The yearly meeting of the National Csclists' Union has been held, and a profit for 1897 was reported, amounting to £120, and a balance of assers over liabilities was shown of about £1,000. Comp: red with the Cyclists' Touring Club's figures of £5,000 for the year, and £12,000 in hand, these figures are si The annual meet= it i ing most of its old workers, passed no rules of importance, except a scheme of compensation for professional riders whose engagements are disturbed by postponement of a meeting. ae An example of the utilitarian side of cycling was afforded this week on the occasion of a serious tire at Newport, in South Wales. The firemen, on hearing of the need for their services, proceeded to the scene of the outbreak on bicycles, and the time thus saved enabled them to prevent the spreading of the flames to a new factory adjoining the fire, thus saving many thousand pounds' worth of goods from destruction. In attending Gros all experts are agreed that a saving even of a minute at the beginning of the outbreak is a matter of the highest importance, and it is just this saving thst a bicycle enabled the men to effect compared with horse-riding, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, is learning to ride the bicycle, and is using a specimen of low-built safety as easier to mount and The Heir although hitherto he has contented himself with the be steadier security of the tricycle, and is only now learning the mysteries of bicycle balance. A few years ago he had an accident in the grounds of his favourite seat at Sandringham, for his tricycle be run backwards down alight slope, as the brake only acted when the machine ran forward, and 0 the Prince tur: ly aside and fell, but not heavily, he now be spared from slips is the wish of every loyal cyclist The University Boat Race is over, and cyclists no longer crowd on to the foot-path at the side of the river to accompany the rival crews in their training. That-they were allowed there is a curious case of the niceties of our legal disabilities. Cyclists are not allowed on footpaths which run alongside highways, but they are permitted to use one, which as in thi alongside for tha coaches who train rowing crews to accompany them on a cycle along the bank and call out their advice. The captain of the Thsmes Rowing Club was recently training a crew in this manner, and looking out to the river in shouting a word of exhortation, did not heed his own course, and slipped down the bank and had an unpremeditated ducking. oe Bicycle polo is a game which takes considerable skill ani plenty of practice to play it well, to say nothing of the risk of damage to oneself and one's machine. The ition style of professional playing its of using the front wheel as the instrument of tack; on the whole great dexterity in manipulating the hindlebar, and retaining the balance, are obviously required. The more general way of pla; ing the game is with long hockey sticks, closer analogy both to that game and to polo as played on horseback. There has recently been introduced a vatiation, said to be much safer and fitter for ladies' play. The tiny ball is replaced by a twenty-eight inch wheel, which is truddled about with short sticks, hoop fashion, and otherwise the ganiv'is Played, for goals, in genuine polo style. he use of a bigger object and small weapons, makes the players less deadly in their attacks on one another.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.