PLAN II.
"The Suggestions as far as they extend and relate to the shortening the duration of the drawing are highly useful, but they fall short of the object, and the Plan, if executed, would nearly prevent the sale of tickets, and totally so that of shares, and consequently abolish Lotteries altogether;—a consummation devoutly to be wished by every friend to the public, but under the pecuniary influences, which perhaps too much affect political considerations, little to be expected.
"It will be necessary to exhibit only a plain Statement of the proportionate chances in the wheel during the 7½ days of drawing on the Scheme of 50,000 Tickets, viz.—
| Prizes. | Blanks. | ||||
| 1st. | Day | 15,000 | to | 35,000 | 2⅓ to a Prize |
| 2d. | — | 13,000 | — | 35,000 | |
| 3d. | — | 11,000 | — | 35,000 | |
| 4th. | — | 9,000 | — | 35,000 | |
| 5th. | — | 7,000 | — | 35,000 | |
| 6th. | — | 5,000 | — | 35,000 | |
| 7th. | — | 3,000 | — | 35,000 | |
| last. | — | 1,000 | — | 35,000 | 35 to a Prize. |
"Hence it is evident, that on supposition the value of the Prizes diminish by an equal ratio, every day of drawing, still the actual value of the Prizes in proportion to the permanent number of the Blanks will be diminished by the relative proportion increasing at the rate of about 4666 Blanks every day after the first. Consequently it must follow, that the premiums of insurance, as well as the price of Shares and Tickets, instead of acquiring in their value a very considerable increase, must be subject to a very considerable diminution.
"To maintain the foregoing [Plan, No. I.] which is a good ground-work for lessening the evil, I take the liberty (says my Correspondent) of suggesting the following improvement.
"After the Prizes are drawn each day, let the proportion of the Blanks, namely, 4666 be drawn also. Let there be a suspension likewise of five or seven days between each drawing for the sale of Tickets and Shares, and to give time for insurance. It may be objected, that the time being thus prolonged the inconvenience will remain the same; to avoid which, the blank numbers so drawn, must be done secretly and sealed up by the Commissioners, or, they may be drawn openly but not unfolded or declared, and if necessary, made public after the drawing; by which means the insurance against Blanks or Blank and Prize will be equally abolished."