62 



railways. Good roads, good horses and im- 

 proved coaches in combination rendered it 

 possible to cover long distances at a uni- 

 formly high speed, from 10 to icj miles per 

 hour being the rate at which the mails ran 

 between London and Exeter, London and 

 York, and other important centres. 



HER MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA. 

 Ace. JUNE 20, 1837. 



The sale of the Hampton Court Stud is 

 the first noteworthy event of Her Majesty's 

 reign. The step taken by the Queen's 

 advisers, with Lord Melbourne, the Prime 

 Minister, at their head, was deeply regretted 

 by all interested in horse breeding, as one 

 seeming to imply that the national sport 

 would no longer receive the patronage of the 

 Throne. A respectful but strong memorial 

 against the sale was presented by the Jockey 

 Club, but without avail, and on October 25, 

 1837, Messrs. Tattersall disposed of the stud, 

 before a crowded audience, which included 

 buyers from France, Germany, Russia, and 

 other foreign countries. The catalogue in- 

 cluded 43 brood mares, which brought 9,568 

 guineas; 13 colt foals, 1,471 guineas; 18 

 filly foals, 1,109 guineas; and 5 stallions, 



