SPORT: ITS RELATION TO THE STATE 337 



who attend the Oval and the Crystal Palace. The 

 prices obtained for horses used for sporting purposes, 

 such as racing, hunting, and polo find a prominent 

 place in high-class journals. We know, or can 

 know, the subscription lists of every pack of hounds 

 in the United Kingdom. We do know the part which 

 game licences play in the annual budget of the Chan- 

 cellor of the Exchequer, We have the financial re- 

 ports of the conservancies which govern the fishing in 

 our principal rivers. Finally, we may say that we 

 have statistics placed before us, from which we can 

 form an accurate opinion of the financial relationship 

 between sport and the State. 



But I do not intend to base my arguments on 

 the foundation of finance, but rather to use finance 

 as a cement with which to strengthen my basis, 

 for it is my contention that sport is a bulwark 

 of national prosperity of such strength that it has 

 no need of the protection of that department of 

 the State over which the Chancellor of the Ex- 

 chequer presides. I must firstly define sport before 

 I discuss the details of my argument. Fortunately, 

 I have no difficulty in giving a definition, as I 

 think that no better one could be found than that 

 delivered by the late Admiral Rous. He declared 

 that sport was a medium for healthy enjoyment and 

 healthy excitement. This declaration must meet 

 with the approval of all lovers of sport ; but, un- 

 fortunately, in every community, whether it be a 

 small school or a powerful state, there are always 



