Evening star., 1897-05-08
FOREIGN CYCLE NOTES

new English saddle is supported by
three ordinary rubber balls. which do
away with the slightest jar, II is alleged.
The annual cycling contest between the
Oxford and Cambridge universities will be
held this year Tuesday, June - at the
Woodgreen track.
The international championship races
will be held this year at Glasgow, Scot
land, July 30 and 81 and August .. The
meeting will be held under the auspices
of the Scottish Cyclists Union. and a
cement track, measuring three and a half
laps to the mile. will be constructed and
preparations made for the accommoda tion
of large crowd.
In the suburbs of Paris every police sta
ton is supplied with one or more bicycles
for the use of the force.
In an experiment with a military bicycle
In France, zouave rode at rate Of
twelve miles an hour, went through his
part IN sham battle, then folded his ma
chine compactly, placed 1t on his back,
scaled an S-foot wall with a ladder fired
his gun repeatedly on the other side un-
folded his bicycle and rode Off.
According to the Irish Cyclist the Brit
ish Isles may only be a back garden" of
the Yankee cousins, but they are able to
more than hold their own i'm the matter
of bicycle exports. The most recent esti-
mate of American trade in this depart
ment places the figures at fSJ0000 sterling,
which still leaves them something like
f1O11,0W sterling behind British figures.
The best months for cycle touring in
Europe are from May ! to July !. inclu-
sive, in Great Britain, and until October on
the continent. The three most popular
and interesting routes are: /. England,
Scotland and Ireland: 2, France. Switzer-
land and Italy: 3. Norway and Sweden.
Owing to the ignorance of the native
servants who clean them, bicycles have q
rough time in India. The servants mean
! WELL but deluge the machine. There are
laws In India compelling cyclists to carry
lights. but. as most Of the riders are white
and the majority of the constables natives
the number of arrests is small. When the
machine was first introduced i'm the coun-
try the natives would fall down and wor-
ship it.
Hunting on bicycles seems to be a popu-
lar pastime in the south of England Ac-
cording to the latest departure the hare
Is a rustic cyclist mounted on an ancient
crockett. He has quarter Of an hour s
start of the hounds. and trails behind him
a rabbits skin soaked in oil Of aniseed.
A pair of beagles are then laid On the
scent" and with half dozen terriers and
the cycling huntsmen start Off in hot
haste. The hare checks the course at
| intervals with paper. and IL he be at all
cunning can cut out very exciting scent
by going through wood. crossing a
| hedge, or wading stream. thus at the
same time giving the dogs ''breather."
The increase in English imports of India
rubber is strikngly similar to the in
crease In tne exports OF cycies, tnuS ex-
ports of cycles. 1885, 900. ~: 1885, fl4l :,2,
1897. f137 ,,is9; imports of rubber. 1895. 81
212 hundred-weight: 1896 Al .396 hundred
weight 1897, 4O,3l1 hundred-weight.
A patent has been secured in England
for an invention to protect cyclists against
thieves. 1t consists of metal disc built
in the machine. on which engraved
the owners and makers autograph. and
a number. The names are engraved
that 1t is impossible to obliterate them
without making a new frame, which, of
course would make cycle stealing an un-
profitable occupation.