The grand ballet “Parisiana” now holds the stage at the Alhambra, and a
very magnificent show it is, with its variety of kaleidoscopic scenes
ranging from 1760 down to 1906. The chief scenes are by Menessier,
representing “Grand Magasins du Printemps,” with a ballet of
_peignoirs_, _parfumerie_, _corsages_, and so on, and the final scene,
“La Fête de Neuilly,” which is a fine spectacle.
Mademoiselle Jane May, the pantomimic success of “L’Enfant Prodigue,” is
to be found playing a silently voluble Pierrot and _gamin_, and perhaps
there is almost too much of her performance, as the pantomime appears
rather to check the action of the ballet. La Sylphe executes some of her
characteristic dances, and the entire setting of the production is very
beautiful. “My Lady Nicotine” still holds its place in the programme of
the Alhambra, in which also La Sylphe and Miss Edith Slacke are to be
seen. The other items of the programme are good, but almost too fleeting
for us to mention in a monthly notice, although “Urbanora,” or “We put
the world before you,” is always with us, and very amusing indeed are
the pictures of “Dolly Land” and “Noah’s Ark.”
* * * * *
We have received from Messrs. Lawrence and Jellicoe, Limited, 16,
Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, W.C., a set of four coloured drawings
by Mr. Leonard Ravenhill, entitled “Bridge Problems.” The drawings,
which are published by special arrangement with the proprietors of
_Punch_, depict the humorous side of the game, the expressions of the
players’ faces being particularly well portrayed. The set of four signed
proofs can be had from the publishers at four guineas, the price of a
set of prints being one and a half guineas.
* * * * *
Such elementary ideas as to the correct management of foxhound puppies
as those possessed by many by whom the youngsters are walked must have
frequently given cause for anxiety to the Master and his kennel
huntsman, who have entrusted their charges to the tender mercies of the
walkers. Often a few hints are all that are needed to enable the
well-meaning but inexperienced walker to provide against the mishaps to
which puppies are peculiarly liable. These hints are supplied in a
leaflet by an M.F.H., which gives instructions on walking hound puppies,
and which is being sold for the benefit of the fowl fund of an Irish
hunt by Lady Coghill, Glen Barrahane, Castletownshend, co. Cork, at 2d.
each, or 1s. 6d. per dozen. Directions as to food, lodging, manners, and
illness are briefly given, which, if intelligently followed, will
prevent avoidable illness, which so often ends the career of a promising
puppy, and will make the huntsman’s task of training them far easier
than is often the case when the puppies have contracted riotous habits
while at walk.
Sporting Intelligence.
[During December, 1905—January, 1906.]
On December 16th, Sir C. Courtenay Knollys, K.C.M.G., Governor of the
Leeward Islands, died at Southsea. The deceased was in his college days
a very fine sculler, and in 1872 won the Diamond Sculls. In the
following year he rowed in the Oxford crew at Putney.
There was an interesting function in connection with the meet of the
Sinnington Hounds at Douthwaite Dale, Kirby Moorside, on December 16th.
This was the presentation to the late Master, Mr. Sherbrooke, and Mrs.
Sherbrooke, of a large oil painting, representing Mr. and Mrs.
Sherbrooke, mounted, with hounds, in charge of Mr. Robin Hill, breaking
cover at Riseborough Haggs. The presentation was made by Lord Helmsley,
who followed Mr. Sherbrooke in the mastership of the pack, and who paid
a warm compliment to the manner in which hounds had been hunted during
the ten years Mr. Sherbrooke had held the mastership. In his reply, Mr.
Sherbrooke spoke with deep satisfaction of the host of valuable friends
he and his wife had made during the time hounds were under his care.
We have to record the death of Captain Hugh Browning, of Clapham Park,
Bedford, which occurred on December 18th, in his sixty-seventh year.
Captain Browning was Master of the Oakley Foxhounds from 1888 to 1897,
and showed consistently good sport with the pack.
We regret to record a nasty accident to Lord Chesham, which occurred
while out with the Pytchley Hounds on December 20th, and resulted in
three fractured ribs, through his horse falling in jumping a fence.
At the meet of the Earl of Eglinton’s Hounds on December 23rd there was
a pleasing incident, when Mr. and Mrs. William Baird, of High
Balsarroch, were the recipients of a presentation from the members and
subscribers of the Hunt on the occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of
their marriage. The presentation was made on behalf of the subscribers
by Lord Eglinton, and consisted of a piece of plate and a purse of
sovereigns. His lordship alluded to the assistance Mr. and Mrs. Baird
and their family had rendered to the Hunt during their long residence in
the country. They have been at High Balsarroch for twenty-six years, and
occupied the neighbouring farm of Mount Fergusson for thirty years
previously.
Mr. William Hanway, of Laragh, near Maynooth, died from heart failure on
December 24th, in his seventy-first year. Mr. Hanway, who was a
well-known rider across country and at the Kildare and Punchestown
meetings, rode at the latter in April last, and was out with the Kildare
Hunt the day before his decease.
A banquet was given at the Blue Bell Hotel, Belford, on December 28th,
to Mr. Richard Burdon-Sanderson, who relinquished his pack of foxhounds
last season after a long period of office, when a testimonial was given.
The presentation took the form of a dessert service of old silver, and
there was also given to Mr. James A. H. Burdon-Sanderson a silver
tea-tray in recognition of his valuable services as deputy master of his
brother’s foxhounds. The presentations were made in the presence of a
large company by the Duke of Northumberland.
At the early age of fifty-one years, Mr. Clervaux Morley Saunders, of
Bovicott, Devon, died at his residence on December 28th. Mr. Saunders
was well known in the West country as a keen sportsman, and only a few
years ago formed and hunted the Bovicott Otterhounds. He was also a
breeder of horses, a member of the Council of the Polo Society, and a
good supporter of agriculture.
While hunting with the Whaddon Chase Hounds on December 30th, the
Countess of Orkney was thrown from her horse and sustained concussion of
the brain.
On January 4th there died at Tissington Park, Derbyshire, the Rev. Sir
Richard Fitzherbert, Bart., who was in his day a fine athlete and
horseman. In the sixties the deceased gentleman represented Cambridge
against Oxford at the hurdle race, and he was always a very good man
across a country.
While out with the Duke of Buccleuch’s Hounds on January 6th, Mr. John
Clay, of Chicago, who is hunting from Sunlaws, Kelso, had the bad luck
to break his collar-bone.
Will Thompson, huntsman to Lord Fitzhardinge’s Hounds, sustained a bad
fall on January 6th, through his horse swerving and coming down at a
gate.
On January 6th, the Hon. Ivor Guest sold Pat 350 gs., Cotton 200 gs.,
Rarity 350 gs.; Captain the Hon. F. Guest’s Ireland made 200 gs., Spade
Ace 280 gs., Scotchman 150 gs., Limerick 200 gs.; the Earl of Lonsdale’s
Wallaby 300 gs., Fairy Saint 120 gs.; the Hon. Gilbert Johnstone’s St.
Patrick 140 gs., Clansman 100 gs., and Call Boy 110 gs.
The Bedale Hunt has lost a prominent member in Mr. R. Hutton-Squire, who
died suddenly at his residence, Holtby Hall, Bedale, on January 10th.
The skeleton of Ormonde has been received in England, to be added to the
relics of the many other famous British racehorses now reposing at the
Natural History Museum. Mr. Macdonough, his owner, having generously
acceded to a request of the British Museum that his remains should be
sent to this country to be preserved in the national repository of his
native land. The skeleton will, it is understood, soon be exhibited to
the public in the Gallery of Domesticated Animals.
A really comfortable general purpose glove, adapted equally well for use
when hunting, driving, riding, or walking is a very desirable article to
possess. The “Pytchley Hunt” glove would almost appear to fill the
requirement. Manufactured of tan cape, specially cut, hand sewn, with
Bolton thumb, it is claimed for it to be the best all-round glove upon
the market. One feature is the fastening, a single button, which is on
the reverse side to the ordinary use and undue pressure upon the wrist
is prevented by this arrangement. The glove is one of the specialities
of the Barnard Glove Depot, 52 and 53, Cheapside, London, E.C.
We regret to record the death of Mr. W. N. Heysham, the Honorary Auditor
of the Hunt Servants’ Benefit Society. Mr. Heysham was one of the
originators of this Society, and from its conception was one of the most
energetic workers on its behalf. Mr. Heysham was an old contributor to
BAILY.
Last year the only stallions to be represented by two-year-old winners
alone, according to _Horse and Hound_, were Balsamo, £475; Benvenuto,
£100; Bertie, £547; Catch the Wind, £141; Damocles, £826; Diamond
Jubilee, £3,999; Diplomat, £973; Elopement, £100; Grebe, £424; King’s
Messenger, £1,246; Mackintosh, £395; Galashiels, £2,723; General Peace,
£292; Glencally, £200; Ninus, £196; Spook, £276; Tom Cringle, £195.
The bay horse, Pietermaritzburg, foaled 1898 by St. Simon—Sea Air, by
Isonomy, has been sold by Mr. George Faber to go to the Argentine for
£16,000. As a four-year-old he won the Jockey Club Stakes.
The sales of hunters during the past few weeks include Colonel
Grenfell’s Rogers 200 gs., Gimlet 175 gs.; Mr. Austin Carr’s Electric
and Duchess 135 gs. each; The Slave 120 gs., Favourite 100 gs.; Mrs.
Barclay’s bay gelding 160 gs.; Colonel Malcolm Little’s, C.B., Kuroki,
300 gs.; Mr. Charles Jenkinson’s Mars 160 gs., Ladybird 180 gs., Ginger
130 gs., and Rattle 135 gs.
A celebrated oarsman lately passed away in Mr. H. W. Schreiber, of
Trinity Hall, President of the C.U.B.C. in 1855. In that year the long
“Crimean” frost, which did not break up till February 24th, and which
left Father Thames full of ice-floes for much later, effectually
preventing any Putney matches being brought off. But by consent the two
U.B.C.’s met in the Grand Challenge Cup at the ensuing Henley Regatta,
and Cambridge won somewhat easily. Mr. Schreiber on that occasion, says
the _Field_ of December 23rd, rowed No. 3 at 11st. 5lb. In the following
year he was expected to take an oar in the Cambridge Putney crew, but
was prevented from doing so by reason of examinations.