The Sun.
London, England, 1869-05-14 00:00:00

NATIONAL SPORTS.

The chief feature of the speculation on the Derby has
been the installation of Belladrum as second favourite.
The price of Pero Gomez is, it is true, just a point above
that of Belladrum, but the latter is supported to by far the
heaviest amount. At York the Russley horse was backed
at 5 to 1 to £5OO, and even money was laid that he heath
Pero Gomez. In London 90 to 20 was frequently taken,
and a point beyond this figure would have commanded a
good deal of support. The training reports speaks favourably
of Belladrum. On Tuesday he had a canter of a mile, and
afterwards a three-parts speed gallop of a mile and a half,
moving in excellent style, and pulling up sound and well.
It is settled, too, that the public favourite shall have a
first-class jockey, for Daley, who won so many races on
Belladrum last year, will have the mount at Epsom.
If the horse keeps well, he will undoubtedly come to the
post, and will run a fair race. Whether he has much
chance of winning is a point on which some of the best
judges express themselves doubtfully. Better jockey.
ing might have landed him a winner in the
Two Thousand ; but it by no means follows that he
ought to win in the Derby. The course is longer, more
difficult, and more trying to a horse with
defective pipes. The rage in favour of Pretender
has calmed down considerably. Two to 1 was offered
on Wednesday without response ; but he was heavily
backed at 7to 4 on for a place. The reports from his
training quarters represent him to be doing good work.
On Tuesday he did a mile gallop at half-speed three times,
pulling up in the best condition. But of all the three
leading favourites Pero Gomcz is in the worst odour.
The bookmakers evince an unmistakeable desire to lay
against him. 4 to 1 was offered to any amount and
declined ; but it is noticeable that a point beyond this
would have been freely accepted. A report was spread
abroad that Sir J. Hawley's horse was injured, but
there does not seem the slightest foundation for
such a statement. Both on Tuesday and Wednesday he
did two miles at a great pace, going in excellent form.
The remaining candidates for the Derby require little
comment. Thorwaldsen has gone back in the quotations
after a brief period of prominence, but he will
undoubtedly start to make the running for
l Pretender. Ethus is backed at 25 to 1, but
1 Martyrdom cannot find support at this figure. Rysh-
' worth is pretty much in the same position. The Drum-
mer, Bosworth, Duke of Beaufort, and Perry Down are
all in the friendless division at 4U to 1. 500 to lis offered
against Consternation.
CRICKET.—A very good match between the All England
Eleven and Sixteen of Oxford University has ended in a
draw. The University made 95 and 154. The Eleven
131, and 25 for one wicket. The Oxonians arc strong in
batting ; W. Evett's especially being a tower of strength
to them, but their bowling is weak, and their fielding as a
whole bad. A match between eleven colts of the South
and eleven of the North was won by the former. It
brought out a very good bowler—Shoesmith, of Sussex.

A Cabinet Council was held to-day at the
official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury, Downing-
street.

The confinement of the Comtcsse de Flandres is
expected very shortly, and with great interest in regard to
the succession to the Belgian throne.

The expenses of the candidates at the late Brad-
ford election are published. Those of Mr. Miall are £1,603,
and those of Mr. Thompson, £1,356 ; total, £3,959.
Mr. John Bright has declined the invitation to
visit Sunderland for the purpose of laying the foundation
stone of the proposed Victoria Hall at that place.
The racing town of Doncaster will shortly have
its Free Library. The Town Council on Wednesdaymade the
necessary order for levying a library-rate of one penny in
the pound.

The Free Labour Society, formed by Colonel
Maude to oppcse Trades' Unions, is in extremis. The com-
mittee issue an address calling upon employers to help the
movement.

St. Aidan's College, Birkenhead, has been re-
suscitated, and the new council have appointed as its Prin-
cipal the Rev. William Saumarez Smith, M.A., Fellow of
Trinity College, Cambridge, Vicar of Trumpington, and
formerly chaplain to the Bishop of Madras.

Mr. J. C. Cobbold, who was for many years
M.P. for Ipswich in the Conservative interest, has been
attacked with gout and a carbuncle on the back of the
neck. The hon. gentleman, who is under the care of Sir
William Ferguson, is considered to be in a somewhat critical
state.

From a return published on Thursday it appears
that the total amount of duty paid on Fire Insurance in
Great Britain and Ireland during the year 1868 was £964,514.
Of this sum the Sun-office paid £120,637, tha Liverpool,
London, and Globe £95,705, the Phoenix £75,168, and the
Royal £73,868.

At an early hour on Wednesday the Sheffield
Ragged School, erected by subscription in 1856, and at which
500 scholars regularly attended, was destroyed by fire.
Nothing but the outer walls are left. happily all the in-
mates of the building were aroused and rescued. The origin
of the fire is not known.

An extraordinary accident occurred on Wednesday
at Speke Tower Farm, near Liverpool. The boiler of a
steam thrashing engine exploded, and the fire scattered from
it ignited a waggon load of hay close by. In attempting to
remove it, the burning straw was upset, and it fell upon a
poor woman, who was burnt to a cinder before she could be
reached.

An interesting return relating to the new Courts
of Justice was publihhed as a Parliamentary paper on
Thursday, from which it appears that since 1865 a sum of
4885,000 has been advanced from the Exchequer for
expenses to the site, &c., of the pew Courts of Justice.
All but 43,000 of this has been paid to the Exchequer out of
the Surplus Interest Fund of Suitors of the Court of Chan-
cery. The expenses have amounted to 4885,000, of which
£820,000 went for purchase of the site, and 430,000 for legal
expenses.

MILITARY EDUCATION COMMISSION.--A meeting
of the Commission was held on Tuesday last. Present—
Lord Dufferin (chairman), Lord E. Cecil, M.P., Lord De
Roe, Sir C. Russell, Sir D. Cameron, Major-General Eard-
ley Wilmot, Major-General Tlaythorne, Dr. Butler, Mr.
Lake, and Lieutenant-Colonel Chesney. The secretary,
Lieutenant Hozier, was iu attendance.

CAB REFORM.—The Council of the Society of
Arts propose to appoint a day, after the Whitsuntide
holidays, for discussing any practical measures for im-
proving tbo cab system in the metropolis. Any person
who may desire to submit proposals for discussion, are re-
quested to communicate them in writing to the secretary
of the Society of Arts, John-street, Adelphi, ou or before
Saturday, the 29th inst.
THE LYNN POISONING CASE.—The coroner's in-
quiry on the body of Langford closed last night. The
jury returned the following verdict:—" That deceased
died from diseases from which he had long been suffering,
but that his death was accelerated by strychnine given by
his wife, she Wing of uusottnd mind."