21. Should the striker, in making a cannon or hazard, knock his own or either of the balls off the table, he cannot score the points made by such stroke, and the opponent plays, hurdle balls are not broken.
22. If a ball stops on the edge of a pocket, and afterwards falls in, either through the shaking of the room, or table, or by any other accident, it must be replaced as near the original place as possible.
23. Should the striker, when in hand (i.e., when his ball is off the table), play at a ball in baulk, his adversary has the option of scoring a miss, or of having the balls replaced, and the stroke played again, or of breaking the balls.
24. If the striker's ball touch another, he must play, and should Ire make a cannon or hazard, the adversary can claim it as foul, or he can allow points to be scored and the person to play on; hut shou3d the striker not score, it is at the option of the oppo nent to break them or not.
25. Should the marker, whilst marking for the players, by accident touch either of the balls, while rolling or not, it must be put as near as possible to the place it would have otherwise occupied.
26. If the last player should alter the direction of the balls while rolling, with cue, hand, or otherwise, the striker may place it where he thinks proper.
27. A line-ball is when either the white or red is exuetly on tire line of the baulk, In which case it cannot be played at by a person whose ball is in hand, it being consid ered in baulk.
28. If the striker's ball is over the pocket, and he should, in the act of striking, miss it, but in drawing his cue back knock it into the pocket, he will lose three points, it being it coo.
29. If red ball has been put into a pocket, it must not be placed on the spot till the other halls have done rolling, should there be a probability of either of them touch ing it again, as the stroke is not finished till the balls stop.
30. If the striker should touch his ball by accident when taking sine. it is not a stroke, and the ball is to be replaced; but should he touch if in the act of striking, then it is a stroke.
31. If either of the balls lodge on a cushion, it is off the table, and should a cannon or hazard be made, it does not score, and the ball must be placed on the spot, or played from the baulk, according to whether it is white or red.
32. Any person refusing to play the game out after he has played one stroke, loses it.
33. In a match of four, each person is at liberty to offer his partner advice.
:34. All disputes in tire game to be decided by the marker or majority of the company, but no person has a right to interfere until appealed to by one or both players.
3.'i. It. is called a love-game when no hazard has been made by the loser.
With first-elass players such as Cook, Roberts. and others, the "spot stroke" is a favor ite and telling one. It consists of holding the red ball (from its spot at the upper end of the table), stroke after stroke consecutively, in either of the bottom pockets. So great is the skill now displayed in this stroke, that breaks of 150 and more are frequently made. With its aid the proficient will occasionally score several hundred points before letting his adversary "in." Scores of about 700 or 800 have been achieved.
The only other game played upon a billiard-table which it stems necessary for us to notice, is that called pool. It is quite different front that above described, nor is it neces sary that a good player at the one should greatly distinguish himself at the other. Pool isthe game pursued at all the public billiard-rooms, and is the sole profession of many persons who might otherwise employ themselves to more advantage, if not to greater profit, since the requisites for forming a first-rate player are really high—namely, steadi ness of hand and eye, imperturbable temper, and exact dynamical calculation. Pool is played by any number of persons—when between two only. it is called "single pool," and is nothing else than the old game at B. before the introduction of the red ball—and after various methods, such as playing at the last player, plaving at the nearest ball. and at any ball whatever. The most conimon is that playing at the last player. the rules of which game are to be found, by those whom they concern, upon the walls of every room where it is played. The best billiard-tables, furnished with slate bed and India-rublnr cushions, cost from £70 to £80, and upwards. •