The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-24 00:00:00

Football Match.

ETON AND HARROW T. THE WORLD.

Yesterday this great match was played at Vincent-square,
Westminster. Tho first match was played about a fort-
night since, and, as our readers aro aware, resulted in a
draw, two " goals each being obtained by the two sides.
On that occasion the ground was in a bad state, but yester-
day it was much worse, owing to the thaw which sot in on
Tuesday night.
Precisely at a quarter to three the 15 players—eight for
Eton and Harrow and seven for the " World"—emerged
from the Lodge. Each player wore flannel trousers, and
with one or two exceptions had no covering over their
shirts. A finer body of young fellows could hardly be
imagined ; and as they, one by one, jumped lightly on to
the ground to take up their position at the goals their ap-
pearance was greatly admired.
Play commenced at three o'clock, and the ball, being
once set in motion, the players began to warm to their
work. It had not long commenced, however, before the
treacherous state of the ground made itself manifest by the
constant falls which happened to the players. First one,
and then two together, in their attempts to get the ball
towards the goal, came to grief, being smothered with
black mud, and one gentleman, receiving the full force of
the ball, which had boon kicked but a short distance off
hits, in his face, presented a very novel aspect, one side of
his face being made black. He bore the blow, however,
without flinching, and apparently unconcerned, joined im-
mediately with the others in following up the ball. For
about a quarter of an hour the game was thus continued,
when Mr. J. A. Foote, a young Carthusian, playing for the
World, by a splendid piece of strategy, nearly scored a goal
'for his side, the ball going within about half a yard of the
lists. Play was again resumed, and the Etonians and Har-
rovians strove hard to gain the first of the honours of the
day, but they were evidently overmatched by the World,
who gained the first goal by a well-directed kick of Mr.
M. Muir-Mackenzie, who, with his brother, Mr. K. Muir-
Mackenzie, played remarkably well.
The game now became most exciting, the public schools
striving most energetically to get to the front, and. to their
credit it must be said nearly on two occasions making a goal.
The Carthusians and the Mackenzie's were, however, again
too much for them, and after some splendid play, notwith-
standing the opposition at the goal Mr. J. A. Foote, the young
player already mentioned, secured the second goal for the
World. The game was now virtually over, but the schools
again tried hard to retrieve their fortunes, and when "time"
was called at twenty minutes past 4 the game stood thus—
The World 2 goals.
Eton and Harrow ... 0

The following were the sides:—

The World.--J. Kirkpatrick, Civil Service ;J. Butler,
Carthusian ; K. Muir-Mackenzie, 11. Muir-Mackenzie, C.
B. Nepean, Carthusian ; E. C. S. Gibson, Carthusian ; J.
A. Foote, Carthusian.

Eton and Harrow.--:A. L. Gallus, C. M. Tibbutt, E.
Freeth, A. F. Kinnaird, A. Trower, N. P. Deacon, P. P.
Holland, and J. 11. Morgan.

Naval and Military Intelligence.

,p. ___

The iron and wood double-screw armour-plated
gunboat Vixen, 4, now in the basin at Devonport-
dockyard, and which was put in commission only
in Sept. last by Commander Spencer P. Brett, is
to be put out of commission immediately. She is
740 tons burden, and has engines of 160-horse
power. The officers and men, with the exception
of the chief engineer, Mr. Treliving, are to be
transferred to the screw steam sloop Vestal, 4,
which has a burden of 1,081 tons, and has engines
of 300-horse power. The cause assigned for this
sudden change is the alleged unseaworthiness of the
Vixen. It appears that she left Plymouth on Mon-
day, Dec. 31, for Queenstown, and arrived at Fal-
mouth the same evening. She started again on
Tuesday morning, and between 11 and 12 o'clock
that night encountered a severe squall, which car-
ried away two of her five boats, stove in a third,
and swept the decks. She bore up for Falmouth,
but laboured so heavily in the trough of the sea, and
became so wet, that it was necessary to close all the
fore hatchways. The after-hatches were opened at
intervals to let air into the stokehole, where the
men were occasionally up to their ankles in water
Her double engines worked efficiently throughout.
Through thenecessity of keeping the forward hatch-
ways closed, the men were without cooked provi-
sions from tea time on Tuesday until Wednesday
evening, when she arrived at Falmouth. Here the
weather detained her several days, but she returned
to Plymouth unassisted by the Medusa, which was
sent down to tow her. Many naval officers ex-
pressed surprise that a ship of the Vixen's class
was sent across the Irish Sea, especially at such a
season, and with a falling barometer. This sur-
prise is much increased by her appearance as she
now lies in the basin equipped, stored, and provi-
sioned for the Atlantic service. It appears that she car-
ries two 6f-ton guns, and that her armour-plates are
as thick as those of the Warrior. To sustain these
weights she has a broad, flat bottom, and to qualify
her for river or harbour service, for which it is said
she was built, her draught is only Bft. It is, how-
ever, satisfactory to know that, notwithstanding the
severe storms she encountered on the Ist and 2d
inst., when other vessels in the same locality were
totally lost, the injuries sustained by the Vixen are
not very extensive, the hull, spars, rigging, and
engines being intact. None of the crew were in-
jured. Two days before her departure from Ply-
mouth her guns were tested outside the breakwater
with full charges of powder. Although there was
much sea on, capital practice was made at 1,200 and
1,400 yards, and the decks remained perfect. The
guns fire over long lengths of poop and forecastle,
and it is found that the carriages are much too low,
especially for close quarters. Her double screw, by
which she can readily turn on a pivot, was found
advantageous at gun practice and in the Irish Sea.
The Vixen was inspected on Tuesday morning by
Admiral Superintendent the Hon. James R. Drum-
mond, who was accompanied by Admiral Hastings
R. Yelverton. Mr. Barnaby, assistant constructor,
from the department of the Controller of the Navy,
is making some scientific observations regarding the
weights, the centre of gravity, and the capabilities
of the ship.
The Colonelcy of the 64th Regiment is vacant by
the death, on Saturday last, of Gen. Sir James
Freeth, K.C.8., K. 11., at the age of 81. He entered
the army as Ensign in the Royal Staff Corps (at-
tached to the Quartermaster-General's Department)
on the 25th of December, 1806, and obtained his
promotion, in the same corps, as Lieut., the 30th of
May, 1809 ; Capt., the 21st of April, 1814 ; Brevet- ,
Major, the 21st of Jan., 1819 ; and Brevet Lieut.-
Col., the 11th of July, 1826. He was appointed a
QuarterMaster-General at head-quarters on the ,
11th of July, 1826, and was placed on half-pay, on
the reduction of the Staff Corps, on the 25th of Jan.,
1830, He was nominated K.II. in 1833, appointed
Brevet-Col the 23d of Nov., 1841 ; Major-Gen., the
11th of November, 1851 ; and on the death of Sir
Willoughby Gordon he was promoted to Quarter-
master-General, which post he held till December,
when he was succeeded by Major-Gen. Sir Richard
Airey, K.C.B. Gen. Freeth was appointed Col. of
the 64th Regt. the 13th of Aug., 1855, and pro-