Sacramento daily record-union., 1883-09-26
LONDON LETTER.
The CRAZE OF ENGLIs aMEE FoR FIELD
AED FOREST SPORTS.
Grouse Shooting versus Duties In Parlia'
ment-Iuteresting Facts Concerning
Gun and Game in Great Britain.
IoKpoE. September 8, ISS3.

Hilsire, "Are born hunters, and there ls
nothing that swims, burrows and flies,
runs or hobbies. that they will not pur-
sue" Englishmen," says Emerson,
"tbink, with the Arabs, that days spent
IN the chase do not count in the length of
life. They run, shoot, ride, row and sail
from pole to pole. as soon as he can han
die a gun, hunting Is the fine art Of every
Bnglishnao of condition. They are the
most voracious people Of prey that ever
existed, and have written the game books
Of all countries. just now, more than at
any other season, one realizes the truth OF
shese observstiong for shooting is in full
blast, and the Englishman consequently
-inds himself once more in the third heaven
Of his annual delights. His sport began
on the 18Th Of August, when the law lifted
its rgis of protection from the
RICHLY FLAvoRKD GROUsE.
This species of game finds It's native
nome IN toe northern districts Of the coun-
Try, and fourishes IN the greatest abun-
dance on the moors of Scotland. The
pleasure Of shooting this bird is regarded
81 spor5 ft, in Col Montagu's phrase,
solely for the gods, but many mor'als
DO not consider It above them, and, accord
ingly, when the embargo IS lifted, there Is
a general stampede for the wild retreats Of
thLs feathered prize. The strong fAscina-
tIon Of grouse shooting for the higher class
of Enplishmeu can be inferred from the de-
moralizing effect which the advent OF the
l25h has upon Parliament. For some
weeks prev.ouly the great question with
the majority IS whether or not the session
viii reach an adjournment by that time.
This consideration Is ss the bottom Of the
numerous inquiries addressed TO the Prime
Minister in regard to the Governments d
programme and OF the eloquent state
menta he makes in reply. But whether
the business Of the country is finished or
not, "M My lords and gentlemen must
sBoULDRR THEIR GUNS PROMPTLY
at .le tine sanctioned by law. and off
sney go to the "laDd O. cakes, barely
sufficient remaining at Westminster, out OF
She nearly one thousand who should be
5heEe, to conatitute a quorum. This was
notably the case in regard TO the session
just closed. Ministers were left almost
alone for the last two or three weeks. In
an important sense, however, they were
not alone, for our Irish friends were there,
and they showed themselves, as usual
quite willing to be heard from. To the
superior attractions of grouse-shooting
over ordinary matters of legislation, and
its effects in emptying the benches
OF the House of Commons, must
really, suppose, be attributed
the spirit OF aggression manifested
by the irish party, as well as the spirit of
half-toleratiou with which their perform
arces aeeIu to have been regarded by the
few patriots who still remained to con-
'front.' them. Doubtless, too, the dreadful
,gIdEEDERss or TIE HOUSE OF coM9IoYs
In continuing Ste sitting on one occasion
Ear into Sunday morning may be traced to
the same cause. So that the innocent
looking grouse has much TO answer for,
and Il certain ancient city was saved
from disaster by the cscl1ling of geese,
who can tell but that one Of these days a
great .ate may be brought to its ruin by
shese brown. winged sirens of the Scottish
noors With the first of this moth pat
ridge shooting began, and the first of next
75nth viii mark out as proper prey for the
sportsman's gun that queen Of the English
wild fowl, the pheasant. Everybody who
oan takes pop at the partridge, but not
all sre able to pay the necessary
rHREs GUNEAs FOR 4 GAME LICENSE,
And another difficulty is in securing
grounds TO shoot over. In this, as in all
other matters, things in this coun-
try are managed on exceedingly
strsigds-laced principles. You must pay
- 50 for the privilege of Carrying a gun,
and use the word " carrying " advisedly,
for that is about all one can do with gun
under such license. You are supposed to
be at liberty to shoot rabbits and small
birds. but the question is, how are you
going to enjoy this freedom without get
ting into limbo2 Use your weapon in the
road and you viii be arrested for " firing
oil S gun within forty feet of the high
way" 80 into the adjoining field to use it
aud the farmer will arrest you for trespsss.
An instance, showing how scrupulOusly
THESE GAhR LAWS ARE ENFORCED,
Occurred recently not far from London,
the starter at q regatta being brought up
for the tWofold offense of carrying gun
without license and of discharging it
within the prescribed distance from a
public road. Bat the game laws are far
less stringent than they were. 1t used to
be the case that both the wild fowl and
the ground game were sacredly preserved
for the sport and profit Of the highly
privileged landlord, the farmer having to
look on while his crops were ruthlessly
destroyed by hares, rabbits and birds, with
out the right to raise hand or gun in self
protection. Now all ground game is the
renters lawful prey, and in many in
stances the oocupiers of the land are able
20 make advantageous arrangements with
the owner In regard to pheasants and
partFidges. Great care is shown here in
THE CULTIVATION OF GAME,
The brseding and rearing OF these targets
for the spOrtsman's gun, being almost as
much OF fine ayt with Englishmen as the
steady nerve and sure aim which after
wards hits and bags them. 1t is crafty.
ing to know, too, that the pains bestowed
in this direction are rewarded, as a rule,
with successful hatohings and large, healthy
broods. Psrtridges this year are unusually
abundant, the young birds varying in
most districts from twelve to eighteen In
a covey, and strong on the wing Just
now the crack of the rife and the passing
to and fro of men in sporting socoutre.
ments, attended by the olean.looking En-
glish pointer, form the chief objects of
note II the villages and hamlets, while in
the towns and cities the sequel to these
country scenes is pleasantly observable in
the abundance Of game the market affords.
Among
THOSE ENJOYING THE SPORT
Are not few Americans, and the wonder
is that more compatriots, who linger here
into the autumn, do net seek health and
pleasure in this way. Better" exclaims
Dryden, "to range the fields for health un.