ARRIVAL OP THE ALL-ENGLAND ELEVEN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 45, 7 January 1862, Page 2

ARRIVAL OP THE ALL-ENGLAND ELEVEN.

(Abridged from the Melbourne Argus, Dec. 26.)

The Great Britain, as she lay quietly at anchor in the bay on Tuesday morning, was tin- central point of attraction to which all eyes were turned.- Car after car brought down the sin'nt-seers from Melbourne, all anxious to get tin.1 first .glimpse of the eleven champions to whose bands England had committed the ho iour. of maintaining the prestige of her •prowess in our great national game. Not only interest, but importance, was felt to attach to tin.' fact that H: H. Stephenson and his plucky companions had actually sailed 16,000 miles over the ocean to play a sjarac of cricket; and th.^re was, too, out of this very circumstance, a ■ ordial desire to have a look at them, and a 10. ijingto gra-p tliem heartily by the hand, as •• i :enc!s, countrymen, and lovers." Their welcome was intended to he a good one, and th • cheers that subsequently gave it told of a feeling of intense satisfaction at seeing them. Q.iiensclifF had already had the opportunity nli .Melbourne was waiting ibr, and had sent th • leading members of if cricket club on Ini rd the ship as early as three o'clock in the nvniing, to present the Eleven with an addi ss, properly engrossed on parchment. T'.e compliment wns duly acknowledged by St .■|)hcnson ; arid it is decided that the docuii!. Nt is to be framed and glazed, as aniemoriil. Y\ auwhile the Eleven were quite as anxious to jet to Melbourne as Melbourne was to have L...:u in its t-afe l:ccpin.>, and the attractions oi' a champagne breakfast on board were ne'.ondary to those of the distant city, whose ro )fs and steeples soon after begem to glimmer in the-movning haze. 'Sandridgc was all on tl.'j gui oh-e, and at Garton's Hotel a double iiroli ofil-igs waved giiily in the wind. The sh',)s in the bay were drowse.l in liolidny trim, iii; 1 people win ted patiently for the arrival of t..0 committee from Melb.mruj. Messrs. iJ- van aud Co . and Afe-ssrs. Robertson, Hritton, a.i I Co. kindly provided an eight-horse coach, j ail the horses being grey—and Messrs. lloyt an 1 Co., with the same spirit of liberality, fur-ni.-hed a coach and four grey horses.' The c>; nmittee having arranged all preliminaries wi.h that simplicity and despatch so ch.ir.'icte istic of committees on groat occasion*, and h.. ving comfortably ensconced itself, with beco ning dignity, in a four-horse coach, into vii.ich, by the way, the representatives of the pi-j-^s contrived to cllect apronijit but amicable entrance, drove off from the Cafe de Paris a lu^le after ton o'clock, and soon reached Sandridge. From Garton's to the Lioness—Mr. Thockuiorton's convenient little steamer—was but a short distance, and from the pier to the j shiu was a run of a few miles more. Under I1:is. side the Eleven were easily discerned on th..1 after-deck, amidst the crowd of passengers w!-o thronged the vessel; and presently Mr. l!i:«len, Mr. D. »S. Campbell, Captain Devlin, and other gentlemen, followed by all who had re-jived tickets from Messrs. Spiers and Pond, an.l these jrentlemcn themselves, mounted the sid ;, and the meeting was accomplished. 'We fully agree with an opinion already made pu )Hc, that, judging froMi appearances, a be tcr team could not have been found to truly ! represent the mother country. From 11. 11. St'.'phonson himself, whose whole manner and be vring are an instantaneous passport to the j goodwill of all who meet' him, to the last of 1 t i ■ Eleven, whoever that may be, a more hc.irty-looking sd of men there could not be. Th'ev are genuine English cricketers, and what be, tor or more flattei ing could be said of them? A iittle circle near the mizen mast win spjediby f.j.Mied, and Air. liusdeu, who had been depu:ed by the committee" to represent it, lost no ante in die,:h:iffing his pleasing duty, and, with an o:i«u and. absence of ceremony that put everything at once in its right place, delivered an .iddrct-s of welcome. After tiu cheering had ceased, j Mr K:opli'jnson said, —'■ On behalf of the El.-mi about to represent England in the cricket field, I beg to return yon 1113' thanks for your very kind reception this day. It is not expected, being a cricketer, that 1 should m:ike a long speech : but I hope we shall prove worthy of your kindness by showing some goodciicket, and by giving you a jolly good licking. [Cheers, and laughter.) Yes, by licking you. I will not detain yon, but agiin return you my thanks for your kind reception of myself aud companions." (Cheers.) 'All then went ashore in high glee, and the Eleven, after partaking 'of the hospitalities provided for them, went to -the Piazza.Hotel, where they will remain as the guests of Messrs Spiers and Pond. During the afternoon they strolled to the Melbourne (Ground, where the match was being continued between the United Eleven and the County of Eourke. They expressed great satisfaction at the appearance of the .turf; and sundry remarks were made which proved that not only the preparations, but the p!aj' of their antagonists were pleasing to the Eleven. .'Afterthe stumps were drawn, the visitors went in for half-an-hou'rs "sky-; larking," the attractions of English grass ap-, peariu'g irresistible to them. .They seemed perfectly at home, audperhaps the most amus-: ing-part of the afternoon's.- programme on the ;i Melbourne ground was watching them■" play" for the first'time on colonial ground. After rotiiriiiutrlo the Piazza, and whilst dining, the: Eleven were visited by the-Hon.'Mr. Favvkner .who—-the oldest colonist and resident in Port: Phillip—was the first to make a sjiccialcall for the purpose of welcoming them. A greater mark of respect could not have; been paid . to them ; and upon ascertaining who their, visitor was, the Eleven expressed "their sense: of the compliment in a thorough cricketing ■ man nor. Mr. fawkner expressed' his pleasure: at meeting them , in. Victoria, and said, that, although lie hoped they-would'.win', he would; like to sec a closely-contested match. The : Melbourne and Suburban; Railway Company have set au example, which it is to be hoped,

other companies will follow; they .have presented free passes to the Eleven. Yesterday evening the Eleven celebrated their Christmas Day by dining at the Cafe. There were about twenty visitors, and us usual, the dinner wsis recherche. The proceedings were of a festive Christinas character, with the exception of the formal toasts of the health of Mr. IJurrup of England, Mr. Henry Marshall of Surrey, and Mr. Mailam, the agent of Messrs.' Spiers and Poud. We may mention that Mr. N. Fraser was the bearer of a congratulatory address to the Eleven Vvom the cricketers in the western districts. The Richmond ground has been placed at their disposal, for the purpose of practising, find there is little doubt but that they will visit it to-day, after witnessing the Caledonian sports.