-»i 



Its Makers, Past and Present 



Clerk of the Scales. He requires to be a man of order 

 and method, as well as of strictly honest character. To 

 him come the jockeys to be weighed before the race, and 

 as the regulations provide that the numbers of the competing 

 horses shall be exhibited on the telegraph board a quarter 

 of an hour before the race, it behoves him to be quick, 

 exact, and methodical. The race over, the Clerk of the 

 Scales must be back in his place to weigh out the jockeys 

 before the official " all right," that conveys so much, is 

 pronounced. 



As we have said, Mr. James Manning combined these 

 duties with his work as Clerk of the Course. He was 

 appointed in 1846, and gained many valuable friends by 

 his high character and the conscientious performance of his 

 duties. On his death, in 1875, 

 he was succeeded by Mr. W. C. 

 Manning, who still holds this 

 important office. 



It requires many qualities 

 to undertake properly the duties 

 of starter. Besides a strong 

 and active physique, strict im- 

 partiality, patience, a certain 

 amount of courage, and some 

 severity are required. It is 

 no easy task to get a number 

 of horses, wild with excite- 

 ment, into line, and know the 

 exact moment when to let the 

 flag fall and speed them on 

 their way. It is essential, too, 



279 



W. C. MANNING 



