The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-18 00:00:00

COLONIAL POSTAGE.

The following official communication has been for-
warded to us by direction of the Postmaster-General :
"The intended reduction of postage between this
country and the colonies to a uniform rate of 6d. on letters
not weighing more than half an ounce, is now about to
tome into oper,tion with respect to all those, colonies, the
postal direotion of which rests with the Postmaster-
General, and in respect to such cher colonies as bad
notified their concurrence in time to bo included in this
first measure.

" On the 23d instant the reduction will take place with
regard to the following colonies—viz., Canada, Prince
Edward's Island, Bermuda, British West Indies (Barba-
does and Turk's Wand excepted), British Guiana, Baha-
mas, Belize, Malta, and Gibraltar; and on the Ist of May
the same reduction will be made in the postage on letters
between this country and Ceylon, Hong Kong, St. Helena,
and the Gold Coast. _ _ _

" Detailed information, with a statement of exceptional
cases, will be given in the usual notices exhibited at post-
offices."

SPORTING NOTES.

PETER SIMPLE AND HALF-AND-HALF.

Certain proceedings connected with the Liverpool Grand
National Steeplechase are not likely to be either soon or
readily forgotten. The mystery which at once attached
to them is being daily dispelled, anti little doubt exists
that the wrong-doers will be ultimately detected and ex-
posed. Attempts to extenuate the " scratching" of Miss
Mowbray have been made, but they have in most
instances been regarded with mistrust and contempt. The
" doings" relative Oliver's horses, however, were scarcely
less shameful than those connected with Dockeray's, and
they have certainly excited more lasting indignation. Mr.
Bignell, the owner of Half-and-Half, has addressed a let-
ter on this subject to the editor of the Sunday Times,
giving " a round unvarnished tale of the whole course of
doing." Subjoined is an extract which explains the unex-
pected arrangement relative to the riders of Half-and-Half,
Peter Simple, and Maurice Daley :
"On Monday I left London for Liverpool, and, unfor-
tunately, caught cold, which caused me to keep my bed
from Monday night until the next night at nine o'clock,
and, although Tom Oliver was aware of it, he never
came near me. Had I been well it was my intention to
see the horses out on the Tuesday, and to have Oliver's
opinion respecting them ; but, owing to my indispo-
sition, I could not go, therefore Captain Little went
to the course, and saw Oliver, and he also saw the two
horses take a canter. He then asked Oliver for his
opinion. His reply was that one of the two would be sure
to win. I met the captain at the Adelphi. Be told me that
he had seen Oliver, and that he had asked him which of
the two horses he intended to ride? His answer was,
" Which you like, but you had better not tell me until the
last moment." The captain then said he.thought Oliver
had better ride Half-and-Half. Oliver's answer was, " If
I like him in the morning I will, but if not I will ride Peter
Simple." After that I did not doubt that he would
ride one of the two. On the Wednesday morning I
went to the course, though still unwell. I endeavoured
to see Tom, but could not, nor did I until he had weighed.
I then heard for the first time that he was to ride Maurice
Daley; I then found out that he had wasted to 9st 51b.
This deceitful work was going on at the very time that
he was writing to ipe daily, and speaking of the certainty
of my winning. Captain Little, when he heard of it, was '
greatly surprised, and expressed himself in very warm
terms to Mr. Cartwright, the owner of Maurice Daley.
Mr. C. had never intimated to me, either directly or indi-
rectly, that he should require the services of Oliver to ride
his horse. When Oliver had weighed, he left the stand
without attending to the duty he owed me, namely, the
weighing in of my jockeys and the saddling of my horses.
I told both Boyce and Green that they were to win if pos-
sible. The race commenced, and both horses fell lame, and
when the jockeys pulled up and dismounted, not one of
Oliver's men were there to take charge of the horses ; the
consequence was, that they walked about for nearly two
hours exposed to the cold, the boy who had charge of the
keys of the stables being absent. I nevai saw Oliver after
the race, although I remained iu Liverpool until the Fri-
day, nor have I seen him since. When I sent to Aintree,
near Liverpool, for the purpose of having the horses
brought to London, they were found to be in a most deplo-
rable state—there was but one rug in the shape of clothing
to cover both horses. The man who had charge of them re-
fused to give them up, therefore they were detained seve-
ral clays before Oliver sent the necessary instructions to
have them delivered to my agent."
This statement sets " Black Tom's" conduct in no favour-
able light, and shows that the owner of Half-and-Half was
systematically deceived and " put in the hole."
The betting on the leading Spring Handicaps daily be-
comes
more settled and significant ; Lamprocles is the
first favourite for the Northamptonshire Stakes, and, if
report be true, he is unquestionably entitled to the
position which he occupies in the list of quo-
tations. Between him and Defiance opinion is some-
what divided, but if public running afford any criterion of
racing merit, Defiance's pretensions to support are unde-
niably sounder than those of Lamprocles. Red Lion is
still backed, but not with any decided show of spirit ;
rumour states that Lamprocles will represent the interest
of his party. Should, however, Red Lion run on his merits,
his ability to achieve success will be tried to the ut-
most. Daniel O'Rourke is talked about for this
event, • but until the cause of his withdrawal from
the Doncaster Handicap be satisfactorily explained,
I shall be disinclined to regard his chance with favour.
For the Chester Cup Brown Brandy is in spirited de-
mand ; within the last few days a powerful demon-
stration has brought him prominently into notice, and
his partisans are apparently determined to sustain it.
Newminster maintains his position somewhat unsteadily ;
an ominous report is in circulation respecting the
weakness of his "understandings." Ariosto is the rul-
ing favourite for the Metropolitan Stakes, for which event
he is being carefully prepared, and in fact by the cognos-
centi of Newmarket his success is regarded as a certainty.
Royalist is now seldom mentioned. Of the outside divi-
sion the horses most to my liking are Rataplan, Muscovite,
and ilaco.
March 18. A FRESH MAN.

The Duchess Dowager of Cleveland, who has been
receiving company at Newton House, Boroughbridge,
leaves that seat the second week in the ensuing month
for Grosvenor•square, for the season.
The Duke of Leeds left the Clarendon Hotel yester-
day, for Hornby Castle, Yorkshire, whence his grace
proceeds to his fishing quarters in Inverness-shire to
enjoy the sport of salmon-fishing.
The Earl and Countess of Lanesborough have arrived
in Great Stanhope-street from Leicestershire.
The Earl and Countess of Verulam have arrived in
town from Gorhambnry.
The Ladies Louisa and Elizabeth Cornwallis have
arrived in Charles-street, Berkeley-square, from Linton
Place, near Maidstone.
BOOKS FOR THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE
SOCIETr„—A case of French Bibles has arrived by a
steamer from AntwErp, consigned to the British and
Foreign Bible Society, and intended to be gratuitously
distributed by the society ; and the Lords Commis-
sioners of her Majesty's Treasury have given directions
to the proper authoriies of the revenue for their free
delivery for that purpose.
THE VACANT JUDGESHIP.—It was the talk in court
yesterday at the Maidstone assizes that the Government
made an offer of the vacant judicial seat to Sir F.
Thesiger. That learned gentleman, however, while ac-
knowledging the very gratifying terms in which the
offer was made, expressed his regret at feeling himself
compelled to decline tae honour intended to be conferred
upon him.
THE PRESIDENTSHIP OF CHRIST'S HOSPlTAL—Yester-
day, a Court of Aldermen was held to consider what
steps should be taken with reference to the attack made
on the privileges of the aldermen by setting up the
Duke of Cambridge as a candidate for the governorship
of Christ's Hospital. The Lord Mayor explained the
grounds upon which he had resolved to assert the privi-
leges of his brethren. Alderman Lawrence said this at-
tack was not pointed against the Lord Mayor personally,
but against the aldermen. The Lord Mayor said that
he thought it probable that the court would resolve to
appoint a deputation of its own body to wait upon the
Royal duke and ascertain his intention. No reply was
made to this suggestion. The Lord Mayor then quitted
his chair, saying that he should leave his brother alder-
men to maintain their privileges in their own way.