290 



With this explanation and adding the figures to those which I have 

 already given, 



The Cost of our Five Great Sports will work out as 



FOLLOWS :— 



a Hunting — as per page 81, and items in this chapter. 



h Racing — Horses only. 



c Shooting — Guns, dogs, requisites, and clothing. 



d Fishing — Rods, requisites, and clothing. 



e Yachting — as per items in this chapter. 



The value of Shootings and Fishings can be fixed at any number of 

 years' purchase which the readers choose. 



Were this account to be dealt with according to commercial principler 

 it should be charged with interest at 10 per cent, on the invested or 

 sunken money, and that would further handicap our sportsmen to the 

 tune of nearly two millions and three-quarters per annum. 



To some people, probably, the minute explanation I gave under the 

 respective heads may^be wearisome, but to those who are sportsmen I 

 hope they will not be so. Anyway, it is plain to be seen that I have 

 put down nothing in the shape of expenditure which is not absolutely 

 requidte towards carrying out the above branches of sport. Nor 

 is anything provided for extravagance or bad management. To keep 

 within my figures men must know what they are about and exercise 

 economy. 



Amongst other items I forgot to include racing caps and jackets. 

 We have about 1,100 men whose colours are often seen, and at £10 a 

 year we have expended in the " silks and satins " £11,000 a year. 



The tax on hounds and dogs used for shooting, together with game and 

 rod licences, amount to something like £'460,000 a year. To this has to 

 be added what is paid on greyhounds and terriers, the number of 

 which I can't assess. However, we may safely take it that the British 

 ratepayer is relieved annually by the sportsman of nearly half a million 

 taxation. 



With the exception of the rents paid for Shootings and Fishings, the 

 remainder of the above colossal sums is spent among our farmers, 

 tradesmen, and in wages. The latter item absorbs fully one quarter. 



