392 POSTSCKIPT. 



that department (under the Lord Chamberlain) seemed to have been 

 transferred to the Home Office during the interval pending the 

 re-organisation of the Royal Buckhounds under the department of 

 the Master of the Horse.* But, as to what had actually taken 

 place on this point the Compiler is unable to say in the absence of 

 the departmental records which he has not been permitted to consult. 

 At any rate (as shall presently appear), there is no doubt whatever 

 that the Home Office continued to be the channel through which 

 certain official correspondence passed in connection with the Royal 

 Buckhounds down to 1782. 



On March 21, 1887, the Secretary of State for the Home Depart- 

 ment wrote to the Compiler (B. 1036/3) acquainting him " that the 

 Public Record Office report on enquiry that there is no series of 

 Home Office papers in that department which relate to the Royal 

 Buckhounds." 



On March 22, 1887, the Compiler wrote, in reply, to the Secretary 

 of State, asserting that the report he mentioned was false ; and, in 

 order to prove that the alleged report was inaccurate, he gave eight 

 specific references taken from the series of Home Office Records 

 known as " Warrant Books " and " Domestick Books " from the time 

 of Wniiam III. to George III., and renewed his application for 

 permission to consult the " after date " records of the department 

 for the purpose specified in his application of the 28th ultimo. The 

 reply to that letter is subjoined : — 



[Copij.] 



" Whitehall, 



" Aj}ril 6, 1887. 

 " B. 1036/6. 



" Sir, 



" With reference to previous correspondence, and par- 

 ticularly to your letter of the 22nd ultimo, I am directed by 

 the Secretary of State to acquaint you that the authorities 

 of the Public Record Office positively assure him that there 

 are no such papers in their custody as you suppose relative 

 to the Mastership of the Royal Buckhounds. 

 *' I am, Sir, 



" Your obedient Servant, 



" (Signed) E. Leigh Pemberton. 

 "J. P. HoRE, Esq." 



* See p. 374. 



