jump by means of C. A. Bradley, G. B. Shaw, and R. Williams. The L.A.C. Autumn Meeting on Oct. 21 was memorable for the fine walking of W. J. Sturgess, who in a special handicap beat all the Amateur Records from 4 miles up to 8 miles 270 yds., completed in an hour.

Before continuing the review of Athletic Contests which, from this point, pertain to the season of 1896, it may be mentioned that the American A. A. Union, after the departure of their guests, proceeded to sit in judgment upon some of their own Champions and for various reasons passed decrees against Messrs. Hickok, Wefers (competitors in the International Match), and C. W. Stage, who were held to have broken the regulations, or in other ways to have compromised their amateur status. During the months which followed evidence was laid before the English Athletic Authorities, and an investigation was held which resulted in July in the suspension of C. A. Bradley, A. R. Downer, H. Watkins, and G. Crossland, on the charge of having received from athletic clubs certain sums of money for the payment of their expenses. The matter is mentioned here because both Bradley and Downer had taken part in the visit to the United States. A great deal of criticism was levelled at the Amateur Athletic Association, because the evidence of the Clubs concerned in these transactions had been accepted against the runners; but on the whole the supporters of amateurism were fairly satisfied that something had been done to purify sport, whereas it was by no means clear that the methods advocated by the critics would have had any practical result, or indeed that these gentlemen were genuinely anxious that any punishment should be inflicted.

W.

Nothing of note was seen at the Cambridge Freshmen's Sports on Nov. 4 and 6. Campbell, of Rossall School, gained three first prizes and a second, clearing 20 ft. 1 in. in an exhibition long jump, and winning the Weight and Hammer. At Oxford, on Nov. 12 and 14, the performances were more satis

factory. J. M. Fremantle (Hertford) bore out his Eton reputation by winning the mile in 4 mins. 40 secs. in a high wind and on a heavy track. P. P. Crossley (Winchester and Trinity) was first in four events hammer, weight, high jump, and hurdles; while F. L. Stephenson (Highgate and Trinity) not only won the quarter in 53 secs., but in the 100 yds. ran a good second to R. Goddard (Marlborough and Trinity). The long jump fell to H. L. Jones (Newcastle-under-Lyme and Merton) with 19 ft. 10 ins. On Boxing Day, under decidedly unfavourable conditions, at Wembley Park, Sturgess managed to reduce the records for 11 and 12 miles walking, but retired from a 20 miles handicap after completing the 12th mile in 1 hr. 29 mins. 32 secs. The Cambridge University Handicaps were contested on Feb. 15 and 17, and were chiefly remarkable for the victory of the president, W. Fitzherbert, in the 120 yards from scratch in 12 secs. He was beaten in the quarter in 49 secs. by H. F. E. Wigram (Trinity) with 16 yds. start. The mile was won by H. F. Howard (Trinity Hall), 50 yds., in 4 mins. 27 secs., and with the same start, W. W. Gibberd, the Cross Country representative, had an easy task in the 3 miles. None of the other performances call for particular mention. When the Oxford University Sports opened on March 5, the absence of Fremantle under medical orders on the first day was much regretted. This left W. H. Whitelaw (New College) to win the mile in 4 mins. 363 secs., by 6 yds. from W. H. Smith (Exeter). The hurdle race fell to the Blue, W. J. Oakley (Christ Church), with E. T. Garnier second; Time 16 secs., but he was beaten in the long jump by G. J. Mordaunt (University) with 21 ft. 7 ins., and in the hammer by A. Ó. Dowson (New College) with 93 ft. G. Jordan (Univer、 sity) went down before J. S. C. Mayne (B.N.C.) in the 100 yds. in the fast time of 10 secs., and T. A. Gardner (New College) jumped 5 ft. 9 ins. Jordan won the quarter easily in 50% secs., and Oakley the weight with 36 ft. 3 ins. Fortunately, Fremantle was able to turn out for the 3 miles, and he won it by 100 yds. from

Whitelaw in 15 mins. 10 secs. Wet weather interfered with the Cambridge Sports on the second of the two days March 7 and 9. It was very odd that, as at Oxford, the president, Fitzherbert, was beaten in the sprint by H.F.E. Wigram (Trinity) and in the same time, 103 secs., and subsequently won the quarter in 51 secs. One of the best achievements was H. J. Davenport's (Trinity) mile in 4 mins. 28 secs., H. F. Howard of Trinity running well for second place. S. G. Lubbock (King's) jumped 5 ft. 7 in., and E. Batchelor (Caius) 20 ft. 3 ins. A. B. Johnston (Pembroke) won the hammer with 94 ft. 1 in., and J. H. Bulloch (Trinity) the weight with 36 ft. 5 ins. The hurdles produced an even struggle, C. E. M. Wilson (Trinity) falling at the tape and thus losing to W. H. Maundrell (Corpus) in slow time. W. V. Wood (Clare) beat Gibberd easily in the 3 miles. In their match with the L.A.C., on March 14, several of the Cambridge men showed improved form, and a winning throw of J. A. Halliday (Trinity) in the hammer competition was particularly encouraging. Wigram and Fitzherbert secured the 100 yds. and quarter, Davenport the mile, Lubbock the high jump, and Batchelor the long jump, while W. M. Fletcher put the hurdles to the Club's credit, and C. W. Young with a put of 38 ft. 0 in. did as much for the weight. The Oxford and Cambridge contest took place on March 27, before a surprisingly small number of spectators. It was from the first a most exciting affair. In the 100 yds. both Mayne and Wigram, who had beaten their respective presidents in the trials failed to repeat their feats, but the two Oxonians finished in front of Fitzherbert. Time 10 secs. A second point was given to Oxford by both Garnier and Oakley distancing their rivals, the judges awarding Garnier the race--a somewhat doubtful decision-by 6 ins. in 16 secs. Howard reversed the Cambridge running by beating Davenport in the mile in 4 mins. 29 secs., Smith, the Oxonian, being third. Bulloch beat Oakley and won the weight with 38 ft. 2 ins. to 37 ft. 3 ins. and brought Cambridge level. Then, however, E. O. Kirlew (Christ Church, Oxford) jumped 5 ft. 8 ins., or one inch better than either Lubbock or Gardner could manage, and Oxford led by 3 points to 2. The crisis came in the magnificent race between Jordan and Fitzherbert in the quarter, won by the latter in the final spurt, in the fastest time ever accomplished at this meeting, 49 secs. Cambridge lost the lead in the hammer, Johnston throwing 107 ft. 7 ins. and Halliday 99 ft. 11 ins., and Batchelor's long jump of 22 ft. 7 ins. made their victory secure, G. C. Vassall (Oriel, Oxford) being second with 4 ins. less. Fremantle ran with fine judgment in the 3 miles and defeated Wood by 10 yds. in 15 mins. 12 secs., Whitelaw being a bad third. Cambridge thus won by no more than the odd event, but this was a better result than their friends had anticipated. With the so-called Olympic Games, held at Athens on April 6 and following days, Englishmen had very little to do. The project was originally a French one, and though the cooperation of England was formally invited, little or no endeavour was made to advertise the meeting in England, and no information was officially published as to the details of the programme. What success the affair achieved mainly concerned the Greeks themselves, who, being a nation of sport.ng qualities, have received a sudden and strong impulse to the cultivation of athletics. Indeed, it is highly probable that, though the next celebration of the

Games is to be held in the fourth year hence, at Paris, an Athenian festival will be annually carried out. Immense enthusiasm attended the meeting at Athens. The ancient Stadium, munificently restored at the expense of some £20,000 by the patriotic Mr. Averoff, was thronged to its utmost capacity of some 60,000 spectators, and, under the patronage of the King and Royal Family, fêtes of all descriptions succeeded each other. In the eyes of the citizens the Cross Country Race from Marathon to Athens was the event of greatest importance, and patriotism was gratified when it was won by a Greek, Lones. An American team did well in the running, &c., but E. Flack, of the Thames H. and H., running as a representative of Australia, his native country, won the 800 metres and 1,500 metres, France shining in bicycling and Germany in gymnastics. The performances from an athletic point of view deserve no particular notice. In England, April opened with the Salford Harriers' sports, at which F. E. Bacon won a 2 mile race in 9 mins. 33 secs., just beating, among others, G. Crossland. The 10 miles Championship of Scotland was won by R. A. Hay, Edinburgh H., on the same Saturday, in 55 mins. 56 secs. The 10 miles English Championship resolved itself into a match between Crossland and Watkins at Leicester on April 11, Bacon not defending his title, and it was won after a good contest by Crossland in 52 mins. 5 secs. At the Spring Meeting of the London Athletic Club on the same date, a dead heat in the Public Schools' mile between H. Elliott, of Giggleswick, and O. M. Dyke, of Sherborne, in 4 mins. 42 secs., was an exceptional incident. W. N. Pilkington (Clifton) won the hurdles, and C. C. Holland (Giggleswick) the quarter-both in creditable time. Bradley and Downer met in a 75 yds. race at the South London Harriers' Spring Meeting-also on April 11-and the Yorkshireman won by a few inches, and again in the Notts Forest F.C. Sports, on April 25, in a 100 yds. race, with a similar result. Sandhurst beat Woolwich somewhat unexpectedly on May 13 by 5 events to 3. A. F. C. Williams (Sandhurst) and R. E. T. Hogg (Woolwich) both distinguishing themselves by jumping over 21 ft. 3 in. The L.A.C. Meeting on May 16 contained nothing memorable, and the interest of the Manningham F. C. Meeting on the following Saturday was greatly impaired by the break-down of Bacon in a 2 miles race, easily won by Crossland. Here also Bradley and Downer again faced each other, with the usual result. At Dublin, on the same day, the Irish Amateur Championship produced no very remarkable performance, but J. C. Meredith, Dublin University, tied the Irish record of 51 secs. for the quarter, and the veteran N. Morgan won the sprint in fine style. The Northern Counties 100 yds. Championship at Southport on June 6, was a "walk over for Max Wittenberg, while the Northern Pole Jump Championship fell to J. Usher, Windermere, who cleared 9 ft. 2 ins. Another meeting between Bradley and Downer took place at Crewe, on June 13, in the Alexander A.C. Sports, Bradley's time for 100 yds. being returned as 10 secs.; and at the same meeting Crossland easily beat Bacon and Watkins over 3 miles in 14 mins. 27 secs., while Donovan improved his record for 440 yds. over 10 hurdles to a yard worse than 57 secs. In the United Hospitals' Sports, on June 20, C. E. H. Leggatt, St. Mary's, jumped 22 ft. 8 ins., beating all records for the Stamford Bridge

ground, and H. C. Woodyatt won the 200 yds. (as well as the 100) in the Hospitals' record time of 22 secs. St. Mary's for the first time captured the Challenge Shield. On the same day at Wembley Park, W. J. Sturgess brought down the 2 miles walking record to 13 mins. 33 secs. The Huddersfield Meeting was the occasion of another victory of Bradley over Downer in the Ico yds., but the latter secured the Northern Championship at 220 yds. in 22 secs. This performance was however somewhat thrown into the shade by the news of 21 secs., done by B. J. Wefers at New York, on May 30. A new Scottish record for weight putting was made by J. O. Mackintosh, Edinburgh, West End, on June 27, at the Scottish Championship Meeting, with a pull of 43 ft. 3 ins. ; he also won in the hammer throwing. J. K. Ballantyne, Scottish Pelicans, won the 100 and 220 yds.; H. Welsh, Watson's College, the mile and half-mile; C. Fenwick, Dundee, the high jump; H. Barr,

Edinburgh H., the broad jump; G. C. Thomson, Edinburgh H., the quarter; and R. A. Hay, Edinburgh H., the 4 miles. Some good performances were simultaneously seen at the L.A.C. Summer Meeting: H. C. Woodyatt winning both the 100 yds. events in good time, M. Davie taking the mile

handicap from scratch in 4 mins. 25 secs., and C. E. H. Leggatt jumping over 5 ft. 9 ins. Two Northern Championships were decided at the Manchester A.C. Meeting, Godfrey Shaw securing the quarter-mile over hurdles, and N. Vickers, Liverpool Gymnasium, the high jump. The following Saturday, July 4, was the date of the A.Ä.A. Championships, contested at Northampton. Just before the meeting the suspension cf the athletes, referred to above, was decreed by the A.A.A., with the result of depriving them of the right to compete. The Champions who retired from various causes were Bradley, J. M.

Ryan, E. C. Bredin, R. D. Dickenson, F. E. Bacon, W. J. Oakley, W. J. M. Barry, and H. A. Munro; E. J. Wilkins and W. Fitzherbert ran and were beaten, while D. Horgan, G. B. Shaw, and W. J. Sturgess successfully defended their titles. The winners were as follows:-Halfmile, A. W. De C. King, L.A.C., time 2 mins. I recs.; high jump, M. O'Brien, Gaelic A.C., 5 ft. 11 ins.; 100 yds., N. D. Morgan, Belfast H., time 10 secs.; weight, D. Horgan, Irish A.A., 43 ft. 10 ins. ; pole jump, R. F. Sarshaw, Ulverston F.C., 10 ft.; hurdles (120 yds.), G. B. Shaw, L.A.C., time 153 secs. ; quartermile, J. C. Meredith, Dublin University time 52 secs.; mile, B. Lawford, South London H., time 4 mins. 31 secs. ; hammer, J. Flanagan, Gaelic A.C., 131 ft. 11 ins.; long jump, C. E. H. Leggatt, L.A.C., 23 ft. ins.; 4 miles, H. Harrison, Manchester H., time 20 mins. 273 secs.; 2 miles steeple chase, S. J. Robinson, Northampton H., time 11 mins. 25 secs. ; 4 miles walking, W. J. Sturgess, Polytechnic H., time 28 mins. 573 secs. Sturgess beat his own

Proverb-Old bird: are

August 3 were as numerous as usual. At Newport, H. Cullum unexpectedly won the Welsh quarter-mile Championship, and two days later at Cardiff, the 100 yds. trophy fell to C. R. Thomas of Reading. The other August and September meetings call for no special mention, with the exception of the L.A.C. autumn sports, at which Sturgess further reduced the walking record. A. G. Butler ran finely in the half-mile and 1,000 yards, and the veteran, H. A. Munro, did a fine performance in the two miles.

CROSS COUNTRY.--Favoured by a mild winter Cross Country Running shared no loss of popularity. The University team matched themselves with several London Clubs, and the Cambridge men were remarkably successful, beating the South London Harriers (for the first time) by 15 points, Hampton Court by 13 points, and Blackheath Harriers by 17 points. On the other hand, Oxford, being seldom able to muster their full strength, lost to Hampton Court and the Blackheath Harriers, but defeated the Lea Harriers by 11 points. They were unfortunate in losing J. M. Fisher and G. B. Beck before the University Match, but nevertheless succeeded in making a splendid fight with their rivals, being only beaten by 23 points to For the second year in succession W. H. Whitelaw (New College) was the first man home, but his time, 40 mins. 50 secs.-an excellent performance-was only 3 secs. better than that of W. W. Gibberd (Trinity, Cambridge). The other runners in their order of finishing were H. F. Angell (Selwyn, Cambridge), L. S. Amery (Balliol, Oxford), C. C. Angell (St. John's, Cambridge), S. S. Cook (St. John's, Cambridge), E. Flack (Pembroke, Cambridge), E. N. Grayson (Balliol, Oxford), C. H. Turner (Keble, Oxford), and E. C. Bevers (St. John's, Oxford), the last man arriving within 44 mins. 25 secs., from a course of about 7 miles. Oxford, without Whitelaw, early in February, gained a creditable victory over the United not caught with chaff.

32.

Hospitals. Cambridge subsequently succumbed

to a team of Old Citizens. For the seventh consecutive year the Salford Harriers carried off the Northern Counties Cross Country Championship at Rochdale on February 22. The result was not altogether expected, though their leading runner, W. H. Morton, was thought likely to gain the first place. Here also prophecy was at fault, for the Manchester Harriers, an offshoot from the Salford, furnished the first two men home in G. Crossland and H. Harrison, Morton finishing fourth. Salford, however, beat Manchester by 69 points to 108, Bolton Wanderers coming third with 135 and providing the third placed man, F. Entwistle. On the same day a large attendance at Wembley Park saw the Finchley Harriers, for the fifth time in nine years, carry off the Southern Counties Championship by 101 points against the Ranelagh Harriers' 123, and the Essex Beagles' 156. The previous year's winner, H. Watkins (Highgate H.), could finish no better than fiftieth, and the first place was

taken by G. Martin (Essex Beagles) after pluckily traversing 4 miles of the course with but one shoe. P. Tiller (Thames Valley H.) and T. Bartlett (Essex Beagles) were second and third. The Midland Counties Champion. ship once more went to the Birchfield Harriers, who easily defeated the Worcester, Northampton, and Small Heath on February 29 at Fernhill Heath, Worcester. At Minworth, on March 7, Crossland and Harrison repeated their success of the Northern in the National Championship, and once more Morton was fourth. Tnough the Birchfield were looked upon as favourites, Salford found the winners with 116 points, Birchfield second with 121, Finchley third with 145, Essex Beagles fourth with 161. Crossland was but a couple of yards in front of his clubmate. Time 57 mins. 45 secs. The attendance, owing to threatening weather, was but moderate. The Clydesdale Harriers beat the Edinburgh Harriers on March 14 for the Scottish Championship, A. Hannah winning for the fifth year.

AN unusually mild and open winter afforded a long and enjoyable season to the lovers of this popular field sport. At the outset, indeed, the weather was too fine, September proving to be quite a hot summer month; and the ground at the early meetings was in consequence much harder than suited the majority of the competitors. The season opened at Witham on September 18, when the Eastern Counties Derby and Oaks for dog and bitch puppies respectively received 49 and 24 acceptances. The Witham Stakes (for all ages) produced a match between Pursuer and Kilrosa, and the former created some surprise by 'the ease with which he disposed of the bitch,

and placed the whole contest to his credit. The Derby was decided between Mr. T. Graham's Guiding Star, Mr. D. Graham's Game Shot, Mr. S. Skinner's Steel City, and Mr. A. Brown's Royal Shamrock; the Oaks between Mr. D. Graham's Garnet, Mr. T. Graham's Gimlet, and Mr. G. W. White's Macquirie. At the Stockbridge Meeting of the South of England Club on Oct. 1 and 2 the card was a small one, and the principal event, the Stockbridge Cup, had an entry of no more than six. It was carried off by Mr. A. J. Humphery's Hugh, a dog which had up to this time failed to confirm the promise of his début as a puppy. Mr. Humphery was very success[Continued on p. 321.