THE ROYAL STUD.
TO THE 'EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR.
Lopatin, I 8th October 1937. Sin—So much has been recently said and written on this subject and the coaling sale,that, having had some experience in Eastern horses, Arabs, Persians, and 31arhattas, I was urged to visit the stud, and I looked through it attentively. The Arabs, presents from the Imam of Muscat, are two fine horses; but cer- tainly they are not Arabs, but Persians : they want the distinctive traits of broad fronts, large nostrils, brilliant eyes, and jutting tails. The foreign mares in foal to The Colonel were fine-looking animals, but I thought them inferior to the English brood-mares (47). Of these, about fifteen to eighteen may fetch high prices. The two English stallions, Colonel and Actaeon, are fine horses, especially Colonel. There are thirteen yearling colts and seventeen fillies—an unusual di-proportion they told me ; and these will bring low prices. Looking at the very exaggerated terms in the letters of Sir FRANCIS Bt. It- DETT and Colonel H. Ali: toasty, I cannot believe that either of them had exa- mined the stud ; or if they had, their opinions on such a variety of ages and qua. lifications are not worth much : and hating humbug, I have arrived at the conclusion, that the subject has been taken up principally to annoy Lord Mri. !sou It NE, and secondarily to induce him to give an extravagant price for the whole stud, to benefit the legatees, well knowing that the result of the sale will disappoint their hopes.
An advertisement which has appeared about a joint stock national horse con. pang, with 30,000/. capital, is a further humbug ; for the scheme would be nearly Impracticable, and would speedily break down in its progress. The projcetors have declared that the money for the shares will not be required until all are sold— not a likely event; and if there be any defaulters in payment, the scheme will Out go on : in the mean time, clamour and malevolence will bave extensively °purred, and the project will sleep.
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