SPLAN'S REPLY TO FRED ARCHER 197 



To say he made a matter of 54 miles of it is probably to 

 understate the actual mileage he travelled. 



He made sixteen changes ; only one of them, it has 

 been said, occupied more than a minute, and two 

 minutes were lost at the closed gates of a level crossing. 

 Not more than two minutes were required for the turn 

 round. 



Taking the total distance at 108 miles, the average 

 pace works out at over 13 miles an hour, though on 

 the galloping stage the pace was 22 miles an hour. He 

 had daylight, macadam, and no accident, but only that 

 one little hitch at the crossing. But then, alone he did 

 it. And what that may mean in a race of this kind, 

 the amount of nervous strain and stress it may involve, 

 was proved by the sequel in Selby's case. His drive 

 was the real, if not the actual, cause of his death in the 

 December following. 



SPLAN's reply to FRED ARCHER 



The great American driver, John Splan, who reduced 

 the world's record of Goldsmith Maid from 2 mins. 

 14 sees, to 2 mins. 13J sees, with Rarus, marked 

 Johnston in 2 mins. 6^ sees, to high wheels, secured 

 the first sweep through the Grand Circuit with Wedg- 

 wood, and made the names of Newcastle and Newburger 



