Hint on Eecruiihig, 209 



Duke of Cambridge heard of this from some 

 one ; and Mr. Smith shortly after received an 

 ">flB.cial letter from the Horse Guards, thanking 

 him for the suggestion, which, as it said, 

 H.E.H. the Commander-in-Chief considered 

 the most valuable and practical suggestion 

 that had been offered on the subject of recruit- 

 ing for the last half century. 



Shortly before the time that the Yolunteer 

 movement was begun, but when uneasiness had 

 been already created by the swaggering speeches 

 of the French Colonels, Mr. Smith was present 

 at a dinner given at Alresford to the Master of 

 the Hampshire Hounds, and the company paid 

 him the usual compliment of drinking his 

 health as an old Master. In returning thanks 

 he recommended the gentlemen and farmers of 

 the Hunt (about 150 were present) to practise 

 rifle-shooting, so that they might be prepared 

 to form a mounted troop of fox-hunters. The 

 matter was a good deal talked of; and the re- 

 sult was the formation, some six months after, 



p 



