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HOW THE CALCUTTA SWEEP IS CONDUCTED The general popularity of the Derby sweep Is undoubtedly one of the most interesting features of that classical event of the turf In almost every factory shop and office sweeps are organized em ¬ ployees placing their threepences sixpences and shillings in the pool in the hope of drawing a fa ¬ vorite and winning a pound or two while on a much larger scale the entrance fees ranging from 250 to 25 sweeps are carried on at the big political sporting and social clubs and such places as the Stock Exchange and Lloyds the prizes in many cases running into thousands of dollars In ¬ deed it is no exaggeration to say that millions of people the majority of whom would probably strong ¬ ly object to gambling and all its evils take part in Derby sweeps every year The yearThe biggest Derby sweeps however arc con ¬ ducted in our colonies at Calcutta Johannesburg and Melbourne AVhile however in the case of the last two the first prizes usually reach about 100 000 that of the Calcutta sweep generally totals up to over 250000 And it is possible for this sum to be won by an outlay of about335 ten rupees Something like half a million tickets are sold annu ¬ ally and the method is adopted of giving 40 per cent of the total receipts to the drawer of the win ¬ ner of the race 20 per cent to the drawer of the second horse and 10 per cent to the drawer of the third the remaining 30 per cent less 10 per cent for expenses being divided among those lucky enough to have drawn a starter in the race and those who have drawn a nonrunner entered for the race As a matter of fact subscribers who even draw horses which do not start for some reason or an ¬ other may profit to the extent of something like 300 300Worldwide Worldwide interest is aroused by this sweep and tickets are applied for from all parts of the world It should be pointed out for the benefit of those who would like to participate in this gigantic sweep however that tickets are only issued to members of the Calcutta Turf Club and one can only obtain a ticket through a member of the club but there is no limit to the number of tickets a member getThis may get This gigantic sweep originated some years ago when Lord William Beresford was Military Secre ¬ tary to the Viceroy of India He conceived the idea of organizing a Derby sweep at the Calcutta Turf Club and in order to increase the value of the prizes the sweep was advertised among all Anglo Indians civilians soldiers merchants and planters The result was that it quickly assumed gigantic proportions and has grown enormously within the last decade Ten years ago the first prize was rather over 100000 now it is over 300000 the winning of which of course makes one independent for life lifeIt It is not often however that one person wins the whole of the first prize for tho simple reason that when it is known who has drawn a horse syndicates formed in India of officers and civilians approach the lucky drawers and offer to purchase their ticket or part of their ticket for a certain sum sumFor For instance the winner of the first prize last year Dr Bolton the emigration agpnt for Trinidad resident in Calcutta who drew Snnstar accepted an offer of 60000 for a half share in his ticket The first prize amounting to 300000 he thus won altogether 210000 while Mr Awberry the Workhouse Master of Warrington who drew Sted fast the horse which came in second disposed of a half share in his ticket to a syndicate for 6000 His prize came to 170000 so that after handing over the half share less the purchase money Mr Awberry netted 91000 for an outlay of about 10 having purchased three tickets ticketsThen Then again 8160000 of the first prize in the Cal ¬ cutta sweep was won In 1910 on an outlay of less than 5 by Captain H T Baban of the Indian Army When the captain heard that he had drawn Lemberg he sold half his ticket for 37500 retain ¬ ing his right to the other half of the prize which was worth 250000 Again another lucky subscriber who drew the late King Edwards horse Minoru In 1909 disposed of a share In his ticket for the substantial sum of 30000 Had he retained the whole Interest he would of course hare done a great deal better but as it was he received altogether 100000 enough to enable him to live in luxury for the remainder of his days That daysThat these syndicates who buy up the tickets or part tickets of lucky drawers finds the business a profitable one is evident from the fact that on last years Derby it is estimated that they made a profit of 170000 for of course there are many subscribers who although they draw one of the fa ¬ vorites think it is l etter to make sure of 25000 or 30000 offered to them by a syndicate rather than drawing a much less sum sumThe The manner in which the draw is conducted is quite simple and scrupulously fair It is made on the Saturday preceding the Wednesday on which the race is run The numbers of all the tickets sold are placed in one revolving barrel while in another are placed the names of all the horses originally nominated and entered for the race Then a blind ¬ folded boy draws a number from one barrell and another blindfolded boy the name of a horse from the other After each draw the barrels are revolved giving all the numbers and horses a shakeup Those people drawing starting horses are immediately noti ¬ fied by wire no matter to what part of the world they may have gone London Tid Bits
