The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-08-15
THOROUGHBREDS.
From the London Field. August 81

From the London Field. August 81
In the preface to the second volume of the .Stud
Book" published in 1922 read that eff any proof
wanting Of the superiority of the English breed
of horses over that OF every other country it might
be found in the avdity with which they are sought
by foreigners. The expectation OF them to Russia
France and Germany for the last ve years has been
considerable render it object of some i'm
portance in commercial point OF view. But
this advantage, Of our Continental neigh.
bors are of opinion, will not long remain
with us. They are fully aware of the source
whence we derive this superiority. and in
consequence endeavoring to establish races on the
English plan. which. together with o more careful
selection Of stations and mares than they observe
in England Will very soon. they say. enable them
to excel us; and they anticipate not very distant
day when the English must send to the Continent
if not for speedy at least for sound horses There
is nothing under the sun. and within the
last dozen years language of q very similar
nature to this has been held. not alone by
Admiral Rous. but also by many writer's whom
the successes OF foreign horses at EPSON, Ascot
Doncaster and Newmarket have frightened as to the
decline of our equine superiority. Between 1916.
when the American Declaration of Independence was
promulgated. and 1922 when the words which we
have just quoted first met the public eye the inter-
course between England and the United States was
slight TO occasion little surprise that the two
countries were imperfectly acquainted with each
other. The compilers Of the first three vol
umcs of the "stud Book" published In 1908,
1922 and 1892 could not be expected possess fuller
information about the events which were taking
place upon the other side Of Atlantic than the
contemporary essaysts in the Edinburgh and Quar-.
teriy Reciecs. who, in their occasional comments
upon American books and politics, clearly betray
that they were as ignorant Of the matters upon
which they wrote as COW is of comic sections For
these reasons it was to be expected that
"Stud Book" Of the largo numbers Of thor
ouqhbreds exported from England to the
United States during the opening Of the pres
ent century. This export had indeed commenced in
the days when the thirteen North American colonies
were All integral portion the British Empire: but
the refuent of thoroughbreds from the West to
the East did NOT begin to set In until recent years.
show that the sight of American colors upon our
race courses will hcnceforwsrd be of far more fro
quent occurrence
the recent American entries for English that
they emanate. without exception from citizens OF
the Northern States. Previous to the stupendous
civil war which. between 1861 and 1866 so nearly
rent the American Union in twain, there was .
Northern and of the Southern sections of the great
Republic. For at least q century previous to
the election Of Abraham Lincoln q Presi-
dent English thoroughbreds had been imported
by North and South alike but the purpose with
which they were brought the differed not
less widely than the characters and habits of the
New Erglanders from those of the Virginians. In
the North the thoroughbred introduced in order
to improve the troter: in the South he was put TO
the same as galloper which had gained for him
reputation for hectness tho mother country.
The habitual locomotion of the Northerner waa ner
formed upon wheels. and lod naturally to the de-
velopment of the trotting horse; while In the south
nearly every white male, and many OF the females.
rode upon horseback, and hence that
Partially for the gallopinR turf which prevailed
among southern planters until tho civil war made
them too poor to indulge 1t. Mr. Parton tells in
| his "Life of Andrew jackson" published in 1861
that ''to this day the horse liz OF far impor-
| horseback. than ut the North. where riding is the
luxury of the few" The consequence is that the
qualities priced IN the horse those which fit him
to bear his master along with grace. spirit and
speed--thc qualities which are summed up
in the word thoroughbred. At an early day,
therefore, we find the Tennesseeans devctng great
attention to the rearing OF hgh-bred horsesA bust
ness afterward stimulated by their passion for the
turf Thus find that in 1905 General ckson set
of from Nashville. in Tennessee. upon tour In vr-
gna. then universally renowned for her breed of
horses. with the sole object of procuring the most
perfect animal in the country. The tar-iamed Trux-
ton was the result of this journey, himself the WIN
ner of many wecontested race and progentor
of line highly priced In Tennessee to this
hour. There is a gentleman" adds Mr.. Parton.
! Giving near Nashville to-day. who many
gree less than two hundred years long,. II will DO
noticed by students of the early volumes of our
''Sud Book" that. as regards the i'm
ported from England into the United States, In nine
cases out of ten occur the words 'scnt to Virginia"
or to south Carolina" 1t was the fashion with
George Washington. and with all the Southern
planters who took their tone from him. to emulate
the example aud habits OF the higher classes In Eng
land. Despite the revolution winch robbed England
of her American colonies. the gentlemen of the
South still retained lively affection tor the parent
country from which they had torn themselves free.
Dean Stanley tells us that during the coronation of
George Ill the largest jewel fell from the crown,
which was aftcrward believed TO have foretoid the
loss OF America. During the recent civil the
regret that the Revolutionary struggle commencing
In l776 had ever taken place found frequent ex-
preston from Virgnian lips. and In more than
historical country house In the ''Old Dominion" q
picture OF George ILL., may still be seen. which, sur
viving the Revolution, has not oven to this hour
been lowered from It's pride of place.
Since the war there Is but Southern State
(kentuckyl which has retained enough of its former