The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-04-26

80 SsfNNAS wiz anu ga ApuhuiG
required by the chase; but If any one
could see the list of "meets," filing whole
columns of the London Press, he would
see that modern facilities for travelling
have rendered the hunt a more general
spor. than ever before.
Fox and stag hunting is now thoroughly
organized by every county in England
The gentlemen Of the county form an
association, and keep their packs of
hounds, generally three of fifty in each.
They have their keepers and trainers. One
of the gentlemen is chosen leader for the
year. The place to meet for nearly
every day in winter is appointed and no
tiee given in the sporting papers. Amy
one can come.
The ordinary hunt is made up of the
nobility, country gentlemen, farmers, law
yers, officers, artists, workingmen, lin
short, anybody and everybody who chooses
to come. This is one of the best features
of the sport, There is here general
mingling Of society on an equality. If
any serious injury is done to the crops or
fences Of any farmer he is paid from the
general purse. The hounds run every
other day during the winter.
The facilities of travelling are such that
a man may leave London in the morning,
get to the "meet" by noon, and return
again to dine at s in the evening. His
horses are sent the day before or 20 with
him on the cars. Great numbers of law
yers, judges, merchants, literary gentle
men and artists, who do a good deal of
mental labor, go out every week for
health and recreation. The train, well
filed with red coats and horses, will run
out go miles in one hour and deposit their
men and horses in the very heart of the
hunting ground of England. In old times
they had to travel on the top Of a coach
all night for this purpose. The conse-
quence is, that now there are probably ten
times as many persons indulging in this
sport in England as there were forty years
ago, II is the proper thing for gentle
man to 60 in fiery red coat, with high
top boots, and on fine horse.
There are nine packs of stag hounds,
l23 packs Of fox hounds and "a packs of
barriers in England alone The capital
invested in this sport would very much
surprise any one. Suppose each pack to
represent 100 men land some have over
2OO,) we have 81 900 men engaged in the
sport. Each sportsman has an average Of
two horses, this makes $4,000 horses,
which, on an average, are worth in Eng
land, $500 each, which brings the value Of
horses alone to s2l 100000. The keeping
and appointments Of the horses is certainly
MS much more, making S43, 100000 The
value of the hounds, expense of keeping,
Of keepers and trainers, would amount to
as much more. The outfit Of the gentle
men and travelling expenses would certainly
amount to 5000 per year, making over
$40, 900, 900 more. SO that we can see
how England alone yearly invests and
spends over 1925, 100000 in this sport, tc
say nothing of time.
/ can easily imagine some good man
saying, Why this waste of money and
time ?-how much good it would do in
support Of charities. But hear the Eng
lishman's side of the argument, The hun,
is not cruel, for 100 men get their sport
out of one fox, and, when he is killed
skin aim and eat him, sell his skin, and
cut his tail of as trophy. 1t gives lift
and health to whole people. It saves
the best brain of the nation. 1t cultivate,
brave, daring and chivalrous spirit. Il
developes manly, dashing courage, among
the young men. 1t unites to its manly
sport all classes of society and is bono
of peace. When the hounds are running
the lords, the gentlemen, the farmers, th'
merchants, the lawyers and judges, th'
butchers and bakers, the doctors and mil
lers, the blacksmiths and sailors, all JOIN
in one common race and in an intercours'
and freedom Of manner which cannot b
found in cities or in any other countries
As to danger, sometimes man may ge
his neck broken, as did the Duke Of Dor
set but it Is calculated that in England
in season, 200, 600 men and horses g
out in the chase Of the fox, and yet il
said there is not, on an average, bon
broken in each hunt or man killed in a
the hunts once in two years Mr.. Anthon
Trollope, who is great lover and defend
er Of fox hunting, says that "thc inc
dents Of a sedentary life are more DANCE,
Gus than those of fox hunting Ther
again, high authority tells US that tn
practice of this princely sport is the be.
preparation for the hardihood, daring an
chivalrous courage required on the field ,
battle. The Duke Of Wellington col
stantly repeated the well-known epigal