Royal Ascot ^ 



built, the old Betting Stand was still being used, and con- 

 tinued to be so until 1859, when a movement was made, 

 under the direction of the Master of the Buckhounds, the 

 Earl of Sandwich, to obtain possession of the site and 

 building. As soon as the descendants of Mr. Thomas 

 Slingsby had been adequately compensated, the property 

 passed into the hands of the Trustees, who had the Stand 

 removed entirely, so that a view was obtainable of the 

 New Mile from the other stands. For some time more 

 accommodation had been wanted, and a smaller structure, 

 made of wood — a portable arrangement that could be taken 

 down at the end of the meeting and stored away — was 

 put up in the enclosure alongside the Grand Stand. 



All these years the tontine system, that had been adopted 

 in dealing with the shares of the Grand Stand, had been 

 at work, and it was in 1858, when the Earl of Sandwich 

 was Master of the Buckhounds, that the last five shares 

 were drawn, paid off^ and finally extinguished, the interest 

 per share then being ^175. 



How the money received was expended during these 

 twenty years may be gathered from the statement (given 

 in round numbers) on the opposite page. 



Freed from their liabilities, the Trustees of the Grand 

 Stand, were enabled to devote more money to the stakes, 

 and to institute more improvements in the various 

 buildings. With regard to the Prize Fund, ^400 was 

 added in 1859, and was divided into several new plates. 



In i860 an iron zareba was opened on the lawn near 

 the Royal Stand, and admission was provided for 200 

 persons, chiefly for owners of race horses, who had the 

 privilege of taking tickets, available for three years, on 



130 



