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SIDELIGHTS ON ENGLISH RACING Some sidcii interesting m ii n v i the discussion on the discontinuance of racing in England during the war a discussion which appeals to have had origin in the advocacy of such a course by Tho London Times no longer tho dominant factor it once was in English thiiight Tho argument that to continue racing would create a wrong impression in the minds of the allies as to Britains seriousness has been disposed of by the subsequent steps taken to revive racing in Franco and the restoration to the clubs of some of the famous Parisian courses that had been taken over for military purposes when n sioga of Paris was looked on as a practical certainty tftlll in view of the decision of the Jockey Club that ic proper thing was to go on with fiat racing steoplocliasing has not been interrupted all winter some of the controversy is worth reading It was only scot and Epsom that Tho Times thought should be omitted and there was not a demand for a general discontinuance Referring to these meetings Lord Hamilton of Dalzcll wrote wroteAn An episode in tho South African war which must IPO as fresh in the memory of many others s it is iii my own makes mo hope that this year of nil others the Derby may be run It was at the close of tho lirst days march of T army from Johannesburg to Pretoria place called Lewkop and the troops were just settling down in their bivouacs Suddenly wo saw heliographs Hashing and mounted messengers gal ¬ loping to the various units tliMr arrival being greeted by loud and prolonged cheering When the message reached us it was found to bo as follows The Field Marshall CommandiiiginChicf wishes it to be made known to all ranks that the Prince of Wales horse Diamond Jubilee has won tho Derby I venture to think that Lord Roberts understood tlie British soldier better than those who are seeking to prevent the recurrence by no moans an improbable event of such a scone as was witnessed that day dayLord Lord Roscbery had pointed out that tho story of the refusal of the Epsom Grand Stand Company to allow further use of its buildings for hospital purposes was i misapprehension the manager called it a wilful misrepresentation and he wont on onThere There are many however of our French allies who will remember that the winner of the Derby was announced in General Orders during the Crimean war Why indeed should wo embark on the un ¬ precedented course which you indicate and con ¬ demn all our historical practice Once before our country has liccn engaged in a lifeanddeath struggle at least as strenuous and desperate ls this I moan that against the French Revolution and Napoleon All through that score of bloody years tho Epsom and Ascot meetings wen regu ¬ larly hold nor indeed docs it seem to have oc ¬ curred to our forefathers that it was guilty to wit ¬ ness races while we were at war I remember asking the late Lord Stradbroko which was tho most interesting race tlint lie had over witnessed for the Ascot Cup IIo replied I am almost sure though it is outside my argument that for 1815 which was run on June S eight Mays before Quatre Bras ten days before Waterloo when Napoleon and Wellington were confronting each other to contend for the championship of the world I am and desire to remain remote from controversy but am anxious to remind you of our history and tra ¬ dition with regard to this question and to ask you to pause before you condemn not merely Epsom and above all Ascot but also the principles and practice of ancestors not less chivalrous and humane than ourselves ourselvesWiint Wiint was decided at tlio Jockey Club mooting was that racing should go on except where local conditions wore adverse It was further stated that at Ascot which is the State meeting of tho year and is hold on the Kings grounds there woiild ho ho Royal enclosure and no social func ¬ tions Racing at Ascot may begin before luncheon as in times of mourning Admiral Sir Ilodworth Moux wrote wroteI I nm opposed to the abolition of the Derby for forthroe throe reasons a it would IK unjust to the owner ownerf f good horses b unfair to the south country icing countryicing public and c it would greatly encourage encourageour our enemies enemiesLord Lord Rosebery said there was a large section of the community who thought that a fog of gloom ought to reign over the whole country lie believed tlat if the Prussians knew that we were so downhearted as not to bo able to hold those meetings they would spread it throughout their countries ami the countries of their allies as a greater proof of English want of confidence and hope in this warfare than any reverse that we had sustained had ever afforded affordedA A motion by Mr 1ambton that all races at tho Newmarket Craven Spring and July meetings should bo abandoned with the execution of the Two Thousand and the One Thousand Guineas could not lind a seconder and was dropped
