Mr. Gladstone, it appears, has been amusing himself while in the Riviera by Teaming to ride a bicycle. He has written to a friend in England, expressing the pleasure of his new experience.
On every hand it has been proved that cycle shows held during the past few months in the United Kingdom have proved remarkably successful from the promoters' point of view. The Midland Show accounts enable a dividend of 80 per cent to be paid to the shareholders. ate A thoughtlessly cruel habit some father's have of carrying their young children with them on their machines, perched up on insecure carriers. The other day a boy of five riding in the manner indicated was hurled to the ground owing to a sideslip, the poor little youngster meeting his death was standing a little apart from his comrades a shocking manner, for he happened to fall beneath the wheels of a passing cart. The attention of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children has been Grawn to this all too common practice of child-carrying, but up to the present no action has been taken, es The training of the rival crews of Oxford and Cambridge at Putney has been watched by scores of cyclists, whose machines enable them to keep up with the boats in the trial spins. More bicycles than ever are in evidence. ate Cycling still continues to be a favourite subject with thoughtful writers in the more serious magazines. For instance, this month's Cosmopolis contains an article by Mr. Rosny, in which the coming of the bicycle is set down as being one of the greatest human events since the origin of the human race. It is more important, says the eminent writer, than the arts of writing and printing. 'I am inclined to agree.
Mr. Henry Arthur Jones, the well-known playwright, has been through the inevitable cycling interview. It appears that the most delightful thing about the pastime is the art of "coasting" downhill at a terrific pace., Very nice, but very dangerous, Mr. Jones.
Another claimant to the invention of the safety bicycle has arisen ina man named Johnston, of Clerkenwell. He asserts that 22] beand he only was the originator of the type of machine now so universally used. He asserts that he granted the first licence under his patent to Mr. J. K. Starley. At that time Johnston declares he was in very poor circumstances—in fact, in a state of starvation. Can it be possible that another inventor has been robbed of all the credit due to his ingenuity 2 Mr. Stanley Oakes, a one-time prominent member of the East Dulwich C.C., one of the leading South London clubs, has for the last four years earned for himself the distinction of being the champion of India and Ceylon. During this time holias accumulated a very large number of challenge trophies and prizes. Now he declares his intention of retiring en his laurels. Mr. Oakes was one of the first to score on pneumatic tires in India, and he has raced on them all theough.
London, 2nd April.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.