The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-01
FOX HUNTING IN GREAT BRITAIN
Some Statistics showing the Magni-
tude of the sport.

Some of the fox hunting statistics, says
Forest and Stream, will give a partial idea
of the magnitude of the sport in Great
Britain at the present day. OF stag
hounds there are in Great Britain 4S7 cou-
pies, and of these the Devon and Somer-
set hunt have fifty couples. the greatest
number used by one hunt. The master
of them Is the Earl of Coventry To
Ireland III are credited. while Scotland
has none.
In foNhounds the greatest numerical
strength appears, there being 6.2l5 couples
owned by the different hunts in England,
and of these the Blackmore Vale hunt
leads in the number owned, ninety couples
being credited to II. Scotland has rela-
lively the insignificant number of 1876 cou-
pies, ffty-seven of which belong to the
hunt of the Duke of Buccleugh. Ire
land has S95 couples the Meath hunt own
ing the greatest number of couples-siXty-
four.
Harriers are also strong in numbers. but
they vary great deal in size and 'sorti-
ness" as a general resemblance in type
and breed characteristics is termed. They
are classified as stud-book, cross-bred,
pure, modern, Welsh, mixed and old Eng
fish barriers and dwarf foxhounds aud
southern cross barriers, with foxhound
cross barriers and beagle cross, black and
tan and old southern, barriers and small
foxhounds, the extreme variation In hight
of the packs, enumerated being from l6
to % inches. OF this very variable lot
classed as barriers, England has 2,O25 cou-
pies, Scotland the small number of 81 cou-
pies, and Ireland has 391 couples. As
to beagles; they seemingly are out of
favor In Ireland and Scotland no packs
being credited to those countries, though
England has of them TAG couples.
Thus the list gives the large total of H.
3O2 couples of oil kinds of hounds used In
packs, and affords data from which to
gain an idea of the magnitude of the fox
hunting interests which are maintained
by the sportsmen of Great Britain. These
packs are hunted from two to four days a
week In proper season, as general rule.
and this in turn necessitates the main
tenance of large stables of horses to prop
erly mount the master, huntsmen and
whips of the various packs. Frequently,
when hunting, one or two horses are held
In reserve for them. Many such stables
have from 50 TO 100 horses
A notable fea ture OF the sport is the sus-
tanned and enthusiastic interest and active
participation in II by its devotees from
youth to advanced age The passing of
the years neither lessons their hunting ar
dor nor impairs their stamina and dash
in the difficult cross-country riding after
tiiS SWIM HOhAlNS - chSt III point, one
of many. is that of John Crozier, master
of the Blencathra hunt at present as he
has been for the last sixty years. He
succeeded his father as master in 1899
At his age men are more prone to the tell
ing of what they have done than to be up
and doing with the best in the activities
of sport.
Wire fencing in number of sections of
Great Britain offers a serious modern
problem for the hunters for II lnterfnres
to a serious extent with the riding and
best enjoyment of the sport A long purse
however is a great aid in such matters
and it is suggested that the hunts pay
for the taking down of the wire fences in
the fall and the putting up of them in the
spring There is less friction between
farmer and hunter in England than there
is between the same classes in America,
though when crops are ridden over in the
former country. which Is not common
Incident, there is likely TO be dissatisfac-
ton at the act. Still, no class is more
opposed 20 unnecessary damage to the
farmers interests than the hunters them
selves