The Sun.
London, England, 1827-10-17 00:00:00

SAILING MATCH.

On Monday a Sailing Match, which excited considerable
interest, took place from Blackwall to Gravesend and back,
between the under-mentioned vessels, for 501., viz. :
Will o' the Wisp, W. IL Harrison, Esq., Chelsea, 16 tons,
and Success, R. Hope, Esq., Tower, 17 tons. At half-
past ten the vessels were at their stations, and on the sig-
nal being given, they were quickly under weigh, the Suc-
cess taking the lead. The Will o' the Wisp, however,
passed her to windward in admirable style at Erith Reach,
and finally reached Blackwall about five o'clock, beating
the Success by 21 minutes.

FIGIIT BETWEEN REUBEN MARTEN AND
YOUNG GAS,
FOR ONE HUNDRED POUNDS A SIDE.

Notwithstanding the prejudices which exist among
certain beaks," paid" and " unpaid," in the home
counties, against the ancient sports of the Ring, and
the industry which they manifest in clapping the
" stopper" on the amusements of the Fancy, their
spirit does not seem to have obtained very gene-
ral adoption, but, on the contrary, to have pro-
duced an opposite feeling. This has been most
especially evinced in the county of Hants, where, in
defiance of the alarm which the singular conduct of
Mr. Swabey and tie broad brims at- Staines might
have been calculated to excite, no less a sum than
forty pounds was raised by way of subscription, to
induce some of the Prize Ring to go down and give
a philippic to the dull monotony of " Life among
the Yokels." At the head of this subscription were
some of the most respectable gentlemen of the
county : and, in consequence of the liberal encou-
ragement thus afforded, the two fights between Reu-
ben Mailen and Young Gas, and Ikey Dodd and
Harry Jones, which were appointed for yesterday,
were removed, not by certiorari, but bysa habeas,
issued from the office of the Commissary-in-Chief
to the said bailiwick. The ancient town of Havant,
.within nine miles of Portsmouth, was appointed as
the head-quarters of the belligerents; and thither
they proceeded on Sunday, Reuben Marten entrench-
ing himself at the Dolphin, Young Gas at the Bear,.
Harry Jones at the George, and Ike Dodd at the
Black Dog. The "office" was soon given through.:
out the county of the intended treat, and the sensa-
tion produced was of the most extraordinary de-
scription. All ranks seemed equally on the alert,
and every topic of discussion, save that of milling,
was laid aside. In the course of Monday, the town
of Havant overflowed with visitors from the sur-
roundingm-
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which, from there being but fire inns and public-
houses in the town, were only procured at high
prices, the lowest figure for a very inferior " shake
down" being five shillings. Many of the Londoners
.proceeded on to Portsmouth, or stopped at Chiches-
ter, and thus saved themselves from the nailing sys-
tem ; although, perhaps, at some addition to their
travelling expenses.
Great pains had been taken to " make all right"
with respect to the plaae of meeting, and posjtive

assurances were given, that in Haling Island, which
is in the parish of Bosmere; in the county of
Southampton, and within two miles of Havant, no
interruption would take place. The island is joined
to the mainland,by a wooden bridge, on which the
tolls are very expensive, and, therefore, this might
be an additional inducement to give preference to
such a spot; bnt from whatever cause the pre-
feruce arose, it was frustrated, as will appear in the
sequel, in the most mortifying manner.

At an early hour yesterday morning a few odd
stragglers began to drop into head-quarters; but the
great bulk of the amateurs did not arrive till about
eleven, when a most lively and cheerful scene wds,
presented. Carriages of all descriptions, including
many drawn by four horses, tandems, curricles, lan-
daus, barouches, and gigs, came pouring into the
town from every direction—Portsmouth, Chiches-
ter, Brighton, and Southampton, all furnishing their
contributions. Particular attention was attracted
by one flash drag filled with Corinthians, who were
accompanied by key-bugle players, who infused the
most lively sensations throughout the throng by
playing, " Hurra, for the bonnets o' blue," in good
style; a tune particularly applicable to the scene, as
blue was the colour both of Martin and Gas, and
this popular song was composed
.by Lee, a son
of Harry Lee, the celebrated pugilist. As it turned
out, however, harmony was not long to be the order
of the day ; for, as the patrons of the fistic art came
like a torxent from one end of the town, they were
suddenly stopped by the approach of Tom Oliver,
Harry Helt, Jac. Fishwick, Frosty-faced Fogo, and
Jack Clarke, rushing from the other—their hair
standing on end like " quills upon the fretful porcu-
pine." As if anxious to escape the fate of Hippo-
lytus, they seemed to seek safety in flight from some
horrific monster of the sea.

Fora time all were brought to a stand-still, and
the alarm became general; but after a moment's
pause an explanation was obtained. It turned out,
that although there was nothing supernatural in the
cause of their fright, there was sufficient to justify
their speedy retreat. In plain terms, the " beaks,"
or rather the myrmidons of the beaks, were at their
haunches. While busily engaged in forming the
ring, on Haling Island, four constables approached
and announced in a friendly way that they were arm-
ed with authority to apprehend Reuben Marten, and
his co-boxers, if they ventured to exhibit their ta-
lents in the hundred of Bosmere, and therefore ad-
vised that some other scene, might be chosen for
their exploits. This was sufficient • and hence their
sudden return to the place which they had left. That
such an interruption should have taken place was
matter of general surprise, but it was soon explained.
A pious gentleman named Leeke, who had been " a
man of war," and had oft " followed some warlike
lord to the field," had changed his character, and
become " a man of peace;" he had, in truth, enlisted
under the banners of the Bishop, and was then in the
awkward squad as a candidate for clerical promotion,
and sought this mode of ingratiating himself with his
patron,. by rendering himself conspicuously officious.
" The spirit moved him" to lay informations before
a worthy Magistrate in the neighbourhood, who was
constrained to act upon his application, and to adopt
measures which otherwise might have been avoided.
A Council of War was immediately held at the
Bear Inn upon the course which it might be prudent
to adopt; and after various suggestions, it was re-
solved to proceed to the adjoining county of Sussex.
Westhourne Common, about four miles distant, was
named as the new place of rendezvous, and thither
the Commissary and his assistants, followed by the
anxious multitude, at a round trot, set. forward,
giving additional evidence of the extraordinary inte-
rest which such scenes are calculated to. excite in
the breasts of Englishmen.
Nothing could exceed the- regularity which pre-
vailed in this movement en 2nasse. No accident or
disturbance occurred, and all reached the appointed
arena in good order.