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RACING AND BETTING IN FRANCE. Fortunately, a good understanding prevails be-tweeu the Societc dKucouragenient and the Municipality of Paris, tile owners of the race course in the Bois de Boulogne. Lougehamps has long been hampered lor want of room, aud the two-year-old racing there has not been so well patronized as at Maisoiis Lalfitte and Chant illy, where there are excellent T. Y. o. courses on the straight. The assent of the municipality has been gained, and we are told that the work of laying out a track of seven furlongs, starting from the Boulogne road and finishing within 1o0 yards of the windmill, will be ready for raciug this coming year, says the Paris correspondent of London S[H rtsinan. M. Ruau has come forward as the champion of the annual horse show, which has alva.s hoen successful in the old Galerle des Machines on the Champ de Mars. The building belongs to the City of Paris, and a contract has been made for its demolition. M. Ruau is anxious to save it. but the municipality does not seem inclined to listen to the minister of agriculture. Several sites have been suggested where the building could Ik- re-erected, but the City of Paris has hitherto rejected every proposal, although M. Ruau has poiuted out to them the immense advantages which accrue to the French capital from the attractions offered by an international horse show specially reserved for breeding material. The minister of agriculture announced that the show would be held in the same place next year, and that lie hoped later on to find some eligible spot where it cotibl be continued. M. Ruau has published, or caused to be published, a paragraph announcing officially that the receipts of the mtiitial betting aitained during the year 1007 the sum of 101.000,000 francs, or 0.K 0.000. or an excess of ..4 m.lWH more than in the preceding twelve months. He announces that the receipts at the gates of the race courses have also Increased to 00,000, or about 0,000 more than in 1000. The minister of agriculture is no doubt anxious to bring every possible argument to l ear on the success which has attended the suppression of lhe book maker and endeavor thus to close the door effectually against his return. He has been able to show that the ulteudance on the race courses has not fallen off.
