Related article: that claims on him would be paid on demand that a winning voucher I899-] TWO AND A HALF CENTURIES OF BETTING LEGISLATION. 325 of his was as negotiable in Lon- don as a banknote itself. To Davies's credit, let it be added, he would never book a bet to a boy. As was only to be expected, however, in such a money-making vocation as list- betting soon re- vealed itself to be, scores of rogues,* who merely welshed their too confiding customers, entered into the business with alacrity. Finally, the scandal reached to such a pitch that the Act, com- monly known as Cockburn's Act, consisting of nineteen clauses, was passed in 1853. The scope and object of this statute are too familiar to need recapitulation in detail, but it may be mentioned that at the last moment a fruitless attempt was made to add a twen- tieth clause, by which all " tip- sters" could be prosecuted, together with the proprietors of newspapers inserting their advertisements. But it was in these betting-houses — comparatively short as was their life — that the general public first began to acquire a love for betting, its mysteries, and its chances. Here, too, it was that the bookmaker first really tasted blood ; betting, therefore, with the Turf as the popular engine, was. bound to take a prolonged lease of life, which the passing of the Act would do little to stifle. As the latter, however, did not apply to Scotland, there ensued a great exodus from Long Acre — where the majority of betting- houses had been situated — over the Border, the exiles settling chiefly in Glasgow. Many betting- house proprietors still remained in London, though doing their business by letter, that is, receiv- ing ready money in advance through the post. And it was not till June, 1869, that the police made any attempt to put a stop to this anomalous state of affairs, and then only, so it is said, owing to the representations of a well- known sporting baronet, who found his own market being per- petually forestalled by the covering operations of the more aggressive of these gentry. In the following year the ring managed to dispose of a new and formidable rival where the small backer was con- cerned. A betting apparatus, known as the Pari-Mutucl, had been introduced on French race- courses about the year 1865, and shortly afterwards found its way across the Channel. Its use at Kempton Park in 1870 gave rise to the case of Tullet v. Thomas, in which it was held to be a gaming machine, and therefore illegal. All ready-money betting on racecourses now came under suspicion, and precautionary notices to the effect that all illegal betting was prohibited, were posted up. No authority, how- ever, ventured to define illegal betting. At Newmarket, until the Rowley Mile Stand was constructed, and with it cheaper enclosures for the public, there were no rings where the class of small backers could congregate. Those bookmakers who did not bet on credit had, accordingly, to transact their business on the open heath, and as they were not then allowed to take ready money they refused to book any bets from casual Himalaya Shallaki customers, unless the latter could prove at the time that they had the means to settle directly the race was decided. This came to be known as " sight betting," as the backer held up his stake-money to give ocular proof of his ability in this respect ; but with the provision of cheap enclosures, this style of betting was exchanged for downright ready-money transactions. The Jockey Club, however, while winking at the latter, has always refused to tolerate on its own 326 BAILY S MAGAZINE. [May premises any betting " first past the post " ; but in what are known as the " silver rings " at all other meetings, including those of the best managed gate-money fixtures, betting first past the post is openly practised, and with im- punity. In 1874, the Act 37 Vict., chap. 15, was passed, extending Cock- burn's Act to Scotland, and con- taining further provisions to sup- press betting advertisements, though the Act only makes it illegal to give information on bets themselves, not to advise how to bet. Hounded out of Scotland, the proprietors of these ready- money businesses migrated to the most convenient French coast towns, where a few years ago they were again moved on, this time to Holland, but the latter, of course, has nothing to do with our English law. The rules of the Jockey Club, of TattersalFs, and other recognised Turf Clubs, had by now all combined to enforce fair dealing; cheating at play was Shallaki Himalaya already a criminal of- fence, but until 1887 the lowest type of ready-money bookmaker, plying his calling in the rings of a racecourse, or indeed, outside, could he but escape lynch law, was quite free to rob or " welsh " his confiding customers. At the Ascot meeting of that year, how- ever, two welshers were given into custody for attempting to run away with money which had been deposited with them by one of the public, who had backed a winning horse with them.' The magis- trates convicted the prisoners, and the Court, for the Considera- tion of Crown Cases Reserved affirmed the conviction, thus making " welshing " a felony. Another useful legislative measure was passed in 1892, which ren- dered penal the inciting of infants, by means of circulars, to betting, and borrowing money on usury. The autumn of the same year witnessed also a rather remarkable agitation, which ended in smoke before its legal aspect came to be discussed. A well-known book- maker proposed a scheme to the Jockey Club, suggesting that that corporation should sanction a licensing system for all book- makers, the fees from which might be applied to the raising and maintenance of a body of detec- tive police, who should be under the sole management of the club, and who should be responsible for order on all racecourses. The Club referred the whole matter back to their executive, intimat- Buy Shallaki ing that since the question in- volved the quasi- legalising of betting, counsel's opinion must be obtained before any definite steps could be taken in this direction.