The Sun.
London, England, 1850-07-03 00:00:00

JULY 3, 1850.

THE SCOTTISH FETE.

The sports commenced on Monday were resumed
yesterday with great spirit, and the weather being more
propitious there was a very large attendance of visitors.
The stands were all well filled, and the_gronnds pre-
sented a very animated appearance. Having in our
yesterday's impression given a full description of the
games exhibited and the general character of the fete, it
is unnecessary again to enter into the details of the pro-
ceedings. Tne first day having been dedicated to the
discovery and selection of the best men in the different
sports, the second saw the number of the competitors
considerably diminished, and the trials of strength and
skill narrowed to what special pleaders call " a single
issue." The performances commenced with archery,
the contest for the prizes in which was maintained in a
very creditable manner and with a decided improvement
on the practice of last year. This is the more praise-
worthy, as, from the near approach of the great annual
Toxophilite Exhibition in Scotland, there were few
archers present from the north. The successful compe-
titors are nearly all Englishmen, and the subjoined
figures will show that they are no novices in the art
on which the reputation of William Tell and Robin
Hood is founded:

Hits. Gross Score.
Horace Ford .. ... ... ... 144 618
J. Bramhall ... ... ... ... 143 595
Thomas Heath ... ... ... 130 556
Charles Garnett ... ... ... 128 548
Willis ... ... ... ... ... 110 470
E. Merrick ... ... ... ... 136 454
T. Meyler ... ... ... ... 103 443
C. Hubbock ... ... ... ... 106 440
T. Attwood ... ... ... ... 113 437

G. Hutchons 90 427
As few of our readers, in all probability, know what
the "gross score" means, it is necessary to explain that
a hit in " the gold," or bull's-eye, counts nine ; one in
" the red," seven ; one in the inner " white," five ; one
in " the black," three ; and one in the outer " white,"
one.

The aggregate of " hits" is called the " gross
score." We have given the names of only ten of the
successful competitors, though the prizes extend to a
much greater number.
Another exhibition of a very interesting character
took place in the early part of the day and excited
much attention. ' We allude to a competition in Strath-
speys and Real music on the violin. Herr Ernst and the
other great masters of the day would no doubt be greatly
amused at the rude style of this performance, but there
must be some distinguishing touches of poetry and sen-
timent in a subject which has called forth one of the
finest efforts of Wilkie's pencil and Burns' muse. " The
Scotch Fiddle," is a delicate subject to touch upon; but
the managers of thefete have, in a very praiseworthy
manner, overlooked the joke to which this item in their
programme undOubtedly exposed them. They have
thereby done an important service to the musical repu-
tation of their country, fir there now remain but tew
representatives of Neil GOW'd style of instrumentation;
and it would be a great pity that for want of a little fos-
tering care the cheerful tunes, which in the long winter
nights excite the humblest families in the Highlands to
dance, and reconcile them to their inclement sky and
hard fortunes, should be entirely forgotten. The success-
ful competitors in fiddling yesterday were 1). Mc
Fer-
cher, Allan and Ewen Fraser from Lochaber.

After one o'clock the proceedings partook very much
of the same character as on Monday. Thomas Menzies
" put" the heavy stone, weighing 201 b., 33 ft. 9 in.;
D. D. Kennedy, 33 ft. 1 in.; and A. It'E.an. 32 tt.
10i in. The heavy hammer was thrown 81 ft. 10 in. by
John Frazer, and 81 f,. '2 in. by Thomas Menzies. The
tossing of the " caber' again proved a most attractive
performance, the successful competitors being Samuel
Kennedy and John Cameron. There were two foot
races, in the first of which Forbes, Gow, and Notman
were the winners; and in the second D. M'Crae, W.
Connachie, and W. Kennedy. Interspersed with these
games were dancing and broadsword and bayonet exer-
cise. The style of two or three of the men who danced
was thoroughly characteristic, and it was quite remark-
able how accurately the spectators picked out and showed
their predilection for those performers whose step and
bearing seemed most "native and to the manner born."
One lad named G. Forbes Notenan danced the Highland
fling with such admirable spirit and grace that the
judges have determined to give him one of the prix-s
offered by her Majesty, when she visited Rolland-park
on Monday.
Were we asked to specify the main features of yester-
day's exhibition we should unhesitatingly say that it was
the broad-sword and target exercise as opposed to the
bayonet. The result of the repeated trials made between
men thus armed leaves it beyond doubt that in single
combat, and, we presume, in a general action also, the
baycnet has no chance with the claymore and shield.
Nearly a dozen bouts took place, the man selected for
the bayonet being the very best that Loudon could pro-
duce, while those armed with the sword and target,
though good fencers, had little or no experience of the
use to which a shield could be put. The result was in
every instance favourable to the old Highland weapons of
warfare, and in three or four cases the bayonet man was
not able to make a single thrust. It was very amusing
to see the intense interest with which a large body of
the best swordsmen in the Household troops and in
the Artillery watched this part of the performances.
The merit of bringing this important question to
the military world so prominently forward rests
we believe, with Mr. M'lan, who, with Mr. Chap-
man, acted as umpires over the display of fencing. All
questions which could not be decided by these gen-
tlemen were referred to Mr. Angelo, who, with his son
Mr. Henry Angelo, might well feel proud of the dexte-
rity displayed by so many of their pupils entered on the
occasion as combatants. The prizes in broadsword ex-
ercise were awarded to Corporal Sutton, Corporal
Jackson, and Corporal Venn. In broadsword and target
exercise as against the bayonet to Corporal-Major As-
ling, Corporal Venn, and Monsieur Leon Gillemand.
Among the more distinguished visitors to the fete
yesterday were the Nepaulese Princes. They were re-
ceived at the entrance to the park by a body guard,
specially appointed for the purpose, and wore conducted
at once to seats in Lord Holland's private stand. There
they remained for more than an hour spectators of all
that took place. The performance terminated shortly
after six o'clock ; the band of the Scotch Fusileers
playing " God save the Queen," and the pipers escort-
ing the company with music to the gates of the park.
At half-past seven o'clock a banquet took place in the
Freemasons' Tavern, as an appropriate close to the pro-
ceedings of the fete, and for the distribution of the
prises. The chair was filled by Sir Evan Mackenzie, of
Kilcoy, who discharged its duties with great good taste,
and in giving the toast of " Prosperity to the Scottish
Fete," counselled all concerned in it to unanimity of
feeling and harmonious action. He reminded the com-
pany of the old saying, "Highlanders shoulder to
shoulder," and we must say, from many things that we
have heard and seen, the hint thus given by Sir Evan
is an exceedingly well-timed one. At a late hour of the
evening no list of prizes had been announced, nor was
there the least prospect of such announcement taking
place, though the successful competitors were all present
in the hall ready to receive their rewards, and though
the dinner had been specially ordered for the purpose.
This indicates mismanagement somewhere, and shsivs
that the committee, to whom the business of the fete
is intrusted, do not pull cordially together. The High-
land Society. however, and the Scottish Society are the
bodies to which the public will look for the adjustment
of these differences. Under their joint patronage a new
and valuable addition has been made to the summer
amusements of the metropolis. If they exert themselves
properly, a great and useful amount of encouragement
will be afforded to those characteristic and manly out-
door sports which for a long time have fallen into dis-
repute became they have not been properly patronised,
but which, among all distinguished nations, have been
regarded with favour as forming the habits and con-
firming the health of the people. If, through misma-
nagement, the Scottish fete ceases to be attractive, the
blame of the failure will be thrown by the public, not on
individuals, but upon the societies already mentioned—
societies established expressly for the purposes to which
this exhibition is devoted, and which are useless if by
their patronage they do not preserve for it the popu-
larity which it has already acquired.

Mr. Maunsell, M.P., had an interview with the
Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday, at his official
rendenet in Downing-street.