14 OCTOBER 1911, Page 17

[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."' SIE,—Your correspondent "G. C.

M." appears to be under the impression that the misuse of the word " raid " is confined to Italy. This is not the case. It is used by sportsmen all over the Continent, and particularly in France, where it was " discovered " by journalists about the time of the Boer War. It is not a phonetic spelling of the word "ride," but has a meaning of its own, and is used to describe any long-distance race or excursion, whether of horses, automobiles, or (oddly enough) aeroplanes; e.g., "Van den Born a fait ce matin un joli raid vers Monte Carlo." (iclaireur de Nice, April 24th, 1910.) The word still seems to retain a shade of its original meaning, implying something daring and adventurous, like a dash into foreign territory.—I am, Sir, &c.,