Conclusion 313 



having ceased, he is apt to become more impressed with the 

 usefulness of barbed wire for strengthening a weak place 

 in the fence or making up a gap, while he does not realise 

 the difference it would make in the price of his farm 

 produce if all the money put in circulation by a hunt was 

 suddenly withdrawn. 



How many and vast are the interests involved in the 

 maintenance of a pack of hounds was very clearly shown 

 when the senseless raid against hunting was promulgated 

 in the early " eighties " by the Parnellites in Ireland. 



The distress in the county of Kildare alone was very 

 great, and in many cases unexpected. It was not only the 

 persons directly employed that were affected, such as 

 grooms, saddlers, blacksmiths, and car drivers, but also all 

 the trades which in their turn were dependent on their 

 support, and supplied these people with their necessaries ; 

 bootmakers, small provision dealers, tailors, public-house 

 keepers, and others were all involved in a common ruin. 

 As no one had any money to spend, the farmers were 

 utterly unable to sell poultry, butter, eggs, milk, beef, or 

 mutton, in addition to hay, corn, or straw. The ramifica- 

 tions proved to be so great that the so-called leaders of 

 the nation were compelled to reconsider their shortsighted 

 policy ere another season commenced, and to receive 

 hunting again into favour to stave off actual want and 

 starvation. 



One thing is certain. If all hunting throughout 

 England was to end, the loss of the money that now 

 circulates therefrom would cause an amount of misery and 

 hardship which it is impossible to estimate, and that must 

 eventually recoil upon the farmers. In every way it is 

 their interest to foster the chase. The market for farm 



