The Report of the Royal Commission on Horse- Breeding. 291 
ing, being himself such a convert to the policy of despair that 
he has taken to breeding from unsound mares and keeping an 
unsound stallion for his tenantry. 3 It must, however, be con- 
ceded that his environment, from a horse-breeding point of view, 
is qualified to sour a Mark Tapley. 4 Lord Portsmouth was not 
encouraging ; he seems to think our operations are on a humili- 
ating and almost ridiculous scale. But his " drop in the ocean " 5 
view is no argument in the present case, and is met by the two 
pertinent questions put by Sir Jacob Wilson, " I presume you 
are aware that the action of the Government at present is only 
to supplement private enterprise, and does not undertake to 
supply all the horses that are required ? " 6 which those who read 
the evidence should keep before their eyes. Mr. Welby, though 
he has no opinion of our premium stallions, and is haunted by 
fond and becoming recollections of the giants of the past, gives un- 
qualified support to the system ; and this is the more satisfactory as 
Mr. Welby is absolutely the only witness examined who regretted 
above everything the Queen's Plates 7 being done away with. 
This sentiment for the tempus actum very naturally pervades 
much of the evidence ; but it is satisfactory to remark the con- 
spicuous absence of anything approaching indifference. The 
witnesses who agreed with the policy at present pursued by the 
Commission gave well-considered reasons for their agreement ; 
whilst those who disagree have alternative and more or less 
constructed schemes to propose. Many of the witnesses would 
like to see more stallions, and many would like to see mores 
and produce getting their share of the Government money. 
But as to mares and produce, it is very generally admitted that 
3 3119, 3193. 
4 3206. (Lord Ribblesdale) " Then would you say that, to some extent, at 
all events in your district, the fault lies quite as much with the way in which 
the tenant-farmers manage their horse-breeding as it lies with the stallions 
put on by the Commission ? " (Major Hcygate) " Yes, certainly ; the stallion 
might do if the mare was better. I live in the centre of the Hereford cattle- 
breeding districts. The farmer would feed the calf the first, and the hunter 
just having left his mother would have to do the best he could for himself, 
running about at nights, picking up acorns. What can you expect from such 
a thing as that ? " 
5 2876. 6 1845-6. 
7 3920. (Mr. Welby') " I am an old stager, and regret, above everything, 
the Queen's Plates being done away with, because they were the stoutest 
horses that used to win them." 
3922. (Chairman — The Bultc of Portland) " Taking into consideration 
the vast increase in the value of the stakes, do you not think that the money 
which used to be expended on the Queen's Plates is now expended to more 
advantage to the horse-breeding community 1 " (Mr. J. Welby) " Yes, I do 
now. I am sorry that it was given up, but I w T ould not go back to the old 
plan. I was old-fashioned enough to think the contrary. I think the present 
system is excellent." 
u 2 
