Related article: at their command. Not long since they purchased the property between the main road and the station, burrowed under the road by means of a tunnel, and so constructed a private means of communication between course and station for the holders of tickets to the Royal Enclosure. The action of the trustees in ac- quiring the estate displays thought for the convenience of the patrons of the meeting, and it is to be hoped that this step may prove the forerunner of measures calcu- lated to allay the complaints which are made about the condition of the course. As I am never weary of maintaining that our race- meetings should be made as com- fortable and attractive as pos- sible, I have the greatest respect for the social attractions of Ascot, and I do not begrudge the Royal Enclosure frequenters their pri- vate route, but I shall fearlessly maintain — fearlessly because I am sure I have both right and popu- lar feeling on my side — that the racing should come first, or, at any rate, should not be a secon- dary consideration. One hears all kinds of suggestions made by people thirsting to bring pressure to bear on the Ascot authorities ; but what pressure can be brought to bear on them ? Refusing the licence is the only and very drastic step that could be adopted, and refusing a licence to Ascot seems about as possible as the Chief Commissioner of Police forbidding the Lord Mayor's Show. Inas- much as Ascot is a Royal meeting, a hint from royalty should have weight, and perhaps the action of the Prince of Wales in scratching Diamond Jubilee when the state of the ground was realised, will be taken to heart. Proud as every owner worthy the name is to win at Ascot, it is a consider- ation to have such valuable stakes as the Princess of Wales's and Jockey Club Stakes to fall back upon; and herein we see one of the uses of these ten-thousand pounders. It is something to have races to look forward to which, if they do not precisely enable one to rise superior to Ascot, at least console one for having to pass it by. The magic of an Ormonde will never surround the name of Diamond Jubilee, but the with- drawal of an, at all events, respectable Derby winner cannot fail to adversely affect the repu- tation of a meeting. Accustomed as one is to bad- ness of course, this year surpassed anything that could be remem- bered. Of green there was abso- lutely nothing to be seen on the course that was visible from the stands, where all was a pale, deathly yellow. On the undu- lating space enclosed by the cir- cular course plenty of green places were to be seen, but no racing takes place there. The paddock had palpably been well watered ; but horses merely walk about in the paddock, and it does not matter much what they walk upon. One would really think that, at Ascot, the ordinary con- ditions of racing were reversed. The material on the surface of the course (the customary terms of turf, grass and growth cannot be applied to it) suggested that a severe regimen of over- manuring had been in progress, for when we stooped to examine we found the premature, uncut hay-like crop to consist of very coarse stems, like stubble. Anyone who knows anything at all about racecourses is aware that what is wanted is the closest turf that can be got. At Ascot the exact opposite has been produced, the obvious con- clusion being that those in charge do not understand how to treat the soil. The course is so bad 52 BAILY S MAGAZINE. Duly that it probably does not much signify to what extent it is trodden down by foot - people between races, but the practice of allow- ing the course to be turned into a promenade is none the less to be condemned. At Epsom the same custom prevails, with the same effect on the course, though Ascot at its best — that is to say, at the commencement — is worse than is Epsom at the end of the fourth day. At Dpncaster and York, to take two instances, the racing takes place on town, i.e,, the people's, property, but no one is allowed on the course, or, indeed, shows any desire to go there, and at Ascot and Epsom it is largely a case of sheep following sheep. Although we knew we were at Ascot, we looked around wonder- ingly Buy Ethionamide for the throngs of people we associate with the gathering. If this be a little war, what will the country be like if we ever engage upon a big one ? On the very eve of the meeting news from South Africa arrived which must have entailed the staying away of many in addition to the numerous bereaved ones. Beauty and the milliner were in evidence in the customary quality, but not in quantity. The array of fours- in- hand was scanty, there was little crushing for the trains, and every- thing, in fact, betokened a very thin Ascot. Though Royalty at- tended each day, there was no procession. There were some bogies at Ascot — bogey horses, I mean — and we had one in the second race of the meeting, the Prince of Wales's Stakes. This was Cateran Lad, one of Lord Rosebery's " Lads," that have been dangled before us since the get of Ladas began to run. Simon Dale was in the race, giving Cateran Lad lolb., so Simon Dale won, natu- rally. The meeting of Good Morn- ing (left at the post at Epsom) and The Parson (the Stole colt) lent much interest to the Coventry Stakes. The Parson was a fractionally better favourite than Good Morning, but Captain Greer's Gallinule colt proved to be much too good for the Melton. He should have won the race by a length or two, but came near not winning at all, Lester Reiff not coming away as directed, and Weldon, on Volodyovski, got to his head at the winning-post. The Parson was third. Captain Greer will no doubt prefer to remember that the race was won in 1893 ^7 Ladas and in 1895 ^7 Persimmon, rather than dwell upon the fate of the winners of the three years last past, Orzil, Desmond and Demo- crat, and I think he has reason for such a choice in his handsome colt. The Gold Vase was a battle of millionaires, the trophy falling to Sir E. Cassel, through the medium of Solitaire. This gentle- man's sideboard will look all the richer for the really handsome gilt jardiniere which the Master of the Buckhounds had provided. On the second day a field of twenty for the Royal Hunt Cup included some excellent performers in whom much- interest was taken. The trophy consisted of a pair of