The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-11-14
TRAINING B1ooDHouNps.
Trials In Trailing Recently Made by the
 Dogs in England,


 A correspondent telegraphing from Scarborough on the eve of the trials promoted by the Association of Blood- hound Breeders, states that interest in their experiments has been we'll main tained. MT. Edgar Farman has been inundated with applications for per mission to be present, a very strong contrast to previous trials at Warwick and Alexandra Palace ten or twelve ble to work up outside interest. There is, however, little doubt that public opinion as to the utility of the blood hound in the detection of criminals or poachers has changed very materially during the last ten years, the idea that
 when the hound had brought his hu- man quarry to bay he would "eat him. having been dispelled.
 Their use has of late been very freely advocated by persons believing that the hounds had but to be put on the track
 
 certain place, and that they would fol- low his trail without the least difficult
 ty. It is, however, no easy matter to train hounds to follow a track which has been crossed, as would assuredly be the case in a thickly populated district, and, although MT. Brough, owner of the
 finest kennel in the world, and one of the chief promoters of to-day's great
 trials, has proved this to be possible, he has not at the present time hound in
 his kennel capable of taking up cold
 or crossed scent in country districts.
 There is, however no reason to doubt
 that bloodhounds can be trained to be of very great utility particularly in the
 detection of poachers and among the large number of visitors now in Scar
 borough for the trials are many gentle
 men interested in the preservation of
 game and official representatives of po- lice authorities. Sir Edward Bradford chief commissioner Metropolitan police has found it impossible to make the journey north, and no officer from the Scotland Yard detective department is expected to be present This is to be regretted. for many officers from other large centers of population, including the chief of the Glasgow detective de- partment, have made special applca- ton to be allowed permission to witness the trials.
 The tests will be most legitimate, for in two of the three stakes owners or
 handlers will only be allowed to run
 with their hounds until the track Is
 struck Sir Charles Legard, the judge, being granted discretion as to what the limit will be. The runners will be per feet strangers to the hounds, and the only test allowance will be the clean boot, nothing whatever being rubbed on the sole to accentuate the scent and
 thus make tracking comparatively
 easy In the single hounds in leash competition owners will, of course, be permitted to lead their own hounds, but in no case will they or their nominee be allowed to see the direction taken by the runners, and the hounds will have to strike the trail for themselves. The tract of country secured for the trials is unequaled for the purpose. It is close on five miles in area absolutely treeless, and no public path crosses 1t. l By arrangement no animals will be grazed anywhere near it during the
 progress of the trials, owners and occu- piers of adjacent properties having met the committee in most sportsman like spirit Everything in fact tends toward success, and although all the trials may not be seen even through powerful field glasses, the stewards will be kept in communication with the fudge by the use of army signallers, So that visitors will be well posted in the ! progress of each trial. Yesterday the weather at Scarborough was as hot as 1 it has been for some weeks, and al though there is each night heavy ground dew, scent cannot be of the best the rain which has fallen having
 had but little effect on the parched ground.
 | During yesterday several of the
 hounds, notably the brace entered by l Mrs. Oliphant of Bath, were to be seen exercising in the vicinity of the town,
 while Mr Brough's pack, three of which Champion Benedicta, Brocade and | Clotha-are to give an exhibition of their wonderful training, were out at | Calby. The programme, which will not
 be issued to the public until arrival on | the lT1dl STouIit, HdS pttll IlltSl Cdi | fully arranged by Mir Farman, and, al- | though the entry is not a large one, the trials can scarcely be concluded before l dusk.
 Dr. John Knaggs, gentleman well acquainted with every inch of the
 ground over which the trials are to | take place, has charge of the runners,
 and as far as possible a separate trail
 will be laid for each hound. It is hoped | to run once through the card before | luncheon. start being made as near eleven o'clock as possible with the stake for single hounds. Then vii come the competition fer hounds in leash the couples competition, which 1 experts expect will prove the most in | teresting, being reserved until the last. i MT. Broughs hounds Eill give their exhibition after luncheon.-London | Times.