The Express.
London, England, 1867-05-25 00:00:00

THE BETTING ON THE DERBY.

The Field condemns the custom which has sprung
up of detailing the sums lost and gained in racing, and
mentioning the names of winners and losers. Airs Life,
too, is very guarded in reference to the matter. Some of
the sporting papers, however, show less delicacy. The
Sportsman says the race altogether has been particularly
disastrous to the professional bookmakers, many of whom
did not succeed in getting more than two-thirds round,
while not a few, in their attempts to square up tl•eir books
and make matters somewhat easier, altogether overlooked,
or at least never gave a thought to the winner, and conse-
quently—in ring parlance—" got a faoer" for their neglect.
The principal winners are W. Chaplin, Capt. bfachell,
Sir F. Johnstone, Sir C. Legard, and Mr. Walker, who all
throw in for large stakes. Some heavy losers are, how-
ever, reported, particularly among • certain section who
have latterly tried their hands at "amateur bookmaking "
" I have every reason to believe that the two or three in-
dividuals with whose particular names rumour has been
so officiously busy will be as punctual with their accounts
at Tattensll's on Monday and Tuesday next as they have
heretofore shown themselves. The past Derby has been,
from the very commencement of speculation, unusually
prolific of heavy gambling, in which the winner has played
a peculiarly prominent part. Among the large number of
leviathan cross bees between him and others that have
been decided by the race of Wednesday, were the 50,0001.
even Hermit versus The Palmer, and the 5,000/. even
Hermit terms Marksman ; and I should say that now
the Duke of Hamilton will thank his stars that his little
transaction of 180,0001. to 6,0001. against Hermit, was
subsequently cancelled, on the ground that the evening's
amusement will not always bear the morning's reflections."
The same writer, referring to the Oaks, says that not • few
of those who had suffered severely on the Derby seemed
'.to be of opinion that they had nothing to do but to pile
the money on the mare to pull back all their losses, and
simplify matters for " settling day," but the result
proved most unmistakably that they had reckoned with-
out their host. "As it was, beware:, speculation proceeded
most briskly—thousands were betted as though they were
so many marbles—and • commission to lay out 10,000/. on
Achievement, which, it was whispered, emanated from •
certain high quarter, was executed in almost as little time
as it takes me to record the fact, two transactions of 3,000
to 1,000, one of 2,000 to 600, and 1,000 to 300, booked
twice, swallowing up the whole amount." Some of the
papers contradict the story that Daley, the jockey had
received • doceur of 8,0001. The sum actually given him,
it appears, was 3,0001.
The Tines remarks that the fact that large fortunes are
known to have changed hands upon the race for the Derby
may probably render the Epsom Meeting of Shia year
infamous in the annals of racing. Betting has become the
life and soul of racing, and the passion for desperate pecu-
niary adventures, which finds a vent on the Paris Bourse and
the gaming-tables of Germany, has in England taken almost
exclusive possession of this nataonalpsatime, andadeteriora-
tion in the morality of the turf has followed. To speak plainly
amateur, who sometimes win do so either by obtaining
clandestine information or by the circulation of false re-
ports. It is difficult to say which of these is the most
indefensible. It concerns interests recognised as public
when the inheritor of • princely fortune gambles away
not only the wealth earned by the genius or valour of his
ancestors, but the position which not even wealth can
recover. " How often do we see an eldest son, with
nothing that he can call his own, plunging into speculations
upon which the possible gains are to ifo into his own
pocket, but the probable losses must be paid by mortgages
on the family estates, or out of saving. destined for the
portions of his younger brothers? It is not easy to speak
too severely of tbo heartless selfishness which thus play. at
haphazard with property in which many others have an in-
terest, and of Which the life tenant in on should
consider himself but a trustee. It would well if parents
would resolutely decline sny liability for 'debts of honour'
thus contracted, and leave the winners to their remedy at
law. This is not • time at which it is safe to neglect the
safeguards or responsibilities of • privileged position, and
nothing would more effectually shako the territorial
power which our nobility still retain than • few con-
opicuous examples of great houses impoverished and de-
graded by gamblin"
We read in the Army awl Nary Gazette of to-
day :—" We understand that the Duke of Cambridge has
decided on calling upon • general officer of her Majesty's
army to resign his commission in consequence of his name
having been associated with • recent notorious turf scandal.
Although this is not the first occasion in which this officer
has appeared in an unfavourable manner before the public,
we believe that the Duke of Cambridge has only decided
on taking this step on the general in question having de-
clined, on the ground that pecuniary embarrassments
render his presence in London impossible, to appear before
a private court of inquiry of his brother officers at the
Horse Guards. We believe that the Secretary of State
for War has fully concurred with his royal highness in the
course proposed."

Mr. Ch►plin, the owner of Hermit, has given
250 guineas to the almshouses of Epsom, which shelter
twelve poor widows. _ _

The following horses that ran in the English
Derby are also engaged is the Grand Prise at Paris,
nazaelr:—Marksrasa, Vauban, Lord Hastings, Julius,
Dragon, Man of Bois, D•Estonrnel, and °wain Calrador.