454 



fessional pugilists. English bantam and feather-weights have fairly held their own, 

 but for weights above 9 st. America and France dispute precedence: The progress of 

 boxing in France is worthy of particular attention. French pugilists were at first trained 

 by Lavigne, the American light-weight champion, who defeated Burge at the National 

 Sporting Club, and later by Erne, also an American. The style of these men can be 

 traced in their pupils, of whom Carpentier and Ledoux have been most prominent. 

 Carpentier (b. 1894) is one of the most promising boxers of the day. In spite of his 

 youth, he defeated the English middle-weight champion, J. Sullivan, in two rounds at 

 Monte Carlo, and easily accounted for two of the best English welter-weights, S. Burns 

 and Joseph. But he lost to F. Klaus at Dieppe in the spring 1912, and in October to 

 Papke in a fight for the middle-weight championship. He is a boxer of polished style, 

 but not perhaps equal to some of his American rivals in in-fighting and hard hitting. 

 Ledoux is a sturdy bantam-weight who has both stamina and hitting power. After 

 losing to Stanley, the English champion, he took his revenge decisively. Pugilism is 

 now much in vogue in France and may be said to have completely displaced the savate 

 (la boxe Franqaise). In England Bombardier Wells, a man of a remarkable reach of 

 some 80 inches, holds a heavy-weight championship and the Lonsdale belt. He was 

 not, however, regarded in 1912 as comparable to the heavy weights of the past, such as 

 Jackson, Sullivan, Corbett and Fitzsimmons. His victory over Storbeck, a South 

 African, who in 1909 very easily won the amateur championship, is the chief basis of his 

 reputation. On the other hand, in J. Driscoll of Cardiff, Great Britain is believed to 

 possess the most skilful boxer of the day. He has won the Lonsdale belt for feather- 

 weights three times in succession, and has gained convincing victories in America, but 

 failed in an ill-advised attempt to beat the light-weight champion, F. Welsh, who, when 

 insufficiently trained, was defeated by Matt. Wells, an amateur ex-champion. This 

 result was reversed in November 1012. Stanley (b. 1882) retains the bantam champion- 

 ship, chiefly by his height and reach and the facility with which he is trained for a com- 

 bat. Whatever else may be said of the heavy-weight champion of the world, the negro, 

 Jack Johnson, he is well qualified by physique, skill and quickness to compare with any 

 boxer of the past; but another American negro, Langford, who in Australia twice beat 

 McVea without being hit, though at a disadvantage of 2^ st. and 4 inches of stature, is 

 perhaps even more wonderful as a boxer pure and simple. 



Boxing has certainly suffered from the American use of rough tactics and clinching, as 

 well as by the price which is demanded by champions for their appearance in the ring. 

 Stipulations are made for a certain sum to be paid win or lose. In a match at Sydney, 

 Burns, the loser, received 6,000, and Johnson, the victor, 1,100. Difficulty has also been 

 found in obtaining the services of qualified referees. In the reaction provoked by excessive 

 clinching, what is called the "clean break" has been enforced in Australia and America, with 

 the effect of preventing quite legitimate in-fighting. 



The Amateur Boxing Association championships were won in 1911 by W. W. Allen 

 (bantam weights) H. Bavers (feather weights), A. Spenceley (light weights), W. Child (middle 

 weights) W. Hazell (heavy weights). Allen regained his title in 1912: the other winners in 

 the same order of weights were G. R. Baker, R. Marriott, E. V. Chandler, R. Smith. 



Bridge. 



A modification of the trick values in auction bridge has recently come into general 

 use. The new values are as follows: spades 2 ; clubs 6; diamonds 7 ; hearts 8; " lilies " 

 (or royal spades) 9; no trumps 10. The advantages of this method are that (i) specula- 

 tive declarations of no trumps are discouraged, (2) the preponderating value of red suits 

 is diminished, (3) a situation is brought about in which the declaring side is placed at a 

 disadvantage. On the other hand it is objected that in the bidding the strength and na- 

 ture of the hands are often so thoroughly disclosed as to detract from the interest of the 

 play. 



Chess. 



While the number of chess players and of professionals entitled to the rank of masters 

 increases continually and international tournaments are becoming common events, no 

 very exact proportion exists between the demand for prize competitions and professional 



