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NO FRENCH RACING THIS YEAR. The last day of the old year was productive of an interesting number of the "Bulletin" or "Calendar" of the Societe dEncouragemeiit, giving the names of mist of our representative owners as subscribers to tlie oaks and Derby at Chan-tilly. also for the Grand Prix de Paris. The first classic event, with the added money reduced from 3,000 pounds to 2.000 pounds, has* attracted only seventy-one subscribers, iu lieu of the 20S in 1912 for the race won by the outsider. Alerte VI.. on June 7, 1914. The ChaatlUy Derby, decided a week later, counted among the many victories of Sar-danapale. drew 249 subscribers, while the number of horses challenging for the Mae riband of the Preach turf in 1910 is reduced to ninety-two all told. Tlie Grand Prix de Paris engagements, exclusive of those yet to be received from Belgium. Italy and America, amount to 199. Light names that appear are those of Lord Derby, Mr. E. Iiitl-t.n. the Duke of Portland. Messrs. j. B. and S. B. Joel and L Neumann, likewise the good colt Ali Bey. which carried the colors of the Duke of Westminster. The Grand Prix, which Sardanapale won in 1914, boasted 808 nominations. Sportsmen fond Of a g 1. well-bred horse, such as have been shown from tlie Jardy Stud, will regret the absence of the name of M. Kdmond Blanc, but I am assured that in due course the colors worn by Nubienne. the "founder" of the stable which has achieved so much sitcce-s in the annals of the turf during the last four decades, will again lie to the fore. An ardent desire has been expressed by breeders for the resumption of racing, but according to the previous number of the "Bulletin" the opinion of the members of the Race Committee of the Societe d" Encouragement was dismissed as premature and illusory, in as far as the small breeders were concerned. No useful purpose can be served by recalling the efforts of the Nice Race Committee for the resumption of their gathering, which, since its ■nation in 1MB, was only abandoned in 1871 when Paris was bombarded by the German batteries. We know of the efforts of the skirting president of t the Nice Society to gain the support of Italy for ■ the meeting, providing some 4.000 pounds to 5,000 pounds added money, and securing the assent of I the authorities at Nice to its taking place. The * project even had the assent of the Minister of Agriculture. The support of owners was secured, tlie money was there, and the meeting was announced in the papers, when at the eleventh hour. came the c mand "As you were." The laws of I rating are strict. Horses taking part in any meet lag not authorized by one of the three acknowledged I oeiettea are perpetually debarred from taking part t in anv event under their control, and the fact t that they were not Inclined to move until hostilities have ceased nullified the endeavor to organize - an international race meeting at Nice. Under such i circumstances rumors of racing in the spring or • summer, under the aaapicea of the societe Bportlvc - diincouragenient. at Maisons-I.affitte. seem at least premature. That society which has rendered the greatest service to owners and breeders, but owes its existence to its submission to the ruling of the ■ leading race societies, would never endanger its l prosperity by running counter to tlie wishes of turf legislature, and though racing was organized [ with the Germans still on Preach soil in 1871, we ■ may rest assured that until the Germans have tieen i driven across the Rhine there will be no racing in Prance. — Paris letter to London Sportsman.
