The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-01
has to say at the annual gathering in De- cember.

has to say at the annual gathering in De- cember.
 The Count de Ribaucourt, who has just died in Belgium, must not be confused with Monsieur E. Ribaucourt, who owns large racing staple in Belgium, and has been winning numerous races recently at Ostend. The Count de Ribaucourt has rot run many race horses during the last few years, and question very much if he had any in training at the present time; but he kept up his old stud farm, attached to his chateau at Perck, near Vilvorde, where he had number of useful brood mares. The Count was vice president Of the Belgian Jockey club and president or the Societe Royale q Encouragement de Bolgique, and in the early days of the Belgian turf he was a great power and personality. Even in his old age he was looked up to with the highest respect whenever he made his appearance on a race course. He was a man of tall and distinguished bearing, almost invariably wore a tall silk hat, and seemed always to be smoking the fag-end of a cigarette in long wooden holder.
 Count de Ribaucourt belonged to the old nobility of Flanders.
 Johnson" writes Weekly Dispatch
 
 in very curious manner for his ap- preaching match with Bombardier Wells at Earls Court. Announced to give a dis play at that place prior to his departure for Paris, it is fresh in our recollections that he refused to spar although lie turned up accompanied by his partners. His excuse was that his medical man bad told him he must do nothing for fort night, but he offered to give a display On roller skates.
 Then he left for Paris, where the trun- pets had been blown loudly to announce his coming At his first appearance he kept the crowd waiting for a couple of hours while he had his clothes pressed, and now it is stated he has missed two appearances, is dissatisfied with his quar- ters, and is thinking of returning to Lon don.
 Johnson, like all other colored men, is so deeply imbued with the idea of his own importance that he may be forgiven lot. but all this shilly shallying with a contest in the very near future is by no means re- assuring to the general public. Only a very small proportion think that wells can win, provided Johnson is ft but we all want him to win. But what does Johnson mean? He is certainly not train ing Gas though he were entering upon what he has described as "the fight of his life.''
 Wells, meanwhile, is training steadily and although all good judges fear the re- suit of the meeting of a novice and . postmaster of the art he carried the hopes and the sympathies of every white man in the world. This makes it all the more dis appointing that he has not been founo better sparring partners.
 This is not written with the idea Of throwing down the men who are working with him. That must not be thought of for moment. But. hard as they are working, and they are doing their utmost they are not clever enough. Tt does no good to Wells to box with men he could knock out in single round if he cared to do so. What he wants is to get couple of partners who could teach him something, partners who could spring surprises upon him, and make him think out for himself how to meet any novel attack set up.
 That is the only way in which a boxer can improve himself. It is no good spar ring for the sake of sparring, and it is both in attack and defense that Wells needs improving. It is no good talking of Johnson possessing a weak spot, and that Wells knows where it is. What's the good of that if he can't get there? The Bombardier is up against a very big prop ostion and we all want him to tackle it in the best manner possible"
 Boxing people who ought to know say that the Wells-Johnson match will do more to kill the popularity of boxing than any other event within their memory. If the conditions were more equal it would be different.
 One has only to glance at the measure ments of the two men to see the absurdity of their meeting. At the age of 22 Wells Is to fight the battle of his life against a. man Il years his senior. Measuring 6 feet 21s inches. the white man. it is true, has an advantage of 2A inches in height over his dusky opponent, and inches in reach 79 inches against 76 inches. But Johnson, when in condition is IA pounds heavier than the Bombardier As for the other measurements Johnson exceeds Wells.