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MUTUEL BETTING IN FRANCE. When bookmakers were barred from doing business in France little more than a year ago. confining speculation on racing to the mutuels, all smts of dire predictions were made as to the future of the turf in that country. It was freely claimed that racing would lose its popularity under the ex elusive system of mutuel betting. It is interesting, therefore, to note how the turf has fared during the period that has just closed the first full year of racing under the new conditions. When making a comparison liotween receipts .and profits in litOti as against 1888 it is sufficient to take the balance sheets of the five leading "societies" in France. These are the Societe dEneourage-mpnt. the Societe des Steeplechases de France, the Societe Sportive, the Societe du Demi-Sang and the Societe de sport dc rr.i.nT. The yartaaasahai af the societies named in Paris and the neighborhood, where most of the important racing is regularly held. There have been a few owners who have forsaken the turf owing to the "monopoly" control of betting, but there have been many newcomers to take their places. The opponents of the mutuels have frequently stated that the public did not attend meetings as much now as heretofore. In this statement they had truth on their side, but the falling off in gate receipts has only amounted to 0,000 for the whole year. The full turnover amounted to ,830,000. so if one reckons the dethroned bookmakers who have not found it worth while to attend racing this past season the discrepancy is practically accounted for. It can thus be seen that here is no diminution in the ordinary race going population. And w Ikii one comes to the marked increase in mutuel profits it eaa readily tie understood that lioth the Pleath government and the various race societies have cause for self congratulation. It must always lie recollected that the profits the race societies make do not g into private bands. They are all devoted to the advancement of racing, breeding, etc. The mutuels handled aliout 483,888 during the year, which shows an increase of about ,110,000 on the takings in 1886. The government and the five societies named halve the eight per cent, deducted, the governments share licing about ,188.-i» hi. ,,r nearly 38,086 more than in the previous year. This sum is expended on the |ioor, irrigation, etc. Only last week the government commissioners voted 88,888 for irrigation purposes in JliS districts. The remaining 1 1 will be attended to shortly. The publication of these race statistics plainly point to the increasing success of crosscountry racing. The Steeptechaae Society and the Societe de Sport de Frainv the two big jumping bodies are the only two to show an increase in gate receipts. Then the Steeplechase Society which has charge of Auteuil has actually taken more money in gate receipts and in mutuel investments than the Societe dKncouragement. whose authority extends to Long-champ and Chantilly. In fact, the Steeplechase Society alone shows an increase of 888 in "gate" and ,772,110 in mutuel money over last year. M. Kuan has frequently expressed himself of late as perfectly satisfied, and it would api ear that so long as the present prosperity remains in the French racing world bookmakers have merely a "long odds" chance of returning to their old haunts. Resides, they cannot compete with mutuel prices against outsiders.
