Chess Items.

Otago Witness, Issue 2651, 4 January 1905, Page 62

Chess Items.

- The Norwich Mercury recently quoted Mr Blackburn's opinion that the capture en passant was "doomed to extinction." It now cites from the Cheltenham Examiner the following comments by Mr Branch, the chesa historian: — "The abolition of the present rule would not be an improvement. All changes in chesa hitherto, or nearly all, have been in the direction of greater variety, of greater intricacy, and of increasing the powers of the pieces. Thia innovation would diminish the power of the pawn in defence, a^d Temove % factor, in game and problem which is , often of- much interest to the expert: The present nlle* has lasted in some part's of Europe for" neariy : a thousand years. It's"' origin is simple enough— the pawn as brought into "Europe couldviSdve but one step at its (first- move.' When^ to *add- animation to the' -opening, it wft& decided ,to fallow- the ,option of two' squar©B"-sthxis^ saving time — this power remained subject Jo* the qualification that existing right* ofv adverse , pawns /were not to-be restricted. If « » " pawn. ' moving but one square could' be taken by a. pawn, then, except at the option of the other player, the pawn was not to escape by moving two."

The gear which was taken from Tanner's ark, abandoned a fortnight ago off Cheviot, by the orevv of the schooner Falcon, has been lodged with the Collector of Customs at Lyttelton. It includes a compass, a combination lamp, aa e&r, $nd th» "K"ew Ztalaod Pilot,"