Morning journal and courier., 1880-07-14
Horse-Racing ina England.

That horse racing, largely fed by the gam bling element, to which 1t is on all sides ex- posed, is increasing to an uncalled-for extent, becomes apparent from the turf statistics of 1879, although these are not in some respects so heavy as those of some preceding years, several of the more abject gate meetings hav- ing been abandoned. It appears, however, that from February to November inclusive, a meeting held in January being also taken in to account, there were held 271 race meetings of all kinds The number of stakes raced for was J, ,920, and the meetings occupied in all AIS days of racing. The horses contend ing for the various prizes numbered T., ,446, the same animal, however, taking part in many of the contests. In the two kinds of racing, flat racing and steeple-chasing, pro- bably ? 2,500 different horses would run; one horse ran thirty times in the course of the season, and many of the competitors on from to 1G occasions The value of the stakes raced for in 1879, including cups and plates, was not far short of half million sterling, the largest amount paid at any meeting being at Ascot, where the stakes in money reached the handsome sum of e26, ,617. The most valua- ble race of the, year was the Derby, which ex- ceeded by trifing amount the sum of e7,- 900, consisting of the money paid by the nam CTS or owners of the horses.
 In the matter of the larger stakes the rac- ing of 1879 gave to 16 noblemen and gentle men the chief profits, the total sum of their winnings DelnS 61bO, 4b5, or aDOuG Cn1rQ part of the halfmillion sterling which has been mentioned. The largest amount won by any one of these gentlemen-the result of % races-was e26, ,366, the lowest amount being e5, ,092. No winning account of less than e5, GOO is included in the above compu- tation, although there were probably 300 winners of sums varying from five thousand to fifty pounds. As regards the highest of the above amounts, it has been exceeded, we state, in some previous years; the largest winner in 1S77-8, the same nobleman in both years ,pocketings e34, 376 and e37 ,378 respec- lively, whilst the value of the stakes won by him in 1879 was e23, ,52S, and in the five years from 1875 to 1879 his total earnings amounted to e126, 799. These sums repre- sent the greater prizes of the turf. In 35 races in 1879 the stakes were over E1, 900, In II the sums gained were over G2, GOO, and In three races over 96, 900.
 The number of horses engaged in flat rac- ing only in 1879 was 2, 113, each of which, as has been already stated, ran one or more times the value of the stakes is represented at e3SO 699, being less than the amount pre- yiously given, which includes stakes for steepIe-chasing. It can also be ascertained from the Calendar that the produce of 2,995 brood mares in 1879 added 1855 youngsters to the racing stock of the country. The number of races run on the flat during the last five years has been as follows: In 1875, 1.9O9 1876, ,907; 1877, l, ,639; 1878, 1,699; 1879, ,626s; showing considerable decrease since 1875.
 No means exist by which the figures of turf gambling can be ascertained with any approach to perfect accuracy, but guesses of the extent to which the speculation is car ried on have been frequently hazarded. It has, for instance, been stated that a million sterling will change hands every year on the race course alone on half dozen of the clas- sic races, including the Two Thousand Guin- eas, Derby Stakes, the Oaks and St. Leger.
 The State Railroad Commissioners will have no investigation into the accident at New London, fatal to President Lincoln of the Boston and Albany railroad as no one wishes to make complaint, or planes the managers of the road,