New-York tribune., 1909-08-24
WELSH SHOOTING
So0rting Values-Mired Bags
Game on the Moor.
Dolgelley, August Is.

= lass plentfful than in the northern districts
80 the birds are likely 10 be larger and
s,roneer on the wing. The late frosts and heavy
80 this year were destructive TO bird life in
~. perthshire and Yorkshire moors, where the
-,,svs are reported TO be small and unhealthy
:, wales the Matching season was excellent and
- -. ,,oune birds were adequately sheltered from
.o,s and rain in the densely wooded mountains.
rge,e has been a fortnight OF clear. dry
1.satber. with the highest submits visible from
s,osd ranges of undulating hills, and the
.relfth dawned with a cloudless sky and
,oses after a dozen hours of brilliant sunshine
An unusually large number Of sportsmen took
svsntage of the first opening for shooting Not
. few of the early birds-cOmmanding from
"a 10 shillings in the Liverpool and Manches-
,.r markets and as much II shillings in Lon
so,-came from the Welsh mountains. These
,,rss always appear suspciously early in the
great markets. where they can be snapped up
IS delicacies for epicures. who fancy that
grouse has a better flavor the Twelfth than
On any other day Of the year Gamekeepers
snd estate owners have their own methods of
srsdng the shooting laws and supplying deal
.rs and restaurant keepers in the metropolis
ahead of time. This is of the many per
ouisites of the shooting season.
shootings in Wales do not have the reputa-
sion OF those in Yorkshire and Scotland. There
ere no record bags 20 he had in Merionethshre
carnarvonshire and Denbighshire. Royal sports
men and the crack shots Of smart society do
not come 10 North Wales 10 open the season and
10 advertise by their patronage the ambitions
of their hosts. Shooting parties are smaller
and restricted mainly to the friends Of the land
holders. Among the mountains around Dol
gelley Sir Watkin Wynn. the Hon. g. n. Wynn
and Sir Henry Robertson are entertaining shoot
ing parties Of dozen or twenty, and Rhwlas.
Rhsggatt and other country houses are filled
with guests In Denbighshire, Colonel Corn
wallis West at Ruthin Castle. Mr.. Coster Ed
wards at Trevna Hail. Lady Storey at Nantyr
Hall and other wealthy land owners are giving
their friends the earliest sport. The Marquis Of
Londonderry's country house at Machyulleth is
also open. and there ere many shooting parties
In Carnarvonshire. Cardiganshire and F1intshre
There is old-fashioned hospitality in these
Welsh shooting boxes with fair shooting and
enough grouse for the guests at table. The
country is too rough for grouse drives on a
large scale. with score Of heaters. The society
papers viii have less TO say about these shoot
ing parties than those at Bolton Abbey. where
the Prince Of Wales the Duke of Deyonshre
and other marksInen bagged three hundred
brace yesterday, and at Abbeystead House
May Han and other famous moors Yet there
win be good sport here and a full measure of
snjoyment OF open air life and scenic environ
nent
M Lloyo-George has not Yet put tax on the
Eporting value Of land. That may be a resource
n future Chancellor of the Excheauer when
money is needed for building warships and for
fnancing social reforms. The sporting value of
land in shooting districts is a large asset II is
moderate estimate that the rentals Of shoot
hgs in Scotland, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Derby
sire Norfolk. Wales and other districts amount
hseyeral millions annually. Country houses ana
nooting boxes have been enlarged and improved,
and big business is done by agents in dispos-
Ing Of them 10 wealthy fashionable tenants
every year. Without the shooting rights and
paylsges the bulk Of these properties would
have little value. so meagre are the returns
tan agricultural operations With the sporting
values there are remuneratiVe properties COM
handing rentals which enable the owners 20 pav
ne rates interest on their mort tgages and their
LIVING expenses in London or on the Continent
during recent years the rentals have increased
steadily with the popularity OF shooting and the
growth Of the moneyed and leisured class This
Increment is not yet menaced with taxation more
Or less predatory The time may come when
itch and smart people will have 10 pay heavily
Tor the privilege OF entertaining their fashion
able soqusintances IN country houses, providing
sport for the men when grouse partridges. black
Subscribing literally 10 the upkeep OF packs Of
bounds. Mirabeau Asquith," 'Danton George"
and 'Robespierre Churchill" as the entertaining
narrster Mr. r. G. Smith, desgnates the Liberal
leaders, are in sight with the masses behind
men, and revolutionary measures IF taxation are
70 be looked for whenever the revaluation of
snded properly is arranged az the expense Of
The state
The Welsh land owners viii not lie awake
rights from dread OF taxation Of sporting rights
the unesrned Increment Of shootings. The
'~Sation OF mining royalties OF undeveloped
mineral lands hss been matter Of more urgent
Importance 70 them than tribute exacted for
ueir pleasures IN shooting birds or riding 10
sounds. Sport IS an incident of their residence
smong the heavily wooded mountains il sup
pies men with occupation when they make visits
|" country houses. Without it there would be
hothing but elaborate dinners and bridge in the
evenings, and men would be constrained TO read
novels and 10 gossip among themselves as the
'onen Do. The landed proprietor has shooting
orer 10 his guests: but il Is the life in the
nooos and among the mountain peaks that s.
ue peculiar charm of Wales; and that is some
aahg which cannot be made the pretext for
nesh leyies q taxation. Within sight OF the
sho~oon range or the splendid summit Of Cader
n'lo life becomes a high privilege. for the air
"ehly lnYigorating, the music % the foanling
"V0Es never ceases and the wall-like mountain
hecpices and luKuriant forests have matchless
e'hns of soft color for faded eyes II shooting
isken less seriously here than II is in York
''re Or Perthshire. where II f. organized with
we precision 81 military man9uvres. more is
'soe OF the environment Of the country houses
mich Is unrivalled in the kingdom for natural
beauty.
When so much has been done 20 dlshgure
"'sg scenery by ouarrying operations es-