The Sun.
London, England, 1857-09-24 00:00:00

SPORTING NOTES.

MEMS. ON MANCHESTER.

Leicester Races have been brought to an ending post
without being marked by one memorable incident; the
gathering at Pontefract was a merry one, and the plea-
sure folk enjoyed the quantity of the racing without
criticising the quality. The Grand Military Doings are
scarcely heeded, and the gallant representatives of the
Army at Warwick seem something like the three tailors
who, in their petition to the Ring, commenced it with,
" We, the people of England." The betting on the
Cesarewitch has undergone several significant changes ;
M. Dobler has risen so steadily in favour, that the re-
ports about his being better, or at least as good as Black
Tommy, may not be all bosh. Mr. Drinkald has had a
long run of d!-luck, but he seems now to have got some
good animals, and his c xperience and discretion may
enablap him to " place them" with advantage.
Horses have been running about so much this
week that the fields at Manchester may be smaller
than is anticipated. Still the men of the cotton metro-
polis will have racing enough to amuse them. Prince of
Denmark has rocentiy shown such promising form that,
notwithstanding his 51n extra, I shall expert him to fol•
low up his usual success by winning the Chesterfield
Handicap. One of the lightly weighted three-yr-olds
may win the Wilton Handicap, my fancy pointing in the
direction of Pyrrhus the Second and Sir Humphrey.
Either Leo or the Little Cob may carry off the Tra'...
ford Handicap. By the way, those two horses meet on
precisely similar terms to those on which they ran at
York. For the Wellani Leo conceded 21b to Little
Cob, who beat him by a head. For that defeat be is
again called upori to give the " Cob" 21b. For the City
Handicap I shall select Intercidona and Polly Johnson.
The Northern Metropolitan, with its 33 entries, looks
quite formidable, and as little or nothing is at present
known respecting the starters, I am at a loss to make a
selection. At present, I could not perhaps choose more
representatives than Riseber and Lord Jersey. For the
Nursery Handicap 1 shall pay court to Yaller Gal and
Lady Elizabeth.

A FRESH MAN.

[OLD S DIERS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir,—There is uo rule without its exception—a
truth which seems to be lost sight of in the indis-
crinainating onslaught on old officers made in your
leader of the 19th inst.
You bid us beware of old men in our Meeruts,
and Dinapores, and Allahabads. As a brother of
the proved veteran now in c nnmand at Meerut,
permit me to mention a few particulars of service
already done, which may be taken as a pledge of
his further capability.
At the battle of Atiwal the dashing manner in
which he led on his battalion of Goorkas drew forth
the highest encomium from his commanding officer
—the gallant Sir H. Smith, who, alluding in his de-
spatch to this circumstance, adds (so far as I can re-
collect the words) this strong expression, " When
this officer gets his brigade I feel sure of its being
second to none."
Sir Harry was not mistaken in his man, this
augury being signally verified both at Sobraon and
Guzerat; the object of the above commendation for
his good service in both of these engagements re-
ceiving the decoration of C. 8., ancit the appointment
of A.D.C. to her Majesty.
Admitting many old officers to be used up, there
still remain many others who, though past the phy-
sical strength of middle age, have their mental
vigour unimpaired and their martial fire unquench-
ed, and who, taken for all in all, can hardly be ac-
counted the worse for wear.
Would the country have been a gainer by shelv-
ing on account of tho age which they had attained
at the time of some of their most brilliant achieve-
ments such men as Sir H. Smith, Napier, Gough,
and others of the same stamp ? Havelock himself,
remember, is no chicken.
Tenderness for the reputation of a soldier brother,
who now, at the call of duty, is placed in a situa-
tion of peril, must be my excuse for troubling you
with these remarks. —I am, sir, your obedient ser-
vant,