Chapter III · (continued 2)

516

THE FIGHT.

Round 1.—​As the men advanced towards the centre of the ring the first glance seemed to show how great were the physical advantages of Heenan, who looked quite the stone heavier man he really was—​King being comparatively a fair-skinned stripling; but a closer inspection revealed a jaded appearance. He looked clumsier altogether than when he fought Sayers. King, on the contrary, was as well as ever he could be, and there was a bloom and healthfulness about him, which spoke not only of steady training, but of an unvitiated constitution. He had not altogether the cut of a professional pugilist, but would rather be described as a fine, fresh, good-looking young countryman. The men threw themselves into attitude, and opened the round with a little sparring, but there was a hurried, not to say nervous, manner about each of them, which indicated that the scientific display would not be very prolonged. Heenan led off once or twice, but was not close enough. King was equally out of distance in trying to return. At last they got nearer, and exchanged good counter-hits. A couple more heavy hits were given, and King was drawing back to take up fresh ground, when Heenan plunged desperately at him, and got his left arm round his neck; the impetus of his rush carrying them both to the ropes. Here Heenan sought to fix his man in the dangerous manner he had practised with Sayers, but King’s strength enabled him to wrench himself up, and, locked together, they wrestled back to the centre of the ring. Here Heenan hung upon his man, squeezing him tightly, and trying to force him down. King, whose arms were at liberty, hit him heavily about the body left and right, until he fell, dragging Heenan with him, but the Yankee was uppermost. (The referee here entered the ring and cautioned Heenan as to his “hugging” system, which was certainly an unsightly mode of attack.)

2.—​Both men were somewhat flushed about the head from the previous round, and King appeared a little distressed from the severe struggle. He was urged to be first with his man, and led off directly he came to the scratch. He got well home on Heenan’s head; the latter countered, but without much precision, and some wild but heavy exchanges took place with both hands, King dealing the Yankee a severe blow on the mouth. Tom was pressing his man, when Heenan made a dash at him, and showing great superiority in strength, after a few seconds of squeezing, threw him heavily, a very dangerous fall, coming with all his weight upon him. (First blood was here given to King; Heenan’s lips being cut and bleeding.)

3.—​King seemed anxious to keep away from his man spar; there was no doubt that he was already considerably shaken by the severe falls he had received. Heenan appeared more anxious to seize a favourable chance to grasp his man than to hit him. After a moment’s pause they got together, and lashed out heavily with the left, each getting home. This led to some more exchanges, desperately heavy, it is true, but made in a wild style, and not like two finished boxers. Heenan again plunged in, King meeting him heavily as he came, but he grappled Tom, and again brought him down with shattering force across the lower rope, which was pressed to the ground. Luckily the ground was not hard. (Unpleasant as was Heenan’s style of fighting, he was considered to be getting the best of the battle, as King evidently could not resist his rush and clinching throw.)

4.—​King’s left eye was marked with a mouse, but otherwise he did not show much signs of punishment. The rounds were all short ones, Heenan forcing his way in upon King, a few slashing exchanges; then King was once more caught in the hug, and thrown a desperate fall. (Great disapprobation of Heenan’s style of fighting—​if fighting it could be called. His hugging and squeezing was far worse than even in Sayers’s fight.)

5.—​King was as ready at the call of “time” as his antagonist, yet evidently felt the falls he was receiving, and sparred a bit for wind. Heenan was distressed also, and glad of a pause. They worked round a bit until they got near, when King, with the swiftness of lightning, dealt the Yankee a terrific hit in the middle of the head with his right, almost knocking him off his legs, and drawing streams of claret from a cut on his mouth. It was nearly a floorer, and on Heenan trying a return, King cross-countered very heavily on the side of the head. Heenan was for a moment at a standstill, and King led off again, but was out of distance, and the Yankee again “clinching”—​we must borrow an Americanism which expresses more than our word “closing”—​succeeded in once more putting on the “hug” and throwing King heavily; though he pitched over him so far as to strike the ground with his own head.

6.—​The fighting had been wild enough before, but in this round there was no attempt at precision or steadiness. The men punched—​or punched at—​one another wildly, King getting the best of what hitting did tell, till Heenan closed, and, getting his regular grip, flung King a burster.

7.—​The men went to work directly they faced each other, and in a slogging rally some really terrific hitting was given and taken. They broke away, but only for a few seconds, when they got together with more tremendous exchanges, yet still to the advantage 517 of King, who allowed what little science was exhibited, and hit straightest. By a desperate snorter with his right, during this rally, he drew a fresh burst of crimson. Heenan closed in the hitting, hugged his man viciously, and then threw him one of the heaviest cross-buttocks seen for many a day. It was a crusher, and King lay for a few seconds until his seconds picked him up and bore him to his corner.

8.—​King, to the delight of his friends, came up promptly; although he was piping a little, he seemed marvellously little hurt by these continuous throws. Heenan was ready to fight to improve his supposed advantage, and the men exchanged stinging counters directly they faced each other, and heavy exchanges followed. Heenan dashed in as usual to seize his man, but on this occasion he was foiled, for King caught him in his arms; and, after a moment’s struggle, threw the Yankee heavily and fell on him. (This was a fair, unmistakable back fall and the cheering for King was tremendous.)

9.—​Heenan looked vexed as he came up; he had plainly made up his mind to recover his wrestling superiority, and tried for an opening. King was with him, and met him left and right; then, getting away again, planted on him with tremendous effect as he came in, catching his man well in the middle of the head; and now and then, in each of the rounds, giving a home hit on the body. Heenan at last got in, squeezed his man savagely, and again threw him a shattering fall.

10.—​The wildest and fastest of fighting still continued, in fact, the rally more resembled a “turn-up” of two angry navvies than the tactics of skilled boxers. The exchanges were of the severest description, although most of the blows seemed given at random. Heenan was wholly bent on throwing, and once more hugged King and threw him.

11.—​Heenan showed that the pace was telling on him, and it was doubtful whether he was not taking almost as much out of himself by his desperate struggles to throw King, as he was out of King by the falls. He persevered in his wrestling game, however, for hardly an attempt was made at a blow in this round before he grappled with King, and brought him over.

12.—​Tom was a little more on his guard this time, and led off; Heenan returned, and a few seconds of very hard fighting took place, both men being hit severely about the head till they closed, when King again succeeded in turning the tables, and threw Heenan heavily.

13.—​Although this round began with some countering which looked very heavy, yet Heenan’s blows did not, as a rule, tell very much; and when his seconds sent him up King looked clean, and comparatively free from punishment. Heenan again gave his man the hug, and threw him. After this round Heenan’s left hand became gradually of less service to him.

14.—​Heenan feinted with his left, and threw in a smasher on the head with his right. King stuck to him, but after some stinging exchanges, in which he had the best, he was thrown—​one of the most tremendous cross-buttocks ever seen—​and so stunned and shaken was King, that but for the tact and presence of mind of Jerry Noon, it is doubtful if he could have come to time.

15.—​In spite of the very heavy falls being nearly always in his favour, Heenan was now almost as much distressed as King, and the punishment given was certainly much against him. After a little sparring, heavy counters were exchanged, and then three or four smashing hits left and right, without a semblance of stopping or avoiding. Heenan drew back a little, and then lunging tremendously with his right, nailed King with such terrific force that he staggered and went down. (This was first knock-down blow in favour of Heenan, and was one at the few clean hits he delivered or even attempted to deliver during the fight.)

16.—​Although slower than before in answering the call of “time,” King came resolutely up, and did not seem greatly shaken by the knock-down blow. Indeed, Heenan appeared worse from the effects of the last round than did his opponent, as King had planted so heavily on his left eye that it was badly cut and nearly closed. In some more heavy punching—​pure slogging give-and-take, without any show of science—​Heenan’s eye was quite shut up, and he showed some decided signs of weakness. King dashed in, and, after an exhausting struggle, forced him down.

17.—​In this round Heenan again got the fall; but it was for the last time. He was evidently falling off; and when once his superiority in strength or wrestling power was gone he seemed useless and almost helpless as a boxer. King hit him tremendously about the side of the head and on the eyes, and it appeared as if Heenan would soon be blind. However, as just said, he clutched King desperately, and threw him one of the hardest falls in the fight. But it was his last effort, and while he became visibly weaker every minute, King, strange to say, seemed little the worse.

18.—​There was at first some fear that the ring would be broken in; for the intense excitement among the outer crowd had induced a rush, which broke through the lukewarm resistance of the constables, and brought the mass up to the ropes. Luckily, however, nothing came of it. Heenan, thinking he had shaken King more than was really the case, and probably feeling that he was growing exhausted himself, rushed furiously at his man to improve his advantage. King, however, who had quickly recovered himself, met him with a couple of hits left and right, stopping the Yankee’s rush, and 518 while he was yet on the stagger King closed, and, giving him the crook, pitched him over, and tell on him with stunning force.

19.—​Heenan came up rather hurriedly when time was called, but it was at once seen that he was almost beaten, and was quite groggy. He tried his rush, but it was no longer dangerous, and King stepped back twice, measured his distance, planted on him without a return, and, by a second straight hit, sent him down. In the 20th round King managed to back-heel Heenan. The same description applies to the next two rounds, excepting that in each of them Heenan grew shakier and wilder, and King’s superiority more marked. At the commencement of the 23rd round it was proposed to throw up the sponge, but Heenan would not hear of it, and staggered at his man with the semblance of his former rush. He staggered after receiving a blow, and was thrown by King without a chance of resisting. His backers, seeing that it was hopeless, and that it was only exposing the sinking boxer to punishment, insisted on his surrender, and the sponge was thrown up in token of defeat, after a desperate, but slashing, hugging, and unscientific battle of thirty-five minutes, and twenty-four rounds.

Remarks.—​We may well spare any lengthened comment upon a contest the leading characteristics of which were “clinching,” rushing, squeezing, and attempts at strangulating hugs on the one side, and wild, desperate sledge-hammer defensive hitting on the other. Heenan proved beyond doubt or cavil that he did not deserve to rank in the first or even second rank of artistic boxers, and that sheer brute strength, seconded by weight, stature, and a certain amount of mere animal courage were his only qualifications. He seemed to have little idea of sparring for an opening, or as a means of defence; while the use of the skilful feints, well-timed delivery, or accurate measurement of distance, of getting close and then getting away, as practised by professional boxers, he ignored or despised. It was not the fault of Tom King that the fight was so bad. His form and style were far the better of the two, for he did not trust to mere wrestling and hauling his man about, and would have made a better show of tactics with a better man. Those flatterers who told Heenan that he could stand a comparison with King’s former opponent, Jem Mace, must have been grossly ignorant or wilfully deceived themselves. Few who saw this contest but felt, that it was solely the accident which so early in the battle disabled the gallant Tom Sayers’s right arm, had prevented the signal defeat of Heenan on the memorable day at Farnborough. King showed but few marks of severe hitting after the fight, nor was he so seriously exhausted by the falls as might have been expected, considering the weight and stature of both men. On the other hand, Heenan was seriously disfigured, indeed, utterly prostrate, and nearly blinded at the close of the encounter. Altogether, while an honest and game fight, it was an unsatisfactory one; the sole point settled being the entire absence, on the part of Heenan, of those scientific attainments and steady attributes indispensable to the successful practitioner in the Prize Ring. The immense stake, £2,000, so glaringly disproportionate to the merits of the battle, was duly paid over to King. For the circumstance of the appearance of the once formidable Tom Sayers at the ring-side, as second to his former antagonist, John Heenan, the reader is referred to pages 435 and 436 of the present volume.

Again, and for the last time, Tom King announced his retirement from professional pugilism; we shall not, therefore, follow him into private life farther than to say, that he has carried with him the respect he earned by his public career, and that the last we heard of him was that he had earned the peaceful distinction of a prizeman, as a successful cultivator of flowers at horticultural shows, held in the neighbourhood of his suburban dwelling. And here we legitimately close the task we voluntarily imposed on ourself, of committing to the press the history of One Hundred and Forty-four Years of British Boxing.

L’Envoy to the Reader.

“Constant Reader!”—​for surely he deserves that title who hath borne me mental company through fifteen hundred pages—​this is an old-fashioned 519 book, written by an old-fashioned “pen,” recording old-fashioned manners, customs, and pursuits of men in times fast becoming old fashioned; it therefore seems fit that, in the old fashion of the L’Envoy, the Author and the Reader should have a few “more last words” ere they part company.

When Cid Hamet Benengeli, in the ultimate Chapter of “Don Quixote,” apostrophises his pen, he speaks of scribblers “who compile false and idle histories.”[42] Even so does the smaller author of Pugilistica feel as he ceases from his “Story of the Ring.” It would seem from the denunciation of the worthy Cid Hamet that in all times there have been literary fabricators and forgers, and the writer can certify that the History of the Ring in the present day has more than one flagrant instance. Foremost of these is a weekly newspaper professing to be the Argus of the Turf, and the Titan of Tipsters. The “Famous Old Fights” appearing in its columns are pure fiction, grafted on well-known names, dates, and anecdotes procurable from standard works of reference; the details of incidents, of rounds, &c., &c., being the emanation of the lively imagination of the newswriter, who, to our knowledge, and from innumerable instances in his blundering romance, is utterly ignorant and innocent of any acquaintance with the Ring, its professors, or the scenes he so inventively describes. The sole reason for this exposé is, that as, in many instances, these forged accounts of battles purport to be between men whose combats are authentically given in these pages, the reader should be made aware, that no such reports exist in any contemporary publications, of which innumerable proofs might be given, but that we cannot spare the space, time, and trouble to “break a butterfly on the wheel.” Yet do we bear no grudge to the ingenious fiction-writer; and having set the point of truth and accuracy in its true light, we say, as did Uncle Toby, when he released the fly, “Go thy ways, there is room enough in the world for both of us.”

And now for one other topic of our desultory gossip. In the later portions of the Lives of the Boxers, we have had occasion to notice the crusade which cant, cowardice, and hypocrisy successfully carried out to the bitter end against pugilism and pugilists; we shall not here iterate their defence or apology. To render, however, the work more complete 520 as a reference, in times when even the first principles of fair-play to an antagonist, and forbearance towards the vanquished seem to be little more than a memory, and to be fast vanishing out of the minds of a pusillanimous populace, we shall here preserve the text of the latest form of the “Regulations” which governed the practice of honourable combat between professional opponents in the P.R. The old Code, known as “Broughton’s Rules,” are given in volume i., page 25.

RULES OF THE RING, AS REVISED BY THE PUGILISTIC ASSOCIATION.

It having been found that many of the Rules of the Ring are insufficient to provide for the various contingencies which continually arise in prize battles, an entire revision has been determined on, and a committee of gentlemen, members of the Pugilistic Association, undertook the task. When the revision was complete, the laws were submitted to a general meeting of the members of the Prize Ring (being members of the Association) and unanimously agreed to.

Rule 1.—​That the ring shall be made on turf, and shall be four-and-twenty feet square formed of eight stakes and ropes, the latter extending in double lines, the uppermost line being four feet from the ground, and the lower two feet from the ground. That in the centre of the ring a mark be formed, to be termed “the scratch;” and that at two opposite corners, as may be selected, spaces be enclosed by other marks sufficiently large for the reception of the seconds and bottle-holders, to be entitled “the corners.”

2.—​That each man shall be attended to the ring by a second and a bottle-holder, the former provided with a sponge, and the latter with a bottle of water. That the combatants, on shaking hands, shall retire until the seconds of each have tossed for choice of position, which adjusted, the winner shall choose his corner according to the state of the wind or sun, and conduct his man thereto; the loser taking the opposite corner.

3.—​That each man shall be provided with a handkerchief of a colour suitable to his own fancy, and that the seconds proceed to entwine these handkerchiefs at the upper end of one of the centre stakes. That these handkerchiefs shall be called the “colours;” and that the winner of the battle at its conclusion shall be entitled to their possession as the trophy of victory.

4.—​That two umpires shall be chosen by the seconds or backers to watch the progress of the battle, and take exception to any breach of the rules hereafter stated. That a referee shall be chosen by the umpires, unless otherwise agreed on, to whom all disputes shall be referred; and that the decision of this referee, whatever it may be, shall be final and strictly binding on all parties, whether as to the matter in dispute or the issue of the battle. That the umpires shall be provided with a watch for the purpose of calling time; and that they mutually agree upon which this duty shall devolve, the call of that umpire only to be attended to, and no other person whatever to interfere in calling time. That the referee shall withhold all opinion till appealed to by the umpires, and that the umpires strictly abide by his decision without dispute.

5.—​That on the men being stripped it shall be the duty of the seconds to examine their drawers, and if any objection arise as to insertion of improper substances therein, they shall appeal to their umpires, who, with the concurrence of the referee, shall direct what alterations shall be made.

6.—​That in future no spikes be used in fighting boots except those authorised by the Pugilistic Association, which shall not exceed three-eighths of an inch from the sole of the boot, and shall not be less than one-eighth of an inch broad at the point; and it shall be in the power of the referee to alter, or file in any way he pleases, spikes which shall not accord with the above dimensions, even to filing them away altogether.

7.—​That both men being ready, each man shall be conducted to that side of the scratch next his corner previously chosen; and the seconds on the one side, and the men on the other, having shaken hands, the former shall immediately return to their corners, and there remain within the prescribed marks till the round be finished, on no pretence whatever approaching their principals during the round, under a penalty of 5s. for each offence, at the option of the referee. The penalty, which will be strictly enforced, to go to the funds of the Association. The principal to be responsible for every fine inflicted on his second.

8.—​That at the conclusion of the round, 521 when one or both of the men shall be down, the seconds and bottle-holders shall step forward and carry or conduct their principal to his corner, there affording him the necessary assistance, and that no person whatever be permitted to interfere in this duty.

9.—​That on the expiration of thirty seconds the umpire appointed shall cry “Time,” upon which each man shall rise from the knee of his bottleholder and walk to his own side of the scratch unaided; the seconds and bottle-holders remaining at their corner; and that either man failing so to be at the scratch within eight seconds, shall be deemed to have lost the battle. This rule to be strictly adhered to.

10.—​That on no consideration whatever shall any person be permitted to enter the ring during the battle, nor till it shall have been concluded; and that in the event of such unfair practice, or the ropes or stakes being disturbed or removed, it shall be in the power of the referee to award the victory to that man who in his honest opinion shall have the best of the contest.

11.—​That the seconds and bottle-holders shall not interfere, advise, or direct the adversary of their principal, and shall refrain from all offensive and irritating expressions, in all respects conducting themselves with order and decorum, and confine themselves to the diligent and careful discharge of their duties to their principals.

12.—​That in picking up their men, should the seconds or bottle-holders wilfully injure the antagonist of their principal, the latter shall be deemed to have forfeited the battle on the decision of the referee.

13.—​That it shall be a fair “stand-up fight,” and if either man shall wilfully throw himself down without receiving a blow, whether blows shall have previously been exchanged or not, he shall be deemed to have lost the battle; but that this rule shall not apply to a man who in a close slips down from the grasp of his opponent to avoid punishment, or from obvious accident or weakness.

14.—​That butting with the head shall be deemed foul, and the party resorting to this practice shall be deemed to have lost the battle.

15.—​That a blow struck when a man is thrown or down, shall be deemed foul. That a man with one knee and one hand on the ground, or with both knees on the ground, shall be deemed down; and a blow given in either of those positions shall be considered foul, providing always that, when in such position the man so down shall not himself strike or attempt to strike.

16.—​That a blow struck below the waistband shall be deemed foul, and that in a close seizing an antagonist below the waist, by the thigh, or otherwise, shall be deemed foul.

17.—​That all attempts to inflict injury by gouging, or tearing the flesh with the fingers or nails, and biting, shall be deemed foul.

18.—​That kicking or deliberately falling on an antagonist with the knees or otherwise when down, shall be deemed foul.

19.—​That all bets shall be paid as the battle-money, after a fight, is awarded.

20.—​That no person, under any pretence whatever, shall be permitted to approach nearer the ring than ten feet, with the exception of the umpires and referee, and the persons appointed to take charge of the water or other refreshment for the combatants, who shall take their seats close to the corners selected by the seconds.

21.—​That due notice shall be given by the stakeholder of the day and place where the battle-money is to be given up, and that he be exonerated from all responsibility upon obeying the direction of the referee; that all parties be strictly bound by these rules; and that in future all articles of agreement for a contest be entered into with a strict and willing adherence to the letter and spirit of these rules.

22.—​That in the event of magisterial or other interference, or in case of darkness coming on, the referee shall have the power to name the time and place for the next meeting, if possible on the same day, or as soon after as may be.

23.—​That, should the fight not be decided on the day, all bets shall be drawn, unless the fight shall be resumed the same week, between Sunday and Sunday, in which case the bets shall stand and be decided by the event. The battle-money shall remain in the hands of the stakeholder until fairly won or lost by a fight, unless a draw be mutually agreed upon.

24.—​That any pugilist voluntarily quitting the ring previous to the deliberate judgment of the referee being obtained, shall be deemed to have lost the fight.

25.—​That on an objection being made by the seconds or umpire the men shall retire to their corners, and there remain until the decision of the appointed authorities shall be obtained; that if pronounced “foul,” the battle shall be at an end, but if “fair,” “time” shall be called by the party appointed, and the man absent from the scratch in eight seconds after shall be deemed to have lost the fight. The decision in all cases to be given promptly and irrevocably, for which purpose the umpires and the referee should be invariably close together.

26.—​That if in a rally at the ropes a man steps outside the ring to avoid his antagonist, or to escape punishment, he shall forfeit the battle.

27.—​That the use of hard substances, such as stone, or stick, or of resin, in the hand during the battle shall be deemed foul, and that on the requisition of the seconds of either man, the accused shall open his hands for the examination of the referee.

28.—​That hugging on the ropes shall be deemed foul. That a man held by the neck against the stakes, or upon or against 522 the ropes, shall be considered down, and all interference with him in that position shall be foul. That if a man in any way makes use of the ropes or stakes to aid him in squeezing his adversary he shall be deemed the loser of the battle; and that if a man in a close reaches the ground with his knees his adversary shall immediately loose him or lose the battle.

29.—​That all stage fights be as nearly as possible in conformity with the foregoing rules.

We ask, in the name of humanity, too often taken in vain, a calm and dispassionate perusal of these rules, confident that the appeal will at least induce a more charitable opinion of the men who could frame and act upon them than ignorance or prejudice would form. “It has been constantly urged,” says an experienced writer, “as a ground of objection to the study of the skilful use of the fist that it makes men pugnacious, and more ready to seek than to evade a quarrel, in order that they may display their fancied superiority. Observation and experience do not confirm this view. We have almost invariably found (except with persons who cannot command their temper, and if this be the case, whatever be their acquirements, they will be equally without control) that the consciousness of power inclines men to be less prone to quarrel, and more forbearing against an opponent. Of this abundant proofs are to be found, not only among the ordinary classes of society, but more particularly among professed pugilists, who, with a few exceptions, are the last to invite a quarrel, and the first to seek a reconciliation. Many instances are on record, and have passed under our notice, in which the most respectable members of the Prize Ring have actually submitted to positive insult rather than exercise their athletic powers and take advantage of the weakness of an assailant. This calmness of disposition, joined with perfect self-possession, is in fact one of the most valuable attributes of a British boxer, and one of the best tests of true courage. That there may be and are exceptions to this rule cannot be denied; but all must concur in the proposition, that for the strong to oppress the weak, or the scientific boxer to take advantage of an ignorant and helpless opponent, is an act of cowardice deserving the utmost contempt. The ruffian who would strike a woman is not less deserving of execration than he who, for the mere purpose of displaying his scientific acquirements, would assail another not equally gifted. The great end of pugilistic instruction is, to instil into the mind of the pupil a manly and honourable bearing, combined with personal confidence in the hour of danger; we have no apprehensions, therefore, that its pursuit will lead to the abandonment of those principles of self-respect and fair play which are alike estimable in the minds of all classes.”

523

And here we will once again ask the question, without fear of a valid retort, “Has the experience of the last twenty years, read by the light of our police reports, and the records of our criminal courts, shown any improvement in the character of what are called ‘offences against the person’?” On the contrary, familiarity with the use of deadly weapons, of the knife in murderous varieties of “the bowie” the “Spanish,” “the Arkansas tooth-pick,” the “knuckle-duster,” the many-chambered revolver, with the stringent repression of all pugilistic conflict by an ever and over-vigilant police, has undoubtedly led to swifter, more sanguinary, more treacherous, and more deadly modes of settling those differences which must arise, especially among the lower classes of society. To this humiliating catalogue of brutality we may add the savage use of the iron-bound clog, and the “running kick,” so fatally studied and practised by a section of the community which in ruder and in better times would have scorned such an unmanly mode of attack, and would not even have permitted it where several spectators were gathered together. But alas! the outcome of the decay and suppression of fair fighting is manifest; the doctrine of assassination is publicly preached in the press and in public meetings, and “the gospel of dynamite” is the latest development of the “superior civilisation” of a people who

Whether fair and regulated prize-battles are destructive of life, and absolutely and directly shorten the period of man’s longevity, may be fairly a subject of inquiry. A few statistics may well give us pause before we decide this point, which an insufficient investigation and popular prejudice would pronounce in the affirmative, while a candid consideration of the following table may prove the negative—​that is, as compared with many other gymnastic and sporting exercises. Deaths in the prize-ring, or even as the consequences of pugilistic encounters, do not show a marked diminution of the term of human life, in the recorded instances of the ages of the most celebrated professors and practitioners of the art of boxing:—

524

AGES OF THE CHAMPIONS FROM BROUGHTON TO TOM KING.

BORN. DIED. AGE.

John Broughton 1703 1789 85

Tom Johnson (Jackling) 1750 1797 47*[43]

Daniel Mendoza 1763 1836 73

John Jackson 1769 1845 76

Jem Belcher 1781 1811 30*[43]

Tom Belcher 1783 1854 71

John Gully, M.P. 1783 1863 80

Tom Cribb 1781 1848 67

Tom Spring 1795 1851 56*[43]

Jem Ward (still living) 1800 — 81

Bendigo (William Thompson) 1811 1880 69

Benjamin Caunt 1815 1861 46*[43]

William Perry (Tipton Slasher) 1819 1881 61

Tom Sayers 1828 1866 38*[43]

Jem Mace (living in 1881) — — —

Tom King (living in 1881) — — —

880 yrs.

An average of fourteen lives nearly 63 years.

Our last plea shall be drawn from the records of the “collective wisdom” of the nation, wherein we flatter ourselves manly common sense will find little difficulty in discriminating the characters of the meddling, malignant and persecuting preachers of the doctrine of “sweetness and light,” from the generous and tolerant spirits who declined to use the powers of government against the much-maligned Ring, its professors and patrons.

We have noted the wave of puritan cant which for some ten years previous to 1860 had rolled over the land, and the force of which was long after felt. In the last-named year it gave trouble and unrest in the Senate.

On the 13th of April, Mr. Hadfield gave notice, on presentation of a petition, that he would call the attention of the Government to a meditated breach of the peace, by a pugilistic contest to take place between an American citizen and a British subject for a so-called Championship. He added the extraordinary information that “the newspapers had given notice of the 525 time and place (?); “therefore he asked the Secretary for the Home Department whether he intended to take measures to put down such intended disturbance of the public peace and prevent an exhibition so contrary to the religious sense of the country at large—​(laughter)—​and he would further ask whether the public might rely on his doing his best to prevent so brutal and demoralising an exhibition to the rising generation as the announced contest between this American gladiator and——(Laughter prevented the rest of the hon. member’s question reaching the reporters’ gallery.)

Sir Geo. C. Lewis, rising, said: The contest between these redoubtable champions (a laugh) has been brought under my notice, and I have transmitted the letter to Sir Richard Mayne, who, I have no doubt, will take the necessary steps to prevent a breach of the peace within the metropolitan district. Beyond this I cannot assure my honourable friend; I cannot venture to give any positive promise—​for if he is informed of the time and place I am not, and I don’t think they are fixed—​it is, therefore, impossible for me to say whether the police will succeed in preventing the “incursion” in question. (Laughter.)

Mr. Hadfield was by no means satisfied with the Right Honourable gentleman’s answer, and should again raise the question.

The fight came off unsatisfactorily, as all the world knows. Punch, in the following week, tells us (in his “Essence of Parliament”):—​“Commons. More fun about the fight. Mr. Ewart admitted but deplored the interest taken, and the questions raised upon this matter; but wanted to know what power there was to suppress such doings, except the police power to suppress riot? Sir G. G. Lewis was also at a loss to know how to deal with our modern Dares and Entellus.”

A young Yorkshire noblemen, however, a newly-fledged M.P., Lord Lovaine (now Earl of Beverley) sought to make political and religious capital out of the affair. His lordship opened fire by an attack on the directors of a certain railway company—​the South Eastern—​for “their conduct in offering facilities for the conveyance of persons to these illegal contests,” and to raise the question, my Lord Lovaine, “moved for copies of any correspondence on this subject, which had passed between the Government and the South Eastern Railway Company.” He also inquired whether the Government had attempted to enforce the law, or whether anything had been done to stop the practice of letting trains for the purpose he mentioned.

To these impertinences, spiced with some personal inuendoes, Lord 526 Palmerston replied in the following terms:—​“He would not argue the technical legal question that a fight between two men—​not a fight of enmity, but a trial of strength—​is, legally, a breach of the peace, and an act that renders the parties liable to prosecution; nor whether the persons who go to witness it are not, technically, involved in the charge. But, as far as they are concerned, they may conceive it to be a very harmless pursuit; some persons like what takes place; there may be a difference of opinion, as a matter of taste, whether it is a spectacle one would wish to see, or whether it is calculated to excite disgust. Some people look upon it as an exhibition of manly courage, characteristic of the people of this country. I saw the other day,” said his lordship, “a long extract from a French newspaper, describing this fight as a type of the national character for endurance, patience under suffering, of indomitable perseverance in determined effort, and holding it up as a specimen of the manly and admirable qualities of the British race (hear). All this is, of course, entirely a matter of opinion; but really, setting aside the legal technicalities of the case, I do not perceive why any number of persons, say 1,000 if you please, who assemble to witness a prize fight, are in their own persons more guilty of a breach of the peace than an equal number of persons who assemble to witness a balloon ascent (laughter). There they stand; there is no breach of the peace; they go to see a sight, and when that sight is over they return, and no injury is done to any one. They only sit or stand on the grass to witness the performance, and as to the danger to those who perform themselves, I imagine the danger to life in the case of those who go up in balloons is certainly greater (hear and laughter) than that of two combatants who merely hit each other as hard as they can, but inflict no permanent injury upon each other (hear, hear). I think there is moderation in all things—​moderation in all opinions; and although it may or may not be desirable that the law should be enforced—​whatever the law may be—​still I do not think any advantage is gained or good done, either to public morals or public feeling, by the sort of exaggerations in which the noble lord has indulged. At the same time the motion is one to which I see no objection, and therefore I do not oppose it.”

Some sparring took place, in the course of which Lord Lovaine taunted the Premier with a love of pugilism, and with sanctioning rather than discouraging these meetings. Mr. Scully also had a fling at the Premier.

Lord Palmerston replied as follows:—​“I distinctly stated that it was ruled by legal authorities that such prize fights were breaches of the peace; 527 but I protest, at the same time, against the exaggerated terms in which the noble lord (Lord Lovaine) characterised the conduct of the spectators on those occasions.”

“Colonel Dickson was surprised to hear his hon. friend (Mr. Scully) take the noble lord at the head of the Government to task for the remarks he had made on this occasion, for he (Colonel Dickson) could not understand an Irishman objecting to fighting (a laugh). The noble viscount (Palmerston) had not laid himself open to such taunts. He sat on a different side of the House from the noble lord, and did not often find himself in the same lobby with him on a division, but he would say for the noble viscount that if he had one attribute more than another which endeared him to his countrymen, it was his thoroughly English character and his love for every manly sport (cheers). He (Colonel Dickson) never saw a prize fight in his life; but he would say that the two men who fought on the recent occasion showed qualities of which the whole English race had reason to be proud, our own man in particular (laughter), who evinced powers of endurance and an indomitable pluck which entitled him to the admiration of his countrymen (cheers.) Many men in this country received honours who did not so well deserve them. He did not think Parliament ought to legislate with the view to put down manly sports; and, with regard to the duties of magistrates the law was clearly laid down. Magistrates themselves ought to know when to act and when to shut their eyes (a laugh).”

The returns were then ordered; but whether any such papers existed, or of what use they were to the meddlesome movers, the world is to this day in ignorance. We should say that the whole debate was a peg on which to hang a sanctimonious attack to the glory of the “unco’ guid” assailants. While on this topic we will add a well-authenticated anecdote which was current at the time in the clubs.

While the Home Secretary (Sir G. Cornewall Lewis) was solemnly explaining and admitting the illegality of Ring-fights, a well-known sporting M.P. was collecting a “purse” for Sayers. Lord Palmerston came upon the group, and was instantly arrested by the amateur collector. “My lord, I want a sov. for Tom Sayers.” “A sov. for Sayers? Splendid fellow that; I’ll give you five.” “Thank you, my lord; but the subscription is limited to a single sov.” His lordship, with subdued alacrity, “Well, here it is; but I wish it was five.” There were noblemen then, in soul as in title; in humble life as in exalted. Do they survive, and have they the courage even of their own opinions?

528

Valete ac plaudite: The curtain has fallen!

Wood Green. H. D. M.