the strong flowing tide set-
ting in, then drove her violently against the pipes of the
jetty, tearing them away in a wonderful. manner, then
rebounding against the opposite side of the narrow
entrance, and destroying her own paddle-boxes and
wheels. Thus completely crippled, the service fell upon
the Paris, her twin boat, and the early voyagers, rein-
forced by the 7 p.m. train from London, crowded the
boat, which left at 10.30 p.m., a stiff h cad wind and a
crowded vessel made the pleasure seekers doubly anxious,
but on arriving a little before 6 in sight, of Dieppe, the
water was insufficient, and the steamer sntood on and off

till 11 in the day before a landing was eiTected. At 1,
crowds of equestrians, vehicles, and pedestrians were on
their road to the course, situated in the prairies of
Dieppe and Rouxmenil, a tract of coarse grass land on
the left of the road to Argues. It presented the usual
natural features of an English course. Three water
jumps, a circuit of about 3,000 yards twice traversed,
and a:distance added, with fences and linessed hurdles of
the ordinary character. The Emperor and Empress,
who in the morning had been walking almost unat-
tended, and without escort on the beach, arrived on the
ground at a few minutes before the time appointed for
the first race. They came in two open carriages, of
English style, each drawn by four magnificent bays,
with postillions in green and gold, and an escort of
mounted " Guides ;" the enthusiasm a the people for
the Emperor and Empress was unanimous and unmis-
takeable ; indeed, it cannot be disguised that the Em-
peror is immensely popular with the middle and lower
classes of his volatile subjects. The could d'rril from the
"tribunes," or stands, which were most tastefully deco-
rated, was admirable. Groups of military, a regimental
band, and the picturesque peasant costume of Nor-
mandy, heightened the attractions of the scene. The
entrance fee to the pave, or weighing-place, a commo-
dious enclosure, favourably contrasting with many of
the English black holes used for that purpose, was fixed
at the high sum of 20 francs for each person, which
obviated inconvenient pressure on the officials.
The racing will be found appended. It appeared to
give the greatest satisfaction to the Imperial party and
the populace. The Emperor did not depart till the last
race was over. In the evening the town was all alive,
and the Emperor and Empress went on. board La Reine
Hortense, war steamer. A succession of fetes, for which
great preparation, triumphal arches, firework stages,
&c., were erected, with lighted pavilions for dancing,
and all the addenda of a fair were prepared, took place
yesterday (Friday).
The following is a return of the steeplechasing :
The Dieppe Steeplechase of B,ooofr. (330 sovs.) given by
the town of Dieppe, 500 fr. (20 sovs.) entry, for horses
of all countries ; six to start ; over about four miles
the second horse to receive I,ooofr. (20 sovs.) ; to carry
70 kilos. (1401 b.) ; French horses allowed 4 kilos. (81b.)
M. De la Motte's Franc Picard . (by Royal Oak or
Nautilus, 70 kilos ..................... (H. Lamplugh) 1
Mr. Thos. Golby's Ploughboy, 75 kilos (W. Lamplugh) 2
Le Comte de Sacy's Sam Hood, 70 kilos (S. Darling) 3
M. de la Marre's Lady Arthur, 74 kilos (Wakefield) 4
Mr. Sait's Timothy, 72 kilos ................ ..(Goater) 0
Vicomte de Salon's Coeur de Lion, 70 kilos(H.Rackley) 0
M. Rost's Billy from Brigg, 72 kilos (Rodney) 0
Betting—Even on Franc Picard agst the field, 6 to
4 agst Ploughboy, the others friendless.
The Race—Coeur de Lion led over the first two jumps,
Ploughboy close up, Timothy third, Billy from Brigg and
Franc Picard as here set down, Lady Arthur last.
Turning at the top and descending the hollow towards
the brook, Ploughboy " went to the fore," Coeur de Lion
and Sam Hood second and third, Franc Picard going
easily and well within himself. As the horses passed
the Grand Stand, and came to the artificial water Jump,
a second time Ploughboy was first, Franc Picard second,
and Sam Hood third, Lady Arthur fourth, Billy from Brigg