The Sun. — 1869-08-30 (London, England)

HEENAN. To begin with, the latter incident was wholly free from the brutality which marked the former. Superfine reviews, organs of blood and culture, might do their utmost to glorify pugilism with the magic of clever writing. The pluck of the little against the giant AE ngel ri chamn am in galist sheeemstfooord muvhpile to throw a glamour of heroism over the battle. But pugilism would not go down with the great bulk of the British people. The spectacle of two men pounding each other's faces into jelly and gore, society could not tolerate. Public opinion was too much for the reviewers. It forced the lawtointerfere and to forbid thesecontests. When pugilists attempted to evade the law, aidedby the railway companies, they found themselves now outwitted, now betrayed. The prize-ring received a fatal blow two years ago, when one of two intending combatants, fearful of the result, gave notice to the police, who arrested the other. In proportion as pugilism has descended in the public estimation, 1 aquatics have ascended. During this seventh decade of the nineteenth century we have, unquestionably degenerated in many respects. Horse-racing has ceased to be merely a pastime, a race has ceased to be a holiday. That which was once a sport has become a serious business ; that which was once a festival has become a most wearing and harrassing day. The upas tree of the bettingring has cast its deadly shade over the turf, and the national amusement of our forefathers' day has become the bane and the curse of their degenerate descendants. Aquatics have not wholly escaped from the same evil influence. But though reporters speak of " welshers " and odds freely offered, this sport is as yet comparatively free. May it, like cricket, long continue so; may both the oar and the bat long flourish.  Another point to be noticed is the altered feeling which was shewn towards our rivals on Friday as compared with nine years ago. We remember with shame how a fresh disgrace was added to an encounter disgraceful in itself when the English bystanders, seeing that their champion was in danger of being worsted, cut the ropes, rushed into the ring, and broke off . the match. Very different was our conduct on the Thames. Every effort was made to secure an honest race. Cantabs, remembering their many defeats, may fairly complain that the same precautions taken on Friday by the Thames Conservancy Board was not taken in the inter-University matches. These matches have been all but spoilt by the crowding of the river steamers upon the rival crews. But in the present race a rule, rigid as the chain by which it was put in force, was passed absolutely prohibiting the passage of the steamers. The very rumours which prevailed so widely a week or two ago, that under no circumstances would Harvard be permitied to win, were their own corrective. They stirred up the authorities into action, in order to prevent that which would have been a lasting national disgrace. And though it was, we suppose, but natural that a crowd composed mainly of Englishmen should wish Englishmen to win, the Americans cannot say that there was any sign of rudeness or antagonism. On the contrary there were probably not a few spectators who, prompted by internatioual courtesy,  would have: liked to see Harvard first, just as they would have liked to see Oxford first on American waters. This altered state of feeling is due, no doubt, in great measure to that decreasing insularity and increasing world-sympathy which is one of the most hopeful signs of the English character. It is due, however, still more to the fact that Englishmen and Americans understand each other so much better than they did nine years ago. The fight at Farnborough took place a year before the fatal shot was fired from Fort Sumter. The international jealousy which was so discreditably manifested at the encounter of 1800 became intenser and fiercer during those four sad years of the Civil War. But all is changed now. America is at peace ; America and England are at concord. They have no other contests than those of rival oarsmen.  W f„x\X-1 7 t:I4 &mkt4l 'V...  PEARFUL SUICIDE FROM THE CLIFTON SUSPENSION BRIDGE, BRISTOL,  On Saturday evening great excitement was produced at Clifton in consequence of a young man precipitating himgelf from the suspension bridge into the river A''dii. The mspension-bridge, it may be well to state, spans the gorge )f the river, and connects the beautiful Downs, on the tclp of the St. Vincent, Clifton, with the romantic demesne known as Leigh Woods, on the Somersetshire bank of the Avon. The height of the structure is 245 feet abciVe highwater mark, and the low-water point ripmi ivhieii the unhappy young man fell was some twenty feet below that. ft would seem that the poor fellow paid his toil at the gate For crossing the bridge, and proceeded as far as the centre of the bridge on the upper or Bristol side, rind that then, having denuded himself of his hat, coat, and waiscoat, he )lainbered over the parapet. He was seen by persons at the Ilotwells to get over the rail of the bridge and hold rn by both his hands. In a few moments he released one )f them, and almost instantly was seen tumbling over and over through the air into the abyss below. Owing to some barricades which have been raised along the banks of the Avon to cover some exAensive works going on in connection with the improvement and extension of the harbour, the persons on the Ofoucestershire banks of the river did not see him actually strike the mud, but Mr. Wilinson, the resident engineer of the port and pier railway, who happened to be passing, heard a loud "thud," On running to an opening in the planks of the balustrade, he saw the poor fellow's body on the mud, lying on his back. Mr.Wilk inion at once obtained the assistance of some of his men, and the body was got up and removed. On the clothes being searched by the police 11d, in money was found in the pockets, together with a knife and some minor articles, but nothing that could at all point to his identity. The body is that of a fine young man, of about 22 or 23 years of age, with a bronzed handsome face and very thick hair.