The Sun.
London, England, 1868-07-20 00:00:00

CIIORA.L.

I should think SECOND HAND is sufficiently well in to
win the Members' Handicap Plate. For the Cromwell Han-
dicap Plata I have most faith in WARLIKE or MISS
FRANCES ; and HAGAR is by no means troubled with too
much weight in the Cambridgeshire Two-yr-old Handi-
cap. According to the conditions of the Hinclibrook
Stakes there aro a lot of penalties and allowances, which
make all the difference. My opinion is that LAMPOON,
having 51b allowance, ought to win, and next to her I
fancy LELIA.

On Wednesday the Ramsey Abbey Nursery Handicap is
a certainty for LAMPOON, if she runs; and the Apethorpe
Scurry Stakes MARQUIS OF WORCESTER ought to have no
difficulty in winning. Tho Peel Handicap Plate reads
like going to SERINGAPATAM, and the Huntingdon Cup to
KNIGHT OF THE GARTER, who has only Speculum to fear.
For the Milton Stakes I prefer SISTER TO VEDA, unless
Lelia, Lampoon, or L'Oise should have been running for
the 31b allowance, in which case one of them would be
about winning. _ _ _

Kingsbury and Knutsford races, both run on Thursday
and Friday next, I must decline to interfere with under
such circumstances.

As regards the Nottingham Rsces, it is not an easy task
to select the winner of the principal handicap, but if the
stable run

FIDELIA.

under the impression that she will be able to win the
Goodwood Stakes, I must give her the preference.
OHARNwoon will certainly win the Bradgate Handicap,
despite his 4th penalty, if asked to do so, ant I should
be equally sanguine in favor of LIGURIAN for the County
Members' Plato if his number goes up. I should think
Lord Stamford would select to run CELLINA, who is
"turned loose" for the Stand Plate, but should he not do
so SKIPPER looks most dangerous.

Friday's racing depends too much upon previous run-
nings, as the same horses are engaged over and over
again, to allow me to express any positive opinion. Never-
theless I fancy WILD BRIAR for The Chesterfield Handi-
cap ; SISTER TO VEDA for The Nursery Handicap ; RAJAH
for The Rufford Abbey Stakes; FLYING JIB for The Forest
Plate ; AMADON for The Clumb9r Park Stakes; and ATHENA
for The Donnington Park Stakes. _ _

It would be rank heresy, as according to the aristocra-
tic organ of the' sporting press, the Duke of Beaufort, the
Earl of Westmorland, and Sir F. Johnstone intend to
patronise Southampton Meeting on Thursday and Fri-
day next, not to allude to that pleasant meeting, which I
only do to express an anxious desire for its success, of
which, under such distinguishel patronage there can be
very little doubt.

A FRESH MAN.

BOOKMAKERS versus LISTKEEPERS.

(From the Racing Times.)

Never was it more desirable, and indeed neces-
sary, for all classes of the sporting community
to coalesce together than at the present moment.
Backers of horses have had a great many bitter
lessons taught them lately, and it only wants a few
more examples of such bastard aristocracy, as Lady
Elizabeth proved herself in the Derby, to de-
moralise the Turf completely. In the meantime,
it: is not necessary for Bookmakers to assist
in prosecuting Listkeepers, whose character acd
position is equally good with their own. One of
the truest axioms is that " persons living in glass
houses should not throw stones," and the very
men who instigated the proceedings against sundry
of the ready money betters at Doncaster last
autumn would not reap much advantage from an
exposé of their antecedents. Bookmakers are
all very well in their way, but they are not
sufficiently advantageous to the general pub-
lic, and we do not hesitate to assert that a
great majority of the sporting public infinitely
prefer to speculate their money at the Lists. It
is very easy to take a case in point. Fine
weather, the expectation of a pleasant journey,
and probably the society of an agreeable
friend, are the inducements, at any rate in the
vicinity of the metropolis, to tempt many to pay a
visit to a race course. What is the consequence?
Unless the visitor is thoroughly conversant with
the regular members of the Ring, and he wishes to
speculate, which is usually the case, he is almost sure
to get into the hands of a " Welsher," and, more-
over, as he has not the advantage which is
always accorded to him at the Lists of selecting
the beat price, he has to accept whatever the
bookmaker chooses to lay him. Another great ad-
vantage is, that the Listkeeper is always there
directly after the race is run, and ready to pay
whatever moneys he has lost; whilst the
Bookmaker, who bets in the Ring, does not
inconvenience himself to settle there and then.
As a matter of course, therefore, a strong feeling
in favour of Listkeepers is obtaining, which, we pre-
sume, to be the chief cause of jealousy shown by the
inside division. Of the former class, where will be
found more straightforward men than Sidney Smith,
George Mather, Fisher and Reynolds, P. Powter,
Valentine and Wright, John Stirk, The Havelock
Turf Agency, &c., &c. The three first named
firms do not have lists in the country, but in town
they bet any amount of money at their several
places of business, and all the others have a good
reputation which extends to every race course in
the kingdom.

Several judges of the land have already decided
that the exposure of lists even on a race course is a
contravention of the law a 3 it st tnds, and against
their decision there is no appeal ; but with all due
respect to them it is quite clear the Legislature,
when this measure passed through Parliament,
never intended to include Race Courses in the Act.
Common sense leads us to suppose it could only
be intended for one object in view, namely, to
prevent the facilities afforded by these lists for
clerks and other servants to invest their money,
and thus be induced to rob their masters. Those
classes, it is natural to infer, would not be
allowed to attend such places without permission
of their employers, and in that case it is ridiculous
to legislate for parties who have no chance of com-
mitting the crime—if crime it be—of backing
horses more than once or twice a year. Un-
fortunately we have very few judges who are
competent to adjudicate on sporting affairs, and the
lamentable ignorance displayed by some of them in
connection therewith has been truly distressing on
several occasions. One of them, in deciding an
appeal some short time back, said he only re-
gretted the fine was not double the amount—for
betting on a race course, forsooth—and we consider
this is a specimen of one-sided justice, also a con-
vincing proof how few of them are competent to
give an opinion on racing affairs. Amongst the
category of Bookmakers and Listkeeper3 there
are, of course, an equal quantity of parasites, yclept
" Welshers ;" and if, instead of doing each other
injury, these parties would coalesce together to put
down the swindlers alluded to, they would far
better deserve the thanks of the whole sporting
communit v.

At any rate it is quite time the influence of some
influential member of Parliament, who is a supporter
of the Turf, should be brought to bear in favour of
Lists on Race Courses ; and we shall certainly use
our influence, from time to time, to assist in carry-
ing out such a desirable alteration of the law in
this respect.

' iuR EDITION.

SUN OFFICE,

IMPERIAL PAR LI A IdEN

HOUSE OF LORDS—Tuts EvENricG.
Tho LORD CHANCELLOR tO3k his seat on the Woolsael,
at 5 o'clock.

LORD .VAPIER.

The LORD CHANCELLOR said that in 'compliance
with an order of their lordships of the 6th July, he
had forwarded to Sir Robert Napier, now Lord
Sapier of Magdala the thanks of the house for distin-
guished s rvice iu Abyssinia, and ho bad receive•l a
reply from the noble lord expr,mssing his pleasure in
receiving it iu the name of the generals mentioned, and
the officers and non-commissioned officers of the army in
AbySsinia.
THE STATUE OF CANNING.

Lord STRATHEDEN asked what site it was proposed
should be occupied by the statue of the late Mr. Canning?
The Earl of MALMESBURY said that it was the
greatest wish of her Majesty's Government to obtain the
best and most satisfactory position for the statue. After
the discussion in this house the subject again came on in the
House of Commons, and it was agreed by a large majority
that the present site is most agreeable to
the public. After further discussion this session
the same opinion was come to. The present site had been
much beautified, and it was considered that this handsome
enclosure was a fitting place for it.
After a few remarks from Lord STRATFORD DE
REDCLIFFE, to the effect that a proper position not
being appropriated for a statue of Mr. Canning was a slur
upon the Whig party, which had been of so much service
to the country. The subject then dropped.
COURTS OF CHANCERY AND EXCHEQUER
(IRELAND) FEES FUND.
This bill was read a second time.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BILL.

The Earl of DERBY said that a very copious report had
been furnished with regard to this subject by the Com-
missioners appointed to inquire into the question of the
conduct of public schools. It had been generally under-
stood that other subjects besides classics were to be
taught in public schools. In Eton at the present time
there were 881 boys, and out of these 7611 earned French,
and 300 of these were compelled to study physical
science, and all the seniors were obliged to take up
either physical science or political economy. He con-
sidered that the bill having been three years before their
lordships' house, and having been referred to a committee
and a select committee, ought to be now read a second

(LEFT SPEAKING.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS-THIS EVENING.
The SPEAKER took the chair at 4 o'clock.

CEYLON.

Mr. GORST asked the Under Secretary of State for
the Colonies whether it was the intention of her Majesty's
Government to institute any local inquiry into the affairs
of Ceylon.
Mr. A DDERLEY said the Governor of .Ceylon was on
his way to England, and when he arrived a consultation
on the state of that island would take place. He had to say
that there was no intention on the part of the Govern-
ment to make any constitutional changes.