ROBERTS v. CARME.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 181, 3 January 1877, Page 2

ROBERTS v. CARME.

From the Melbourne Telegraph Dec. 13th The first of two billiard matches arranged between the English and French Champions—Mr Roberts and Mr Camie—took ' place at the Temperance Hall, which has been comfortably fitted up for the occasion last night. There were not more than 120 persona present but this is explained by the fact of the high prices (205., 10a., and 55.) charged for admission. The English game was played, Roberts conceding to his opponent 600 out of 1,000. The gatpc commenced at a quarter past 8 o’Jock, on one of “Alcock’s” tables—a very fine one, but rather slower than those Roberts has lately been accustomed to. At starting the game dragged a little, and several miss-cues and bad breaks added to the monotony. At length a pretty cannon by Roberts off the cushion on to the red, thence hugging the cushion again down the table to the white, broke the spell, the first 100 taking him twenty-three minutes to run up. Then he made a good of 54, including seventeen spots, making his second 100 in twelvl minutes. Thence a series of small breaks brought bis score Up to 250, Mr Carme in the meantime adding to 1 Ids trifling numbers, and chiefly by very pretty canons, but he was evidently not at his ease .on the English table. At 2.50, Roberts got on to the spot shot by flaking Carme’s ball into a pocket, and then ensued one of those wonderful exhibitions of manipulative skill which have made bis name so famous throughout the world. Shot after shot the red ball, which seemed almost endowed with life, dropped with machine-like regularity into either corner pocket. Twists, screws, following shots, and in one brilliant instance, an all-round-the-table shot, were made by Mr Roberts to get bis ball into position, and before he dropped his cue 102 consecutive spots Were scored to bis credit, or a total break of 306. This brought his score up 556. He made bis third 100 in fifteen minutes, the fourth in six minutes, and the fifth in four minutes. Mr Carme did not succeed in scoring ins first 100 for thirty five minutes. At this juncture there was an interval, and thirty-five minutes past nine the game was resumed with small breaks on either side, until it stood—Carme, 800 ; Roberts, 603. Then Carme scored 9, leaving his own ball in baulk and the red on the spot. Roberts in hand made a beautiful corner pocket off the red from baulk, and a series of winning and losing hazards, until at length he had Mr Carme’s ball between his own and the corner pocket. Desirous of making a hofng white hazard, he desirously lifted his own ball, which hit Mr Canne's as it jumped, and then dropped neatly into the pocket, a perfect steeplechase shot, a roar of laughter and applause greeted this feat. Mr Carme now got the balls more to his liking, and gave evidence of his skill by making a number of beautiful canons, bringing his score up to 817. Roberts then made a break of 54, which brought the rival scores as follows ; Carme 848, Roberts 838; Carme 861, R iberts 86 J. Roberts passed Carme at this stage, and thenceforth the scores were—Roberts 9U5, Carme 867, Roberts 921, Carme 892, Roberts 989, Carmo 901, Roberts 999, Carme, 601, the game being finished by Carme missing the red, Roberts thus winning by 99, at twenty-three minutes to 11, or 2 hours 22 minutes from starting, tluring which period he put the required IUOO together.