-^ Reign of Queen Victoria, 1 837-- 1 901 



and considered. His Majesty, however, was determined 

 that a radical change should be effected, for it was felt 

 that the decline of the Ascot meeting was in great part 

 due to defective management, and to the fact that some 

 of the past Masters of the Buckhounds had not been 

 sporting men, and had not therefore thoroughly understood 

 the business required of them. Up to this time, the 

 Master of the Buckhounds, by virtue of his office, had 

 been sole Steward of the Races, and was called upon 

 to settle all disputes, and to arrange every detail of the 

 meeting, but the work involved was altogether more than 

 one person could do, and it was therefore agreed that 

 during the race week, the Master of the Buckhounds 

 should be assisted by representatives of the Jockey Club, 

 to wit, the Stewards for the time being, and that they 

 should give him assistance in the settlement of any dispute 

 that might arise in regard to the racing, the conduct of 

 the jockeys, etc., but that all matters in regard to finance 

 and the ordering of the course should remain in the hands 

 of the Master of the Buckhounds as the Royal Repre- 

 sentative. 



To carry these alterations into effect, Mr. William 

 Hibburd, of Egham, was appointed Clerk of the Course 

 in place of Mr. Jenner, and several new officers 

 were made. The financial side also was freely discussed 

 at the banquet, and several matches and stakes were 

 arranged. In order to supplement the funds, the sugges- 

 tion that the ground should be let by tender was in a 

 measure agreed to by His Majesty, and the Earl of Erroll 

 as Master of the Buckhounds was instructed to let the 

 ground by auction, in plots, for the erection of booths, 



73 



