The Sun.
London, England, 1848-06-22 00:00:00

Mr. Herbert's Hope

stol on Loadstone. Won in a canter.
The Selling Plate of 50 soya.; for three yrs old, 9st 101 b;
four, lOst 81b; five, list 121 b; six and aged, list 71b.
Winner to be sold for 1501. Three quarters of a mile.
NIL Kmber's Tantivy, 4 yrs ... (Mr. J. Bay)y) I
Mr. Osbaldeston's Vice-Consul, 4 yrs
Mr. Elves': Mountain Dew, 4 yrs ... ... ... 3
Mr. J. Day's Mignon, 4 yrs . . . ... ... 4
Mr. Payne's Dromedary, 4 yrs, and Mr. Fellowes's
Thistledown, 3 yrs, also ran.
Betting-5 to 4 agst Vice-Consul, sto 2 agst Drome-
dary, and 4to 1 agst Tantivy. Won by two lengths.
INTELLIGENCE EXTRA.
GOODWOOD, 1848.
SECOND DAL—Acceptances fur the Goodwood Stakes.
st lb st lb
Chanticleer (including Luminous, 4 yrs 6 4
51b extra for win- Pillage,4 yrs 6 3
ning the Northum- Enchanter, 4 yis
berland Plate), 5 yrs 9 2 Counterfeit, aged 6 0
Sir Arthur, 6 yrs 713 Fern, 3 yrs
Bantam, 5 yrs
Giselle, 5 yrs 7 12IC by Tearaway, out of
Diplomatist, 4 yrs
Montpensier, 4 yrs
Rowena, aged. 7 9 Chat, 4 yrs
Crozier, 4 yrs 7 8 Deluraine, 4 yrs
Hydrangea, 5 yrs ..... 7 7 Glen Saddel,3 yrs 5 12
The Tartar, 4 yrs .... 7 7 Paphos, 3 yrs
Jonathan Wild, 5 yrs. 7 5 Millwood, 4 yrs 5 12
Plaudit, 6 yrs
Projectile, 4 yrs
Clementina, 4 yrs 7 0 Sir Martin, 4 yrs
Sheraton, 5 yrs 6 13 The Spaniard, 3 yrs... 5 8
Raisthorp, 4 yrs
Fergus, 4 yrs G 9'Remembrance, 3 yrs... 5 2
Geraldine, 5 yrs 6 8 Latitat, 3 yrs 5 2
Gaiety, 4 yrs 6 8 Weathercock, 3 yrs... 5 0
Marquis of Conyng-
Prince Charlie, 3 yrs.. 4 13
ham, 6 yrs
6 7 Reflection, 3 yrs
Watchdog, 4 yrs ... .. 6 51BAilphk veis,o3e, 3 yrs yrs
The Baronet, 5 yrs ... 6 5, aL

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—The—The importance of the subject on which I
am induced to make the following observations, leads
me to hope that you will not deny them a portion of
that space which you appropriate to sporting matters.
The gabject is one on which you and many other papers
are occasionally addressed, and I think properly so,
namely, the making of handicaps for the sporting com -
munity.
As to the importance of the subject, it is only neces-
to allude to the very large sums which are annuully
distributed in this way ; and, looking to this large
amount, a stranger might be startled to learn that that
distribution was made by parties unknown to the pablic
and irresponsible to the proprietors of the horses whose
chances they are authorised to decide. Those parties,
it is believed, are nominated by the stewards of races,
in some instances, and by the stewards of the Jockey
Club, in others ; and the unquestioned honour and
sound judgment of those noblemen and gentlemen are a
sufficient guarantee to the public that they du not em-
ploy persons too ignorant or inexperienced to perform
the important duty confided to them. And, therefore,
when we find handicaps for valuable and most impor-
tant races made, not only inconsistent with the merits
and performances of the horses engaged, but in some
instances directly opposed to those merits and perform-
ances, we naturally pause and inquire, can this great
and valuable power be prostituted, or is it capable of
corruption.
In the last number of the " Racing Calendar," we find,
that at a meeting of the Jockey Club, on the 10th inst.,
presided over by him who had been justly termed the
Napoleon of the Turf," a resolutioa was unanimously
agreed to, declaring that the Jockey Club, having
learned that a practice existed of making presents to
the judges of the principal races,- considered that such
practice was in principle objectionable, and that in lieu
thereof, a stated sum should be paid to the judge.
In the justice and propriety of this resolution, I am
sure every one of your readers will coincide, though I
should be sorry to believe that any necessity existed for
its adoption, but the proceedings of the turf, like the
characters of its patrons. should not only be above re-
proach but above suspicion.
The practice, however, mentioned in this resolution
may induce us to inquire, if any similar system of re-
warding handicappers existed, how vast might be the
fraud and corruption with that office, and how great
the injury inflicted ob the proprietors of race-horses.
It is hardly necessary to allude to the many handi-
caps in which the public without difficulty select animals
having great and unfair advantages over others, and in
which the result of the race shows the justice of their
conclusions. In the race for the Ascot Stakes we find
the two favourites first and second; in the race for the
Manchester Cup the two favourites first and second; and
iu the Chester Cup the two favourites iLo rust and

econd. And all these within the last six weeks.
Surely this demands a remedy. Can any reasonable
man believe that the handicappers for these races
were so much more ignorant than the public of the
merits of the horses? Assuredly if they were they
should for ever be removed from the labours of handi-
capping.
Coming, however, to the last handicap published, that
fur the Goodwood Stakes, we shall find, I think, a
combination of the most monstrous absurdities that
were ever brought under the eye of a sporting man,
Commencing with the top weight we find Cawroush :at
9.t. 51b. made to give Gizelle 2 Ilbs., the only occasion on
which they met being in the Cesarewitch last year, when
Cawroush carried ist., the mare 6st. 121ba, and they
ran first and second, the commentaries in Bell's Life,
I find, stating that the race was so close as to be doubtful
until the last stride. On what principle Cawroush is
made to give the mare 211bs. I am ut a loss to
divine, still more so why he should give Chanticleer
Blbs., Geraldine, 2st. 111bs., and Chat, 3st. 61bs.
Peep-o• Day Boy also appears pretty safe at fist. 4lbs.„
and we may, I think, ask and pause for a reply, why he
should give Montpensier 231b5., the latter running him
to a length or two at Chester, at a difference of 2lbs.,
or why he should give 251bs. to Hydrangea, a five-year-
old mare, that won this stake last by three lengths, car-
rying 6st. 10lbs. And she is now let in at 7st. 7lbs. We
also find Inheritress at 9st. 41bs., and Lady Wildair at
9st., weights which, I think I may say, deprive them
instanter of all chance in the race.
But to come to the absurdity, of all others the most
monstrous and glaring, we find Chat at Sat. 131bs.
This horse and Keleshe met on equal terms but once
(for a Three-years-old Plate), they were then singled
out from the field, ran stride for stride, and Chat won
by a neck. And our deeply-read handicapper now puts
7st. 101bs. on lieleshe, and sst 13Ibs. on Chat, making
the beaten horse give the conqueror Ist. 111bs., sad this
for the purpose of bringing them together.
This same horse, also, it is to be remembered, beat
Burgundy shortly after by a length for a Queen's Plate;
and what is the consequence? Why, the handicap had
hardly appeared when the horse was selected and esta-
blished a favourite. Hydrangea I have alluded to as
being very favourably treated, and Jonathan Wild, the
winner of this stake, in 1846 and one of the few horses
that have beaten the Hero, is let in at 7st.
I have only mentioned a few of the inconsistencies of
this handicap; most of your readers, I am sure, will have
discovered many more.
In order to show the imperative necessity for strict
and good government on this subject, let us just, for a
moment, suppose (what of course we do not believe),
that a collusive understanding exists between a handi-
capper and the ewner of a race-horse. What a channel
for fraud—what an opportunity for unjust profit, does
not such an understanding afford? Surely, it is not too
much to say that, under such circumstances, the handi-
capper has the power virtually to give the race to a
particular animal. And, again, let us ask, if he should
do so, what remedy has the public? None, save the
single alternative, which I now seek, and which I hope
you will not deny me, that of censuring, in a public
the improprieties of which I and others are the
journal,victims,
Allusions have on many occasions been made to Irish
but for which there is no redress.
horses as a class, and hints given to handicappers to
make them safe, which must certainly have emanate's'
fromp
should b
persons totally ignorant of
fdthe principles on which
handicaps
And these allusions, or any sentiment in a similar
spirit, must assuredly tend to corrupt rather than im-
prove the handicaps, or the source from which they
emanate. Handicappers, unquestionably, should only
attend to the merits of the horses, and know nothing of
their being English or Irish, or the property of this man
or that. The handicapper who is sanctioned in destroy-
ing the chances of any class of horses might as well be
sanctioned in destroying the chance of a particular
animal; and so we should have the good-will or the ill-
will of handicappers distributing their patronage as
their own sound reasons dictated.
These remarks I find have run to much greater
!ength than I intended, but I trust your sense of jus-
ice will afford them a place in your columns.
I am your obedient servant,
CENTAUR.
AVAL INTELLIGENCE.
PORTSMOUTH, WEDNESDAY.—The King of Sweden
has presented Mr. Finchate, the master shipwright of
this dockyard, with several scientific works on ship-
building, as tokens of his Majesty's appreciation of Mr.
Fincham's talents as a scientific naval architect. The
works are chiefly the large and small productions of that
famous shipbuilding author, Chapman. The presents
arrived yesterday.

June 19, 1848.

At a quarter past seven o'clock this morning, a ship-
wright, named William Evans, a single man, aged 40,
employed on the Fire Queen steam yacht, in the old
basin, went down the accommodation ladder on the port
side and precipitated himself into the basin. At this
moment a young man named George Lapthorn, a hired
joiner, who had just left the Medusa packet, also in the
basin, and was coming round the north-west corner of
the basin close to where the catastrophe occurred, think-
ing the man had fallen in by accident, immediately
stripped and jumped in afth. him ; after diving several
times and remaining under water some time Lapthorn
rose and called aloud for a line to be handed him from
the vessel, that he might go down again, which
he did ; he came up a second time and asked
for a longer line, which also being furnished him, ha
dived again, and remained under water trawling about
for some time ; when he came up his breast, lace and
arms, were covered with mud, and he could not see;
being too exhausted tor further trial, he suggested that
grapnels should be used; they were immediately pro-
cured, and the body was soon found and brought to the
surface, when it was discovered that with a view to in-
sure sinking, the deceased had fastened to his right wrist
an iron coal-hole grating. The body was conveyed to
the dockyard surgery, where every means were resorted
to by Mr. Labben and others to restore animation, but
without avail.

The Hastings, 72, Captain Morgan, will be ready to go
out of harbour on Monday. A new scale of issue for ne-
cessaries for the ship's company is ordered to be tried in
the Hastings for twelve months and reported en. Ske
will not go to the Cape.
The Maria Somes transport, Lieutenant Black agent,
arrived this morning from Halifax with the second di-
vision of the 82d, with whom she is ordered to Woolwich.
Wind, westerly, light air and fine weather.
WOOLWICH, JUNE 21.—Captain Fraser, Lieutenant.
Mowbray, 3 sergeants, 3 corporals, and 54 privates of
the Woolwich Division of Royal Marines, embarked at
Charlton-pier, at eight o'clock, A.m., to-day, en route to
Portsmouth, for service in the Southampton, 50 guns,
now ready for commission at that port. The officers
will return to head-quarters. The Southampton is one
of the fourth rates, and will have a crew of 450 men,
and her armament consists of four 8-inch guns of 65 cwt.
each, twenty-six 32-pounder guns of 50 cwt., four 32-
pounders of 4i cwt., and sixteen 32-pounders of 26 cwt.
each.
The Adelaide steam-tug is expected to be brought
down immediately from Deptford to Woolwich, having
bfoere ns
ecommissi
once edPort
Philip,
in Charlesso
South
h Forbes, second
Australia; e
he w master,as
built by Mr. Wigram.
The Encounter steam-frigate was taken out of the
basin to-day, and will leave on Friday next, for Port!,,-
mouth, to be put in commission at that port.
The Reynard steam-vessel, fitted at Deptford with a
screw-propeller and engines of 60-horse power, by
Rennie, is ordered to be brought down immediately
to be commissioned at this port. She is 516 tons bur-
den, and will carry two 32-pounders of 56 cwt. each,
and six 32-pounders of 25 cwt. each, with a crew of 100
mem

The Monkey and Charon steam-vessels went np the
river yesterday from Woolwich to tow the Conflict
steam-sloop, 8 guns, from Mr. Wigram's dock to Messrs.
Seaward and Co.'s, at the City Canal, to have her ma-
chinery of 400-horse power and screw-propeller tried.
Her armament will consist of one 68-pounder gun, 95
cwt., one 10-inch gun, 85 cwt., and six S-inch guns of
65 cwt. each.

The Virago steam-sloop left yesterday for Sheerness,
where she will remai❑ as an advanced war steamer, and
the Heels steam-sloop will be ready to proceed to the
same port in a few days.
Quartermaster John Scott, paid off from the Flamer
steam-vessel on Monday, after 45 years' service in the
navy, received a silver medal and 15/. gratuity, and has
been pensioned at 35/. per annum. He was in the Co-
lossus at the battle of Trafalgar.
Quartermaster James Davis, of the Firebrand, paid
off on Saturday, received a silver medal ,and gratuity of:
71. for long service and good conduct, and was awarded
a pension of 241. a-year.
George Williams, of the Styx steam-vessel, Was
awarded a pension of 281. 45. per annum, a gratuity of
151., and a silver medal for long service and good con-
duct; and John Williams, of the Styx, a pension of 191.
per annum.
CHATHAM, JUNE 21.—The Nerbudda, 12 guns, Com-
mander Edward Peirse, was paid off into ordinary on
Monday, the 19th instant.
The Spy, 3-gun brigantine, Lieut. Commander 0.
Wooldridge, from the Pacific, was towed into harbour
on Tuesday evening, the 20th inst., by the African
steam-vessel, from the Nore.

The Trafalgar, 120, Captain Charles Hope, was eit
the Nore on the 19th, and having there discharged her
powder on board a lighter, came into Sheerness on
Tuesday, and the following detachments of invalids from
Malta disembarked and proceeded by the Princess Royal
steam-boat for Chatham:—via., 11 men of the 54th, and
2 corporals and 22 privates of the 97th Regiment, under
command of Lieut. S. Moore Hawkins, 97th.
Arrived on the 20th inst., at the Invalid Depot from
Bury, in Lancashire, 2 sergeants and 11 privates of the
2d battalion of the 60th Rifles; also a detachment of 2
sergeants and 13 privates of the sn Regiment fromAshton•under-Line.
Ashton•under-Line. With the exception of two men,,
the whole will be pensioned off for length of service.
Captain
returned E . W
fordoemh olnd
usei, of the 24th Regiment, re-
cently
India,
has taken the command of
the depot at this garrison. The depit has this day re-
ceived the intelligence of the death of Lieutenant dohs
Stainforth at Agra, in the Presidency of Bengal.

STATE OF EMPLOTMFNT IN MANCIIESTEE.—The
official returns has this week been published, and the
unsatisfactory results, although indicating the continued
depression of trade, yet must not be looked upon as a
tair explanation of the state of employment, as numbers
of the working classes had not, eo immediately after the
Whitsuntide holidays, returned to their work. There
are nearly 1,400 fewer hands employed in the cotton-
mills this week than in the week before the holidays;
about 300 on short time, and 750 wholly out of employ-
ment. The total number of operatives working short
time is 6,274, and of those wholly out of employment
8,043. The prospects of trade do not offer any encou-
raging hopes as to a speedy change for the better to the
working man. The still disturbed and commercially
unsafe condition of the continent renders all chance
hopeless of immediate trade with that part of like world.