The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-12 00:00:00

PEDESTRIANISM.

Beddington Corner, Surrey, was on Tuesday the scene
of a trio of pedestrian performances, in the first couple of
which a love of order and fair play predominated, which
we should have felt more gratified to have seen main-
tained to the conclusion of the sports. The first race
was started a little after three o'clock, being that of
J. PERKINS AND H. BULL, FOR 104 ASIDE.— These
lads, both of the Surrey shore of the Thames, had
articled to run four miles for the above sum, and the
betting ranged from 5 to 4 to 6 to 4 on Bull, who was
some inches the lesser man. This preference was, we
believe, based not only on his public running, but his
private trials, whereT he was confidently stated to have
proved a clipper. the road, on the present occasion,
certainly gave little opportunity for any man to display
" flying" qualities, unless he could actually, as well as
figuratively, leave the earth ; for a stickier and more
rotten piece of the surface of our planet, so far as it is
intersected by turnpike roads, has seldom been paced
over in a running match. In dry or frosty weather the
Surrey roads are assuredly good, but in most sea'ons of
our moist climate, the Middlesex bank of the Thames
bears the palm in soundness and bottom of the Queen's
highway. Well, then, at the hour above named off they
went, running
a measured mile from mine host Att-
ridge's, the Queen's Head, towards Mitcham, and re-
turning to the scratch, where they finished at the second
return. The race began by Bull taking a slight lead,
which he gradually improved up to three-quarters of a
mile, when he was 20 yards in front ; at the mile he
turned about the same distance in advance. At two
milts he was 40 yards, at three miles 100 yards, and
shortly after the third mile, all hope of Perkins catching
him being over, the latter slackened his speed, and Bull
ran in 130 to 200 yards a winner. The losing man,
though outpaced, certainly struggled very gamely.
NOWLAN AND OWEN.—This was a wager, the novelty
of which occasioned some speculations as well as merri-
ment. Wm. Nowlan, of the Borough, was matched
against Owen, a smart youth of Kensington, to run 50
yards, carrying 2 cwt., while Owen should run 100
yards, the men to start together. To the surprise of
the uninitiated, who expected some such experiment as
the shoulder-strap and loaded belt, the weight-carrying
competitor, a miniature copy of the Farnese Hercules,
showed at the scratch (midway of the hundred yards)
with a porter's knot, whereon, a few seconds previous to
the signal, he carefully poised a duly weighed sack of
"murphies," the pounds avoirdupoise of which we will
answer for, though we must decline going bail far their
quality. Well, away went the pair, Misther Nowlan
digging his heels furiously into the yielding road, and
Working 'away his short balustrade sort of legs " like
winking," as a bystander expressed it. Young Owen,
however, was after him, and that at a skimming pace,
at twenty yards from home he had got within ten yards
of the potatoe-bearing atlas, and five yards from the goal
ran up to him, finishing two yards in front.

JAMES SEARLES AND WILLIAM O'CONNOR, FOUR
MILES, FOR 101.—These Bermondsey lads, owing to
sundry delays, consumed daylight to such an extent
that a very. small modicum remained wherein spectators,
to say nothing of umpires and referees, could fairly see
their style of walking. It was a few minutes to five
when they went off, Searles leading at a good bat,
O'Connor (better known by the name of Feargus) in
pretty close attendance, though there was no " waiting"
in it, for the referee had twice to call on Searles in the
first three-quarters of a mile, who turned accordingly.
This, however, did not bring the M.P.'s namesake much
nearer, and at one mile he was thirty yards behind—
time 8 min. 49 secs. At the second Searles turned yet
further in front—time 17 minutes 40 seconds. In the
third mile O'Connor pulled foot, indeed it was roundly
asserted that he ran, or are sure after the turn
down for the fourth mile he did so. He then caught
Searles and passed him, and we are as equally well as-
sured that Searles then departed from the laws of fair
toe and heel walking. The time of O'Connor, who went
in first, was 35 minutes 51 seconds. After a stormy
discussion, the referees decided, that as both men had
run, and each, at different points of the match, had not
turned when called on, that the affair was drawn. Bets
are accordingly off, and stakes must be divided, unless
a renewed match can be agreed on.
B. JOHNSON AND W. PAYNE FOR 201. ASIDE.—The
race of two miles between the above men, the first com-
paratively unknown to fame, the second often before the
public by his name of Rodwell, as well as that of Payne,
took place on Tuesday, atCranford-bridge. The betting
was 5 and 6 to 4 on Payne—nay, so confident were his
friends, that they ventured 2 to 1 a few seconds after the
start. The ground was from the White Hart, a mile out
and turn. The men went off together at a rattling
pace, Payne leading for half a mile; Johnson, however,
it might be seen, several times ran up to his man, and
then fell back. Just before the turn of the mile Johnson
took up the running, and toed the mark first. He then
put on the steam, and by the time he had ran 400 yards
of the second mile Payne gave in, Johnson being full of
running, and the stern chase being evidently hopeless.

SYMPTOMS OF IMPROVEMENT OF TRADE.---RISE OF
WAGES AT THE NORTH SHORE COTTON MILLS.—
Amongst the many evidences of a revival of the activity
of the staple trade of this district, we may mention one
which has, within the last week or two, been displayed
at the North Shore Cotton mills in this town. On
Christmas.day the proprietor of these mills, with his
wonted generosity towards those in his employ, enter-
tained them to dinner in one of the rooms in the esta-
blishment; and before the company separated, he an-
nounced to the workmen that he should, from that time,
raise their wages ten per cent. It is needless to state
this announcement was received with mingled feelings
of joy and gratitude, and three hearty cheers followed
it. It is, indeed, a most encouraging fact, in con-
nolon with the general revival of the activity of the
cotton manufacture in this county.--Liverpool Courier.