Cup dey this year fell on the Ist November and as usual for the previous three weeks even the most sober-minded of the community fell to discussing the chances of this and thst candidate for the grest event of the racing calendar.
Like comets of brief but brilliant! existence, now this, now that horse came and bid for public support. After his victory in the Onulfield Cup the public seized on J. Wren's Murmar and placed him at the top of she ringmakers' quotations. Then Murmur went isme and gave p'ace to a New i who was reported by the cognoscenti to be both a moral and marvel. Like most Cup marvels he too failed the public, avd they next selected Tartan, a half-brother to Australian Star, and Australian Colours, both of whom have made reputations on classic English race tracks, And 90 on till on the eventful day another favourite arose and the guileful punter to the number of thousanils put hiv little pot on Marmont, who went out f.vourite at six to one against. Thirty-four candidates for Cup honours face: the starter, who promptly set them going. Ruenalf, a hund-Ted to one chance made the running for the however, and at the turn into the straight Marmont came to the front Lord Cardigan, last year's' winner, carrying 9st. 61b. exme up to bsttle Marmont and for a furlong it looked as victory was going to rest between these two, Then Acrasia was oh-erved mal a dxeh on the outside. A few attid she was level with Lord Cardigan and ding-dong struggle then took place, Acrasis winning by three-quariers of length, Blinker being separated by the distance, earning thud money, Acrasis, a dark hay mire, is the property of Mr. Oxeoh sin, a prominent member of the Sydney ring.' She cut out the distance, two miles, in mia, 28} and was steered to victory by Tom Clayion, a Sydney jockey.
Sociully, the cup meeting was a brilliant sue ¢-88 The Gov-mor-Genorsl and Lady Northcote were present attended by their staff, also the State Governor, Sir Reginald Talbot with Lady Talbot, Sir Harry Rawson, Lady Plunkett, wife of the New Zosdand governor, with her daughter the Ho K.thleen Plunkett. TheG. ernor-Geners escort consisted ut x detachment of R val Australian Artillery, whilst a squadron of Munred Rifl-s performed asiwiir service for the State Vice-regal pa ty.
Safety of Excursion Steamers, The General Slocum disaster has aroused public attention loca ly to the seawor: hi-fess or otherwise, of our own oxcurs.on steamers running in Port Phillip daring the summer months. Several letters ap: peared in the Press just prior to the commencement of the season hin-ing that all was nut as it might me in regard by their lifesaving end other equipment, and ask.
fites from t e local Murine Bowrd. Tiese ing for s publi guarantee of the vasses' letters were brought up at a recent meet-{ing of the Board for discussion. Some argument ensued as to whether any notice he taken asthe signatures were anonymous, Finally it was decided to call the engineer and shipwright surveyors before the Board xt the next meeting and examine them as to their methods of inspec. tion, This was subsequently done, and at the conclusion members were of the opinion that their officers had carried out their davies conscientiously, ud the cates wo: e therefore granted as sad. Specific instances of minor cidents were given by the writ-r of the letters und these also were reported on, They proved on inquiry to be minor casualties that are Iiable to happen on even the best-regulated ships, and prompt steps were taken in each coco t" remedy matters, From a professional man's point of view the handling of these vessels is tuo much under public notice. Little acci-Aents that will at all times happen in a vessel of this class, which is open to public view "linest fore and aft, are often magni. fio by more timid people, and then the scare feeling is aroused for which there is no occasion. It is a satisfactory, however, to
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.