26 ROYAL ROCK BEAGLE HUNT. 



May I be allowed to take this opportunity of saying, that tor some months 

 past many of the members of your club have stated to landowners, to farmers, 

 and to others, something to the following effect, viz. : — That both I and the 

 Beagle Hunt were favourable, or at all events not unfavourable, to the establish- 

 ment of a pack of harriers ; that the beagles were to be given up, &c., &c. 



Now, with reference to these statements, I can only express my sorrow that 

 such misrepresentations should have been made, and that my name should have 

 been used in such an unauthorised manner. 



Believe me, yours faithfully, 

 John R. Court, Esq. V. A. King. 



Park Road West, Birkenhead, 27th Nov., 1868. 



Dear Sir, — I, on behalf of the Wirral Harrier Club, have to express my 

 regret you should labour under a mistake, that the deputation to which you 

 allude ever acquiesced in or suggested the proposal of confining the Harriers to 

 the country round Chester, that is to say to an area of a few miles, leaving un- 

 touched, as sacred ground, the north end of the Hundred, which as j'ou are 

 aware, comprises by far the largest portion of the district ; in fact, such a pro- 

 position would be tantamount to the extinction of the Harriers altogether. 



We are most anxious to work in harmony with the members of the Royal 

 Rock Beagles, nor do I see any reason why, by acting in mutual concert, we 

 should ever interfere with each other's sport. But, with a view to effect this 

 object, it is essential we should be previously acquainted with your fixtures, in 

 which case you may confidently rely on our not meeting in 3'our neighbourhood ; 

 but, short of this, I see no other way of hunting the district compatible with 

 our existence as a hunting club. I think, therefore, you will see that if there 

 should be any " violation of the laws of courtesy," the blame will not rest with 

 us. We have exhausted every means of conciliation ; but we, while respecting 

 the rights of others, cannot relinquish our own. 



Believe me, yours faithfully, 

 Lieut. -Col. King. J. R. Court. 



Oxton, Birkenhead, 30th November, 1868. 



Dear Sir, — I have to thank you for your note of the 27th, and to apologise 

 for not having answered it on the day of its receipt. 



I am not aware I ever said that your deputation either suggested or 

 acquiesced in any proposal to confine the Harriers to the country round 

 Chester. Immediately after I had seen the deputation, Mr. =•' ■■'- ■■'■ ■■'■ informed 

 me that you had told him that the Harrier Club did not intend to hunt upon 

 any part of the Hundred which was hunted upon by the Beagles. In conse- 

 quence of this information I declined to fix any meets at Sutton, and I can only 

 express my sorrow that my forbearance has not been appreciated by your club. 



That portion of the Hundred of Wirral hunted by the Beagles does not 

 comprise more than one-half of it. In fact, I much doubt if it is one-half, but 

 as you are, perhaps, much better acquainted with the Hundred than I am, I 

 forbear discussing the question of acreage with you. 



I certainly claim, on behalf of the Beaglers, as " sacred ground," if such a 

 word is at all applicable to the subject, the land upon which they have hunted 

 for a quarter of a century. I claim this land upon precisely the same grounds 

 as the Cheshire Foxhounds claim their country. I am not aware that any 

 sportsman would think of disputing this claim. 



I observe that you say, that while respecting the rights of others you cannot 

 relinquish your own. 



