FOR PEACE AND WAR. 37 



" 4th — The introduction, generally, of fashionable, rather 

 than sound and useful, blood. My impression is, that this 

 evil admits of only one cure, viz. : — the establishment of a 

 stud of well-selected stallions in each horse-producing 

 county; those horses being held at the service of poor 

 farmers of the district, gratis, for such mares only as might 

 be considered fit to produce superior stock. Annual prizes 

 might be given for the best colts and fillies thus bred. 

 Tliis is the system that has been pursued of late years, both 

 in France and Austria, with the most remarkable results. 

 How the necessary funds are to be ^^rovided is, of course, a 

 difficult question; but the application for a Government 

 grant in aid of so purely national a scheme would, I think, 

 be quite legitimate." 



I have only recently, and accidentally, come across this 

 valuable contribution from so thoroughly practical, ex- 

 perienced, and unselfish an authority. I am glad to quote 

 the Colonel's remarks ; and the circumstances under which 

 they were called forth are worthy of notice, as tending to 

 suggest the rational inference that the importance of the 

 occasion that produced them, and the character of the body 

 to whom they were addressed, would add additional care 

 and deliberation to the forming and utterance of any 

 opinions. And besides, such evidences may very materially 

 aid our efforts in securing the ear and attention of some 

 " hereditary legislator," not too blase, or too superficial, to 

 lend that aid which the accident of position gives him the 

 opportunity to use for public advantage, from the circum- 

 stance of being heard in quarters from which, at least, would 

 be derived the consideration of a very general publicity of a 

 grievance that only requires to be known and accepted 

 generally to be speedily and efficiently redressed. The 

 Royal Commission has gone a considerable length to effec- 

 tuate this object ; but constant twitting will be needful not 



