On the 2d of May 1809, a match took place in Bayswater Fields, between Captain Dacre and Mr. Dawes, for a mile. The bet was twenty guineas on the contest between them, and another twenty that the captain should not go the distance in five minutes. They started at the fire of a pistol, and ran together until within a hundred yards of the end, when the captain made a push, and won by about two lengths, the performance having occupied four minutes and fifty-six seconds. Mr. Francis Martin, Tewkesbury, ran half a mile in two minutes and eight seconds, for a wager of one hundred guineas. The time allowed was two minutes and a half. Bets were two to one against him at starting, but he accomplished the task apparently with ease. On Friday the 6th July 1804, a well contested match for a mile, took place between Lord Frederic Bentinck, and the Hon. Edward Harbord, for a bet of one hundred guineas. The ground chosen, was from the second to the third mile stone on the Edgeware road; and they started about three o’clock, P. M. The race was closely run for more than half the way, when Mr. Harbord, owing to superior strength, gained considerably on his antagonist, whom he left at a great distance behind. The mile was accomplished in five minutes and a few seconds. On Tuesday following, his lordship ran a match against Mr. Mellish over the Beacon Course for fifty guineas, which he also lost by about fifty yards; Mr. Mellish having performed the distance in thirty-eight minutes and ten seconds. On the 1st of June the following year, Mr. Harbord again entered the lists as a swift runner, against Lord F. Beauclerk. They started in Lord’s cricket-ground; but the distance being only a hundred yards, and his lordship getting the advantage at first, Mr. Harbord was unable to make up in so short a space, and lost the match by two yards.--But he afterwards ran the same distance against Mr. Lambert, whom he beat almost without a struggle. On the 15th of July 1807, Lord F. Beauclerk beat the Hon. Mr. Brand in a short race, in Lord’s cricket-ground, the latter gentleman becoming quite WINDED[17] before he had run fifty paces. The Hon. Colonel Douglas of the Forfarshire militia, is a swift runner. He accomplished a mile within five minutes, and has performed shorter distances with great celerity.