'The annual general meeting of the Cyclists' Touring Club will be held this -evening. 'The report is bound to prove a most satisfactory one. 'Thousands of memers continue to join; for the past month the applications' for membership exceed two thousand. The great organisation is -evidently an expensive one to work. For instance, the managerial and office expenses for 1896 amounted to £4,233 5s. 3d. This Jocks vast, compared with the amount expended directly for the benefit of memders, é.e., the erection and repair of danger-boards, £67 13s, 5d., and various donations towards legal expenses of members in running down cases, etc., £7 7s. Od. The loss on the Gazette came to £1,062, in spite of neb income from advertisements being £2,680. Well, as long as the members are satisfied with results, I certainly shall not grumble.
The Society of Cyclists is a large and representative body of wheelman whose aims are to combine most branches of science with the enjoyment of our pastime. Last week a very instructive lecture was given under the auspices of the Society by Mr. "Thomas Dunn, on "Improvements in Ths Pneumatic Tires." Mr. Dunn dealt most effectively with the whole question in a broad spirit, and showed that' he had made a complete study of the subject. He pointed out that we were approaching closer exch day to perfection in tire construction, giving several interesting details on this point. ate dance recently given by the Lady Cyclists' Association was a great success. The President, the Countess of Malmes-bury, was present, and interested herself Keenly in the proceedings of the ovening. The Countess not only gives this club the benefit of her name, but is also often seen at their club runs, being most enthusiastic Cycling gymkhanas will form a very important item in many society outdoor entertainments during the coming summer season, The Ranelagh Club is largely responsible for the popularity of wheel as Royalty continues to take a great jnterest in things eycular. There is a class for beginners of the pastime in the Westend, under the guidance of Miss Stuart Snell. This Indy recently organised an entertainment, consisting of musical rides, at which the Princess of Wales attended, accompanied by her two daughters, the Princess Victoria and the Duchess of Fife. as Sir Robert Raper, at the annual meeting of the Chichester C.C. last week, had a few interesting things to say about the pastime. He said that twenty years ago, when he became a supporter of that club, cycling was not much thought of, but now it had become one of the most popular pastimes of the day—a sport for the residents of palace and cottage alike.
They read of members of royal families taking their daily rides, and he often saw Sussex labourers going to their work on some ancient cycle. He warned the members against the abominable practice of "scorching," which wascalculated todo cycling a good deal of harm. Tfthey did not obey the laws and follow the easy roles Inid down, they might find the governing authorities placing them under regulations, which would be restrictive and burdensome, thereby depriving the honest cyclist of his true amount of pleasure. ate Cycles and tires have become so important an item in financial dealings that we have now a new paper called "Cycle Trade Finance," issued in the interests of investors in cycling properties. In these days, with new cycle and tire companies almost tumbling over each other in their eagerness to capture the exch of investors, such a paper, if conducted on straight lines, should prove invaluable to those who recognize the value of investments in really sound cycle concerns, and who find difticulty in separating the wheat from the chaff.
London, 12th March.
The challenge of the man of mighty muscle, Sandow, to ride any distance over ton miles, against any rider seems to have been published without his authority. Therefore are our "cracks" mournful and depressed. Why, almost every prominent speelman in England accept~d, or intended to accept, that unauthorised challenge. Sandow's manager now states that the weight-lifter was only joking" when he declared he was thirsting to meet—and defeat—any speedy bathman who was anxious to annex or lose £1,000. ae Tt appears that under existing engagements, Sundow is not at liberty to take part in a cycling contest for almost the next couple of years. It is all the fault of an enterprising pressman, who was evidently "spoofed" by the strong man into publishing, as a sober challenge, a joking remark.
pressman made sensational copy out of it. This was promptly followed by as terrific a shedding of ink by speed men as ever astonished the cycling world. And now people are wondering why they ever gave credence to the alleged challenge. Sandow's build, although useful for hurling omnibuses and brewers' drays over roof-tops, is not of that delicacy of character necessary for pushing pedals at flashing speed o'er cement paths.
Fletcher Moultoa, Q.C., the legal zentleof getting through the enormous number of cycle and tire cases listed—becomes un fait accompli, Fletcher Moulton will be the min for the big wig.. He is perhaps the greatest living authority om patent law. Under his tuition Mr. Justice Romer and Mr. Justice Kekewich have begun to speak quite knowingly of tires and valves, and can handle an inflater just like any ordinary person, An enthusiastic" Trishman created a. tremendous sensation in Fleet Street and the Strand on St. Patrick's day (17th inst.) by riding down the famous thoroughfares om. a machine that was almost buried in shamrocks. ae Crete and the Diamond Jubilee continue to be the topics of the day here, in spite of the fact that an eccentric American named William Reyman has arrived from across the herring pond en route for a cycle tour around the world, William's little weakness is that he has chosen to attempt the somewhat ambitious journey mounted ona machine which first. saw the light in the year Anna Domini 1888; also, the said machine resembles a pantechnicon of no mean dimensions. Mr, Reyman has packed upon the ancient bike a good-seized tent, bed, wardrobe, cooking and toilet utensils, stationery, medicines, and tools for plying his trade'as a mechanic.
William expects "to meander through England within the next fow weeks, after—wards touring leisurely through France and Germany. He has not yet quite made up his mind as to. whether he will visit Australia and New Zealand, but if he does, give you my word for it, ho will be worth seeing. As his machine—with etceteras—weighs dangerously close on 100lbs., he will break no records—except that for the solid-tited machines (down hill) if the brake should suddenly yo out of workin order. William is only 23. With sud handicapping, he ought to get around this handful of earth and water before his jubilee year arrives.
19th March.
How the " rational" dress has disappeared in Englind Last week-end the weather was splendid for cycling. Naturally E spent the grenter portion of it a-wheel. could not help remarking that amongst the scores of lady cyclists I saw on the road, only one was clad in the " knicker" cos-tame, and she was almost hidden behind the burly body of her brother—she was " ower j young" to be married or engaged. ate The tandem hike is now a frequent sight in Hyde Park during the hours when the elite of London most do congregate a-wheel. More speedy instruments are kept up to their reputation. The longing for " good fast sprint comes with the greater experience of a second year, and many a lord and lady think nothing nowadays of making things ham in the matter of getting over ground. ate The number of new and reconstructed companies in connection with the cycle trade, to which the public have been asked.!to subscribe within the Inst week or two man who is said to have made £60,000 in; have been larger than ever. Where the one year over tire litigation, is a strongly money comes from is beginning to be as builé vigorous-looking person with a pair popular a mystery as that of the Hanson of eyes apt to glare from beneath bushy; Cab. brows to the discomfiture of many a hostile ae witness. His wig is apt to yet comically Tricycles are now rarely seen in England, awry in a closing address, as he throws Some makers refuse to execute orders for himself about, now bending backwards, the three-wheeler. The safety was the over the desk behind him, or leaning side- ' biggest nail destined for the trike's coffin, ways on a heap of law books, hut never quiet for long in one position. He spares From amongst the prominent actors not the lash of ridicule or scorn in dis-hose names are recorded as patrons of secting doubtful evidence. Every possible cycling clubs, I have culled the following poitit is made the most of by this clever—Sir Henry Irving, Wilson Barrett, Ed-lawyer. When that New Patents Court—! ward Terry, Geo. Alexander, Osmond humorously suggested as the only means Tearle, John Hare, Chas. Wyndham,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.