82 



referred to the fact that direct purchase 

 was approved by Baron Nathansius, the 

 French Inspector General of Remounts, in 

 a letter which that officer had addressed to 

 the present writer. 



Lord Ribblesdale paid me the compliment 

 of seeking my assistance in his task : and 

 in order to obtain the actual views of the 

 horse-breeding interest in England, Colonel 

 Sir Nigel Kingscote, Sir Jacob Wilson 

 and the writer met in February, 1887, and 

 drew up a series of questions. 



These questions were printed and sent out 

 to between three and four hundred of the 

 best known horse-breeders in the Kingdom ; 

 to all, in point of fact, whose experience 

 would lend weight to their views and whose 

 addresses could be secured. The principal 

 questions put were as follows : 



"Q. i. Assuming that an annual Grant from the 

 Government of 5,000 be made for the encouragement 

 of the breeding of halfbred horses, to whom in your 

 opinion ought such grant to be entrusted for dis- 

 tribution ? Whether to a specially constituted Board 

 of Trustees or to any other body ? 



" Q. 2. Is it your opinion that the distribution of 

 the above Grant should take the form of a subsidy in 

 the shape of Premiums for Thoroughbred Stallions 

 covering at a moderate fee similar to those offered by 

 the Hunters' Improvement Society at their Annual 

 Spring Show, and this year by the Royal Agricultural 

 Society at Newcastle ? " 



