Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-04
CRICKET IN D|SFAVOR
Games Loss of Popularity Is
Due to Its SloWness.
PLAN ANOTHER BIG FAIR
Huge Hall Being Built for Exhibi-
ton at London in 1915.
HORSE RAPIDLY DISAPPEARING
War Office Faces Serious Problem in
Obtaining Remounts for
the Army.

LONDON. July %. 1912
Something Is SO wrong with the British
national summer game of cricket that its
followers write letters to the papers COM
planning that the game is becoming de-
cadent This criticism comes at a time
which has been hailed as the banner year
for imperial cricket, with teams from
Australia and South Africa competing on
home grounds with England for the
championship Of the empire. But thus far
the triangular matches have been exceed
ingly disappointing from the standpoint
Of attendance. Recently one of the most
important county matches attracted only
1S9 spectators.
Most of the critics agree that the fault
lies In the slowness of the game and that
something must be done to shorten the
matches, which now last generally three
days. This plan formerly suited the
Briton who took his sports as a solid part
Of the slow-moving machinery of his
existence, but the English temperament
has lost much of its stolidity and the met
ropolitan areas which supply the gates
for all games live and play at approx
mately the high speed which character
ICES American cities. The demand for re-
form is in the air, but the players are ap-
parently satisfied with the present form
of the game and in any new rulemaking
they will be able to overrule those who
are only interested in the game from the
spectators standpoint.
The loss of interest in cricket does not
seem to have spread to other sports: on
the contrary. other games are enjoying
distinct revival. Even the ancient games
of bowls Is making great strides, and in
Wales the recently introduced game of
base ball is becoming very popular.
Famed for His Exposes.
Sir Roger Easement, who wrote the
recent sensational blue book. report on
the rubber atrocities in Peru. was the
man who first brought to light the hor-
rors of the Kongo under the Leopoldian
rule. He has been in the consular serv-
ice for many years. but did not gain his
knighthood until coronation year.
During his Investigations in the Kongo
region he was frequently threatened with
ass ssination and his life was many
times in jeopardy. When it was found
impossible to scare him out Of the kongo.
King LeOpold's press began a virulent
campaign against him. and every eff
fort was made to discredit his reports
and to smtrch his persona. reputation.
Since 1903 he has been the British consul
genera in Rio Janeiro.
An imperial exhibition is to be held in
London in 1915. the definite plans for
which were made at a meeting held in
the Royal Colonial Institute. 1t is plan
ned to hold the fair In the great hall, de-
signed to be the largest In the world.
which is to be completed by the date
for the opening. The hall is to be start
ed at the conc usion of the Shakespea re
England exhibition at Earls Court. and
1t is hoped that it will be large enough
to accommodate all the exhibits. The
roof is to be of a single span about twice
the size of the span over Olympia. and
the hal Is to have on the ground floor
a superficial area of 275.9O0 square feet
and on the upper floor 1Ol 800 feet