Albeit this period does not mark any change in the “school,” or style, nor in the rules which govern the practice of public boxing, there are reasons to be found for a division, in the more copious, accurate, and systematic reports of the prize-fights of this and the following periods, due greatly to the exertions and ability of the late Vincent George Dowling, Esq., of the _Morning Chronicle_, the editor, founder, and establisher of _Bell’s Life in London_, for many years afterwards “the Oracle of the Ring,” a title and function now well-nigh abdicated. About this time, too, other able pens lent their aid. George Daniels, Esq. (the D—— G——, whose criticisms on the drama lent large value to the series known as “Cumberland’s Plays,” and who was for a time editor of the _Weekly Dispatch_), was among the number. That journal also had the services of George Kent (an enthusiastic milling reporter, whose son and grandson yet wield the _stylus_ of manifold writers for the daily and weekly press),[35] and of Mr. Smith, during the period of his editorship. “Paling its ineffectual fire” before the rising glories of _Bell’s Life_, and having lost its best writers, a late Old Bailey attorney and alderman, finding the _Dispatch_ had lost caste with the sporting community, turned his coat, and betook himself with the zeal and virulence of a renegade to revile and slander the sports by which his journal had grown and prospered. But this is by the way. From the period we have mentioned the chronicles of pugilism have been more accurate and minute, and therefore more worthy of preservation; hence the greater bulk and volume of this portion of our history. On the retirement of Spring, which that boxer announced shortly after his second battle with Langan, the public attention was occupied with discussing the worthiest candidate for the vacated belt. In the first instance Langan was spoken of as the “coming man;” but though there was some correspondence, as already noticed, with Tom Shelton and Ward, the Irish champion suddenly retired without making a match, and went into business at Liverpool. The champion was now to be looked for elsewhere. Three men had at this time their respective admirers and partisans—Tom Cannon (the great gun of Windsor), Josh. Hudson (the John Bull fighter), and Jem Ward (the Black Diamond). The friends of Josh. urged his claim, on the ground that he had defeated Ward on the 11th of December, 1823; but then a fortnight after the second fight of Spring and Langan (on June 23rd, 1824), Tom Cannon had beaten Hudson in twenty minutes and seventeen rounds, and again (see Memoir of CANNON) in the November following, in sixteen rounds, twenty minutes. This led to Cannon’s challenging Ward for the championship, the details and results of which we shall notice in due course. We now return to the biography of Ward.