BOXING.

(By "Mercury/')

SOME CAUSTIC ON THE GAME. Search for a White Heavy-Weight. According to the Sydney "lieferee's" American commissioner, the search for a whito heavy-weight capable of lowering the colours of "Jack" Johnson is exciting as much interest as ever in the States. Americans, in all seriousness, do some very amusing tilings', but they have perpetrated nothing quite so funny as this for many a long day. A few years ago, when white men, such'as Corbett, l'itzsimiwms, and Jell'ries, were at the top of tho tree, the utter novices, winch are, in all seriousness, brought forward as opponents of Johnson, would have been considered subjects for mental treatment. Nowadays, any healthy specimen of white over six feet high, and somewhere in the neighbourhood of list., can rely on at least a few days' notoriety in tho States, if he can secure some well-known ringfollower to say a few kind words for him as the hope of the white racc. First of all there was put forward one Warren Barbour, a champion amateur. Then Jim Corbett unearthed a wonderful fighter who was to appear as tho "Masked Unknown," or some such parsonage. Then "Tommy" Burns, when he found himself unable to stand training on account of an injured kneo, brought forward a protege in "Jack" Lester, who has yet to meet a boxer of merit.

"Tommy" Byan, tho one-time middleweight wonder, seized on "Coil" O'lCelly, a gigantic Irish policeman, who won tho heavy-weight wrestling championship, at the Olympia Games of London in 1008. O'Kelly's pretensions were quickly settled by a coloured person in tho snapo of Hank Griffin. And so the search goes on. The Chaffer About Arnst. A short time ago "Dick" Arnst gave forth the announcement of his intention to seek fresh, fame in the roped arena. Some genius cabled this to America, a.nd now "Dick" is held up as the whito man's hope. That Arnst himself probably; never, thought of knocking Johnson oil' his championship pinnacle doesn't matter a bit to the Americans. "Larry" Foley discovered a promising heavy-weight in Colin Bell, and he, too, is play to tho American public as someone capable of beating Johnson. Meanwhile tho champion worries not ono jot. lie at least knows that his title is secure for a fewyears to come.

And Always—the Black Man. Even with Johnson out of the way it is not at all certain that the best of tho whito boxers could hold his own with any ono of tho six best black heavy-weights after Johnson. It is an unwclcomo admission to make, but ono nevertheless true. Now that "Tommy" Burns seems to bo definitely off tho scene, it'is just possible that "Bill" Lang is within easy distanco of being tho top notcher among the white heavies—(heigho!)—and what is he compared with Langford? And is it certain that ho could beat "Hank" Griffin (considered to to.be Langford's most dangerous opponent in tho near future), "Sam" ll'Vcy, "Joe" Jeannette, and George Cotton? On Ringside Weights. It is definitely announced that "Dave" Smith and Panke liavo been matched to fight at tho Sydney Stadium on March 11. each boxer agreeing to weigh list. 111b. at ringside. It is worthy of note that Papko agrees to e. ringside weighing when tho championship isn't involved, and hero ono would like to have a word to say on tho subject of weighing. Papke and that' staunch supporter of his—"Tho Amateur," of the Sydney "Referee,"—are emphatic in declaring that, where championships aro involved, the men should always weigh at noon, in order to give .thorn time to gather strength beforo tho time of entering tho ring; Now, this gathering of strength, to all intents aud purposes, means putting on weight, and it is common knowledge that a man may ■weigh, say, list. 41b. (the middle-weight limit)" at 'noon, arid, a few hours' later (when.in the ring), ho may have-put on three ~or fouri pounds in weight.. Now, when two men competo for a championship, it is only common sense to say that they should tight weighing, at tho very most, tho limit poundßgo of the championship which they contest.

But not so, according to the gospel of Papke and Co. When "Cyclone" Thompson, immediately at tho conclusion of his battle with Papke, was weighed in the ring at the Stadium, and came well under tho middle-weight limit, the "Referee" declaimed neainst his having the right to call himself middle-weight champion, on the ground that (during a hard contest) such as this was, a man might very, easily lose enough weight to bring him under tho limit, while, at tho beginning of the contest, ho might well have been over it. Which is sound reasoning, but no more so than the statement that a man is not necessarily eligible to compete for it championship, because ho is under the limit of a' certain' class at noon on the day of a contest, because it is probable that when ho eaters tho ring he may have put on' enough wemlit to put him in a heavier erade. But Papke and tho "Referee" will not admit this.

As regards Papkn and Smith. "Mercury," is of oninion that.both would find it extremely difficult nowadays to weigh within the middle-weight limit, even at noon Oil the (lav of a contest, and it. is probable that both will henceforward have to I.t> classed ns liffht heavy-weights —a class thai should pet recognition. A man under, say, 12st. 71b. may very well be world's champion heavy-weight in a period when the heavier men have not the cleverness of a Johnson or a Corbett, or a Jackson, but. given that the heavier men have the cleverness, then a boxer under 12s. 71b., or rather 13st., has but little chance of holding his own as "Tommy" Burns found out. To equalise things, a light hoavy-wcight championship, with a limit of, say. 12st. 71b.. should bo instituted* Then there would be no need for this wild endeavour of 12st. men to bring themselves down to list. 41b. in order to have tho opportunity of winning a championship. Adventure of Elliott and Wells. "Billy" Elliott and "Dealer" Wells fought a draw at tho Brisbane Stadium a fortnight ago but, from accounts, it appears that a considerable section of the, audience considered the winner to be Elliott, who forced the fighting, and scored freely right through the piece. His showing in this contest was considerably better than in his recent battle with Frank Fitzjohn. "A Doughty Lad Indeed." Says the "Referee" of "Young Jack Redmond" (Harry F. Hoppe), who recently defeated Rudolph Unholz:—"Young Jack Redmond" is a doughty lad indeed, and a German-American, consequently it was a case of Greek meeting Greek, for. "Rudie" is e<n Americanised German. Redmond, _ who is 2G years of .170, has been fighting since 1901. and faced such boxers as "Jimmy" Clabby. who beat him on points. and Ad. Wolgast (lightweight champion of the world), with whom he fought a draw once, and lost on a foul in 10 rounds on another occasion. "Rav" Bronron and Redmond met twice in one week at New Orleans, wh<re Redmond did a lot of fighting. The Orsf battle was declared a draw, and Brnnson won the second on points. Each was limited to 10 rounds.

Another Australian ("Hnghie" Molieran) is off to America to try his fortune. If strength, cleverness, and clean livinj can help liini along, he should find the game a payablo one in tho land of the "wooden ham."

At the Old Bailey diaries Arthur, a burglar, who fired four times at a policeman when the officer tried to arrest liim, has been sentenced to penal servitude for life. The prisoner, it was stated, fired four shots from a revolver at tho constable who seized him, and a desperate struggle began. A woman named Wright went to the policeman's assistance, ancl blew his wliistlo for help. The prisoner during the struggle pressed the revolver lo the constable's head and again pulled the trigger, but tho weapon had jammed. Later a round mark from the muzsie of the pistol was found on the policeman's head. A sailor finally came along, and with his help the prisoner was secured. Mrs. Wright was awarded ,£lO by the judge and complimented 011 her bro'very. Two-thirds of Russia's population are jjeasatts.