The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-02-16

SIEIGNS IN LINZ. tNO VI ibLN N'''7
VERTED."
ILondon Daily News, January 27ih
TIE announcement OF q meet Of the
" Sleigh Club" in Hyde Park for Yesterday
mu,t have come rs n surprise upon those
who are only dimly conscious OF the semI-
Arctic nature OF our English climate.
The increasing difficulty OF locomotion
by the ordinary agency OF wheels DUNG
the eharp trosts through which the me-
tropoli, has for some DAYS been passing has
naiurally called attention TO the subject Of
sledce. driving, and latierly II has been by
no means an uncommon sight 10 witness
snug ltttle sledgeS, With their bright, noise.
less steel blades and j,nghug little bells. as
they glide along The bleak roadway IN
the parks and even in the principal
public thOrOughfares. The Prince OF
Wales, who, 1t was expected, would
make one OF the putty at thc meet
Yesterday. but who did not arrive, has
shown marked liking for this eXblla-
rating pastime, and his Royal Highnts>'s
cquIpage has been seen IN public driving
al1ur Rotten Row within the last few DAYS.
Strictly ,pelking, The sleigh Club can hardly
ne called club at an. The glorious uGcer-
t1inty Of The frost, even during the most
rigorous Of winter weather, renders the per
manent establishment Of such an ASSOCIATION
in this country s0mew bat unnecessary, II
not lmpracticabe.
n occurred, however. 10 Captain BOnb0te
10 appoint general rendezvous Tor some
friends and others who have taste Tor thls
new and Sea>onable mode ol loc0mollou,
and il is that gentleman who not unrrasoh-
ably presided over yts'erday' proceedings.
The place OF meeting was near the fowdef
- hon. nj
weather and when the roads afford less
treacheIous Ioo'hold to horses hoois, the
cav equjpages Of the members OF the Four
in.hand club are wont to assemble IN inn
posine numbers. No such gathering, how
ever. rs those which tak= place during
the coaching season was visible yesterday,
although many hundreds OF persons, most
| OF Them skaters who temporarily deserted
their favorite amusement, took up their pO-
sitions on either side OF the roadway 10
witness the unusual spectacle OF Sledge
meet. IL had confidently been anticipated
that fifteen >ledges at the lowest calculation
would be upon the ground, but "a matter
Of fact, punctuay at 1890. the appointed
time, four only were at the place Of meet
ing. These were afterwards joined by sew.
cral other, but at no tine was there any
considerable muster. The tate of the wea-
ther was doubtless uniavOrable to the pro-
mOterS. To those who came to Hyde
Park yesterday prepared for the lnyig-
Grating exercise Of skating upon the
massive Ice Of the Serpentne no doubt
it was matter of little moment that The
wind blew from the east, or that the ther-
mOmeter had dropped to within "measu ura-
bic distance" Of the figure zero. But to
those who had to sit stan aS they drove
their sledges along the frosted road the
case was far different, end not even the
warmest Of fur-cothing apparently sufhced
TO guard against the effects of the eXccp-
tionaly severe cold. There was n UiDping
and an eager air, which cut al the face anu
set the ears tingling, but had not The force
necessary TO dlspeTse the thick mist which
hung over the dreary prospect OF the turf
with ITS hcar covering, and the trees with
their gaunt, leafleSs branches.
The first arrival was Captain BOnhOte,
who, accompanied by Mr.. Askew, drove up
in splendid stl le in a beautifully fashioned
sledge, with bright, curled ,iCel blades, IN
the form OF swan, and 0rnamented with
silver bells. Others came III quick sue
cessiOn; but with This one exception the
tqnipageS were rs unlike, for instance,
the sledge in which the Polish jew was
slain by the innkeeper Matthias, in Messrs.
Erckmann.C Chatrain's romance, as could
well be imagined. In the greater num-
Der OF eases tie blades fashioned inlo
curves out Il black iron strips had been
fitted TO cart-sprIngs OF the ordinary Kind,
suggesting the possibility OF rOugb.and-
ready process of conversion having been re-
sorted to 10 meet The emergency. AS re-
garded their outward appearance, III fact,
these vehicles had very much the same APP
pearance as ordinary traps and brefks,
although it was easy to see bow much
better adapted they were for loco.
motion under existing circumstances
than wheeled carriages. The fine, toddeu-
down snow in the roadway afforded
Just sufficient fOOlhold TO lbe horses,
while the blades glided along smoothly and
swiftly behind them. Several ladie- under |
took to drive, handling he ribbons" Gas
a by-sander in particularly tieht trousers |
put ~ with dexteriiy. The toilets Datu- |
rally did not constitute so striking Il feature |
as at the great gatherings in HYDE Park !
during the summer, but the dark sealskns |
were in decided Keeping with the wIntry |
and by no means unpeasing |
20 the eve. The start was made shortly |
ailer the appointed time bv Lold Charles |
beresford, with whom was Lady Lonsdale. |
Z GLOWING them were Captain BonhOte, !
Colonel Ferguson, and others in single |
borse, pair-horSe, and tandem sledges.
The Journey around the Serpentlne was
OeyeFal times perior@ed in very small
space af time and without mlsbap. A con-
siderable crush at the place of meeting had
been anticipated: bat although there were
nRInIber both of carriages and pedestrians
he police force which bad been specially
old ~ 10 keep order, nnder Inspectors
Bradley asd Allison, hso gery little TO do
xcepa to 'isok on duriag the proceedings.
{ was understood that sbauId the state OF
he weather be favorable aen The roads re-
pain coyrnaS with snow second meeting
viii probabig be held on Saturday next.
Governnr Y 81 NJ HnllidaY OF Xirginia |