FOR PEACE AND AVAR. 69 



firmly in the ground, so as not to fly in every direction when 

 struck.' The committee would further recommend the abolition 

 of ' trappy and unfair fences ; ' precisely as, at Aylesbury, Lord 

 Queensberry and Lord Charles Ker spoke against ' the trimmed 

 fences ' which the local committee had been fashioning. Of 

 course a very material question at once arises here. Has the 

 Grand National Hunt Committee really any powers ; or, more 

 Ijertinently still, have the stewards of meetings anything to do 

 with the management of the meetings to which they give their 

 countenance ? It will be observed that the Grand National 

 Hunt Committee only ' expresses an opinion ' or ' offers a 

 suggestion' to the lessees of the Liverpool Grand National 

 Steeplechase ; whilst some of the best qualified of the stewards 

 at Aylesbury also only ' suggest ' to the local committee. Now 

 it is very apparent that, beyond any great men of the country 

 side, or the little men more handy to the town, the stewards are 

 selected mainly for their experience and authority as sportsmen ; 

 whereas lessees, clerks of courses, secretaries, and so forth, are 

 or were engaged to carry out the business of the occasion under 

 the direction of their superiors. When Lord George Beutinck 

 put in force his reforms, he did so, caring no more for clerks or 

 secretaries than he did for his own jockey boys. Since then, no 

 doubt, the position has somewhat changed, as many of the 

 officials are now — and we say so much with no intentional dis- 

 respect — merely men of business and nothing more. Their 

 undisguised aim is to get together large fields and large com- 

 panies ; and so long as they can achieve success in this way, 

 they care little for the character of the meeting as an exposition 

 of national sport. 



" After strolling down through the well-known old town, 

 there was something harsh and grating in being pulled up short 

 for the 'one shilling' head money, as if one were about to 

 witness a cockney scramble rather than a workmanlike set-to 

 over the glorious Vale of our earlier days. We have galloped 

 2)ari passu with, the horses as the chase was run, or taken up our 

 point of sight on the hill-side, without being bothered for a 



