DINNER TO LORD SHREWSBURY. 4& 



and himself would not relax their exertions to make the Hunt as good as attention 

 and the money given them would allow. Although they were a little unfortunate 

 in not gettmg all the hounds they wanted at the time of Mr. Davenport's sale, 

 they had since obtained some excellent animals from Sir Watkin "Wynne's pack, 

 and he tnisted that in due time they would be in as efficient a state as before. 

 (Loud applause.) 



i\Ir. B. Fitzherbert rose, amid loud cheers, to propose the health of Captain 

 Nugent, the ^Master of the Hunt, who so admirably combined the qualities of 

 unvarv-ing cordiality and good humour with that firmness which was so necessary 

 for the successful control of a field. (Hear, hear !) He ventured to say that 

 Captain Nugent had given the greatest satisfaction to every member of the 

 Hunt. (Applause.) They must all appreciate the energy with which he had 

 organized the Hunt ; his careful management, and the very good sport he 

 had afforded them; for it was owing in a great measure to his judgment 

 and tact that they had had as excellent sport as had been enjoyed hj any 

 pack in the country. (Hear, hear !) He congratulated Lord Shrewsbury on 

 having secured so able a coadjutor as Captain Nugent, and heartily thanked 

 the gallant captain for his constant attendance in the field in all weathers. 

 (Applause.) 



The toast was drunk amid loud cheering. 



Captain Nugent, in responding, said it was very gi-atifying to him to find that 

 they were pleased with the sport they had had this season. The elements had 

 certainly been against them, for they had been stopped by frost twenty times 

 out of seventy-six advertised days since November 1st. There was very little 

 hunting in Februaiy, usually the best month in the year, and latterly they 

 had had very dry weather. Indeed, the scent had been very uncertain all 

 through the season, but, notwithstanding this, they had had many good gallops, 

 for which they were indebted to the number of foxes found. There had not 

 been a single blank day, and they had almost always foimd their second or 

 third fox when wanted. (Hear, hear !) The more foxes there were the better 

 the sport would be. He had heard of people saying that they might have too 

 many foxes, bat he thought they might as well complain of having too much 

 money. (Hear, hear ! and laughter.) Foxes were weU preserved all over the 

 country — (hear, hear !) — and abounded in the extensive covers belonging to 

 Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Davenport, and Mr. Meynell Ingram, the Draycot woods 

 and other covers, which he need not mention. They had a capital pack of 

 hounds, which was owing, in the first place, to the care bestowed upon them by 

 that excellent sportsman, the late Mr. Davenport, who formed the North 

 StaSbrdshire Hounds, and kept them for so many years at his own expense ; 

 and secondly, to the spirited manner in which Lord Shrewsbury came forward 

 with a munificent donation towards the purchase of those hounds. (Applause.) 

 He hoped they might have as good a field the next time they met at the covert 

 side as they had there that day. (Loud applause.) 



Captain Buchanan proposed " The owners of covers and the subscribers to 

 the North Stafi'ordshire Hunt." He considered that the Hunt ought to be very 

 grateful for the support they received from all landed proprietors who were 

 owners of covers ; he thought it a most exti'aordinary fact, which said volumes 

 for the sport and bonJiommie of the Hunt, that not only did landed proprietors 

 like them to hunt over their grounds, but were exceedingly annoyed if they did 

 not find a fox. As long as such a state of things continued they need not fear 

 that the North Stafi'ordshire Himt would fail. (Hear, hear !) He coupled with 

 the toast the name of Mr. Basil Fitzherbert, as one of the largest cover holders 



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