MODERN FOX-HUNTING 25 



the wealthy few, recognised the hunting-field as a train- 

 ing school for light cavalry. Directly the call to arms 

 was sounded in the hunting-field there was a response 

 which was the wonder of all foreign nations. Indeed, 

 the number of volunteers was so great that the difficulty 

 was the task of selection. Yet the efforts of Lord 

 Chesham were at first regarded by the War Office with 

 supercilious apathy. However, it is not within my 

 province to censure the War Office, though it is only 

 fair to point out the extent to which in our late war 

 the hunting-field formed one of the bulwarks of the 

 Army. 



