London, May 16.
The following is the result of the final heat of the Billiards Championship, concluded at Burroughes Hall Jast night:—Smith Falkiner—14,500.
The professional' billiards cham-been decided at Burrovghes Hall, pionship of 19%, which has just Piccadilly, by the victory of 4 Smith. Falkiner by 16,000 Points to 14,500, is the first championship competition that has been held since M. Inman beat T. Reece for the title in 1912, and has, been styled the bilee' championship on account of it being exactly 50 years since William Cook © first challenged the supremacy of the late John Roberts. This year's competition attracted the record number of six entries, from H, W. Stevenson, T, Aiken, W. Smith, Falkiner, T. Reece and T. Newman, but some measure of dissatisfaction was felt at the decision of M. Inman not to defend his title as the result of a controversy relative to the conditions, No championship title in any form of sport or pastime hes passed through fewer hands in the same period of time than has the _billiards crown, Instituted 50 years ago, intervening stretch of time has given us but six cham-ions, or eight including W. J. call, who won. the official "all in" championship in April 1892, and W. Mitchell, who won the "spot barred" championship in the same year, From 1870 to 1885, there Were only three in 16 contests—W. Cook, John Roberts and Joseph Bennett. From 1889 (the rules of the game having then been revised) down to the present day, C. Dawson, H, W. Stevenson and M. Inman have had the honours between them, Prior to the commencement of this year's competition on April 5, ib was generally anticipated that the title would rest between Newman and Smith, the former having been looked upon as the finest exponent of English billiards, with a splendid record of triumphs, including the Victory Tournament, while Smith had a great reputation for determination and consistency and is a splendid exponent of the losing hazard game, Moreover, he beat Newman by 912 points in 16.000 up, level, in November last. Falkiner is also one of the greatest exponents of the game at the present time and it has been said of him that he is a consummate artist and whilst "in the country" he is as strongly equipped as any in the pastime. For sheer bril-hance he has no peer, but he is handicapped by recurring attacks of neuritis, a legacy from life in the Army. new Japanese battleship Mutsu, 33,800 tons, will be launched in Yokosuka on the lst instant, in the presence of H-M. the Empress.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.