THE MANLY SPORTS

; The great interest which was aroused throughout the Englishspeaking world in the'contest 'between Georges ■ Oabpentier, the French champion, and. "Gunboat" Smith, _ of the United States, .is another 'indication of the increasing attention which is now being paid to boxing in the world of sport. '/Boxing is once more a' national pastime," so we are reminded in an article on "The Eevival of Boxing," which recently appeared in the London Times. The writer points, out that during the last five years the contests between the leading experts in the "noble art" have been watched by' crowds- "as inclusive as those which attend the boat race or keep tha festival of Derby Day.", Boxing has become -as popular in tho Army and Navy as football, and it is being cultivated as part of the athletic course at English Universities and public schools. The King ■himself was present at the tournament of the 2nd Life Guards which took place a few months ago.' 'Ten years'ago things were very different. .Though England, is the home •gi modern Doxihg, the brilliant" ex,iiibitions of Oarpentier, and -the progress of the' sport in the United States and the" overseas Dominions show how widely it has spread abroad until it has now become oneof the most popular of international recreations.' Boxing in the modern sense began to flourish in England early in the eighteenth century, but after a period of great. prosperity it languished for a time. A revival then took place, and between 1750 and 1820 its popularity became enormous among all sorts and conditions of, men.., The 'names of the boxing champions became household words, and the news of the result of an encounter between two champions would be awaited with almost as much interest as if tho fato of tho : nation was at stake. People now . living can remember tho fame of Sayers and Mace, but since their day tho sport has been through a period of partial eclipse. Once again it has come to | ! the front, and the mere fact that the ■contest between Carpentier and "Gunboat" .Smith is described in a cablegram half a column long is an impressive indication that we are witnessing • a very remarkable revival of this' exciting, pastime. Carpentier's successes provide a striking illustration of that new spirit of "Young France" which has lately been attracting a good deal of attention. 'The enthusiasm which the arc throwing _ into their sports is one of the bright, spots in the gloomy cloud which at present overshadows their national life. There arc some- people who still regard boxing as a brutal and degrading sport, but most of those ■ who hold.this view ha,ve probably nover seen an encounter under present conditions. It may be'argued that the very fact that boxing requires to be controlled and supervised shows that it is an undesirable pastime. But in a world such as that in which we live many good things require to bo controlled. Street traffic has to be regulated, free speech is conditional, too much or too little food or drink is bad, and industry and commerce have to submit to many restrictions. And so it is with boxing. There is a time and place for it as for other good things, and care 'has to be taken in ■order to keep it free from unwholesome and ob,]cctionable_olements; but under proper supervision and strict control it has a contribution of no

little value to make to tho formation of national character. One cannot box in the proper spirit without learning something in the way of self-discipline and the control of one's temper under trying circumstances. A man who has learnt in the boxing ring that it is cowardly to hit deliberately below the belt has been taught a lesson which cannot fail to be of real value in the battle of life. , These are moral qualities which are well worth cultivating; but in addition to them boxing makes for physical . fitness-p-for soundness of wind and limb; and it tends to promote quickness of eye and alertness of mind. Enough has been said to show that as a form of recreation it is quite capablo of justifying its existence, and those people who'desire to_ prohibit a pastime of this sort might very easily divert the public interest taken in it'into,less desirable channels. The people need 'and will' have amusement and recreation,_ and if sports like boxing and racing, which are carried on openly and above board, are forbidden, they may occupy themselves in much less innocent ways. The closing of the racecourso would not cause the halls of science and the templcli of religion to be throngedj nor is it likely that undue, restrictions on sport would, cause the time and- energy ' thus saved to be devoted to the study of political economy or the latestideas on town planning. The love of manly sports is one of the characteristics of the British race/ and it has been a potent factor in the shaping of our history. It needs to be directed and controlled on rational lines. To crush it out would impoverish our national life, and if adequate provision is not made for its development in wholesome directions the natural desire for amusement will find vent in undesirable forms. ,It would, of course, be disastrous if recreation were to become the main business of [life.' It can only justify itself by making us better able to do our life's work, and it does this in so far as it helps us tq Realise the ideal of a sound mind in a sound body. In its proper place it tends to produce the well-balanced development of. all that poes to make the complete man. Lop-sided individuals make lop-sided nations, and an illbalanced nation is not likely to gain or maintain the leadership, of the world either in- sport or anything else. " ' ' ' •