I have conversed with several persons concerned in the horsing business, on the general system, and inquired whether it would not be more to the interest of those who possessed capital sufficient to turn off their horses before they became too much injured by work, with a view to their recovery and their lasting to the longest possible period. I touched, however, only on the ground of interest,- not that of mercy or morality, which, in the view of my confabulators, would have been palavar indeed. I recollect only one coach-master who professed to have tried this plan to any extent, and he seemed to have succeeded in it. The general method is to work the animals as long as they can stand upon their legs; and when lame, I have heard it said, "we can whip them sound!"

I remain, Sir, Yours, &c.

JOHN LAWRENCE.

Whittlebury Street, Euston Square.

SIR,

CRUELTY TO A BULLOCK.

To the Editor of the Voice of Humanity.

I beg to communicate through your appropriate publication the following instance of shocking cruelty, which I witnessed in the New Road, near King's Cross, on the evening of January 5, 1831. A bullock, coming to Smithfield Market, had travelled a very long distance; its hoofs were worn off by the hard road, so that they were bleeding, and every step it took was with extreme torture, on the wounds of its feet. At length, exhausted with suffering, it dropped down in the road, as it could proceed no further. The drovers then beat it about the head, goaded it in different parts of the body and in the nostrils and ears; but all this cruelty did not make it rise. It expressed its inability by the deepest groans. After this three drovers took hold of its tail and twisted and doubled it till they succeeded in breaking it in different places. But this did not make it rise-it produced only a repetition of deep groans. During this time my remonstrance was treated with the grossest One drover abuse, and they next adopted another mode of torture. pulled the tail while two others placed two of their sticks across it, so as to pinch it tightly, and the sticks held in this way at their ends (the tail being between) they moved up and down, as quickly as possible, saying, "make it catch fire." My feelings hardly permitted me to witness this: the dumb animal expressed in language sufficiently intelligible, by deep. groans, its utter inability, and appealed for pity and compassion-in vain. Fortunately a butcher now came up, to whom I represented the whole scene, and earnestly begged him to interfere, which he did. He examined the tail, and told the drovers that it was broken in three places, and that, after what they had done beside, it was useless to expect that the bullock could get up. He induced them to have it slaughtered on the

spot. I am sorry to add that all these wretches have escaped justice. No one either could or would give me their names and residence, to summons them, and the present law does not allow of their being given in charge to a peace-officer. The drovers do not wear badges when going to Smithfield, but when driving cattle from this market the Rules oblige them, under a penalty, to wear a badge with their number on the left arm; yet how seldom it is complied with may be judged by any one. In such case it is hardly possible to get their names and residence so as to summons them.

It is now sixteen years since I first commenced writing on cruelty to Lobsters, in consequence of similar benevolent attempts made in Bath and Weymouth as were made at the Mansion House, before the Lord Mayor, November 26, 1830, by Mr. Gompertz, accompanied by Mr. Saunders, the eminent Fishmonger, to obtain the abolition of the unnecessary cruelty of driving pegs into their claws, instead of tying them with string. The effect in each instance has been exactly of the same value, a flowery recommendation to abolish it, and a dissertation on the fish being injured in quality and flavor, &c., while the custom is still continued. But before finishing the first article I wrote on this subject, I perceived the shallowness and ridicule of making such an outcry about driving pegs into their claws, while we are so particular that the lobsters should be not only alive but lively, when put into the pot. A nobleman who resided on the coast near me, was a zealous abolitionist of pegging, and insisted, in his neighbourhood, that their claws should be tied with string; but he was still more pleased with a further discovery, that of bringing the lobsters from the sea in a large vessel, containing a sufficient quantity of their native element to boil them in, which was said greatly to improve their flavor!

As it may be inferred that I as much disapprove of the boiling alive as the pegging their claws, the question follows-would you dress a lobster when it has died a natural death by being deprived of its native element? I answer, unquestionably, yes; and otherwise I would not partake of it. I have even invited connoisseurs purposely to partake of lobsters thus dressed, who have unanimously declared that there was an improvement rather than a deterioration in their quality. The tail of a lobster thus dressed,will be found to lose much of its hardness and indigestibility. The watery quality is equally common to those dressed in the usual way, which arises from the fish having been sickly and diseased.

Persons inquire, how can lobsters be deprived of life? The mode which I recommend is to put them into fresh water-the hardest pump water answers best, in which they live but a short time. The same observation applies to crabs, shrimps, prawns, &c.; and I trust some of your readers will put their humanity into practice by purchasing shell-fish from their fishmonger, while alive, and reporting the result of an impartial trial of this plan. The horrid cruelty of dressing shell-fish alive is the same as if another fish which does not possess their amphibious property, but soon dies when taken out of the water, were to be instantly conveyed out of its native element either into the frying-pan or into the saucepan.

Before concluding, I wish to submit another argument, which is founded upon that charter by which we claim the right of killing animals for our food, viz. the authority of the Scriptures. Was that right given us without merciful restrictions, which, if attended to, would supersede all Parliamentary Acts to prevent cruelty to animals? Is the benevolent and merciful spirit of the Levitical law passed away with the Jewish dispensation?—or is the Christian dispensation, which says, "Be ye also merciful, as your Father which is in heaven is merciful," to be made the cloak for inflicting exquisite tortures, on the plea of epicurism? I have never yet been able to satisfy myself that these amphibious fish, which we are in the habit of dressing alive, were ever allowed us for food; and it may be readily imagined that such prohibition was designed to check that spirit of semi-cannibalism of which the subject of this letter may be considered a sample. These creatures were not likely to be deprived of life, by man, without cruelty—they were, consequently, forbidden as food. Indeed, if there were no revelation of the divine will, it would be little creditable to the intellectual character of man, amidst a profusion of choice, to lay hands on every thing that has life, to render it subservient to epicurism. The passage alluded to is Lev. xi. 9, 10, 11, 12, on which I hope some of your readers will give an opinion :-"These shall ye eat, of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. And all that have not fins nor scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you. They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but you shall have their carcases in abomination. Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you."

SIR,

I remain, Sir, Yours, &c. S. P.

SLAUGHTERING OF CATTLE.

To the Editor of the Voice of Humanity.

The interest I feel in the work which Humanity has dictated to you, and the personal knowledge and experience I have unavoidably

had of some of the cruelties which that work is intended to expose and correct, is the only apology I have to offer for the following lines, which are entirely at your service, in any way that you think calculated to promote the cause you have so commendably undertaken.

Having been regularly engaged in the business of a butcher for upwards of twenty years, in ten of which I was occasionally employed in the slaughtering department, I have not only been a witness to many cruelties practised upon the animals given us for our food, but my thoughts have often been turned to the mode of lessening those cruelties, as well as the easiest mode of taking away life. I shall first describe some these cruelties, and then simply throw out such suggestions as have occurred to me on the subject.

The first is the sufferings of the cattle in driving to the slaughterhouses, and the length of time they are frequently kept fasting before they are slaughtered. At present the slaughter-houses in large cities and towns are situated in the most inaccessible parts-instead of the outside—and the cattle are often goaded to desperation before they can be got into them: and the time of fasting, instead of being for a limited period, is guided by the convenience or caprice of the owner, and I have no doubt is often extended to a period which is not only a cause of great suffering to them, but also of real injury to the flesh.

In taking life, I am painfully convinced that the feelings of the poor animals are not only not consulted, but wantonly trifled with. It is no uncommon thing for the butchers' apprentices, or any idle person, not at all connected with the slaughter-house, but who may happen to be present, to be allowed to strike at an ox,-with what result may easily be anticipated; and, as the skin of the head instantly becomes swollen and puffed with repeated blows, the animal, after the first blow, naturally flinching, these are often repeated; and I have seen as many as eight or ten, and even twelve blows given, before they have fallen: for after a few strokes it becomes difficult, even for an experienced person, to knock them down.

Another, and I fear not an uncommon cruelty with respect to sheep and lambs, is the beginning to flay them before life is extinct. I have seen three legs of a sheep flayed before it was dead, and not unfrequently heard an oath from the mouth of the operator at every movement of the suffering animal, because that movement interfered with the next cut of his knife!

Calves suffer greatly from the frequent and severe bleedings resorted to for making the flesh white. Indeed I am inclined to rank this amongst the greatest cruelties. Were these bleedings moderate, it might be some excuse, but they are often carried to such an extent that the calf is ready to fall, and frequently does fall down, with exhaustion; and, whilst the present mania for white veal lasts-and a mania it is, as the veal is actually less nutritious-I fear it will not be put an end to. This cruelty must cease with the consumers.

Having stated so much, I will next proceed shortly to examine the easiest mode of slaughtering oxen. Some humane persons of my acquaintance have considered PITHING, which is dividing the spinal marrow by a sharp instrument (without any blow on the head), as the readiest mode. It certainly does appear so at first sight, as the animals fall instantaneously; but, from repeated experiments, I find that they die soonest by a well-aimed stunning blow with the common flat axe, without at all perforating the skull, and, as far as I can judge, with the least pain. I have tried the practice generally used at present of cutting a circular hole in the skull by a blow with a sharp axe made on the principle of a punch, and then introducing a stick into the brain and thence up the spinal marrow of the neck; but this, on account of humanity, I exceedingly disapprove of. I have invariably found that they live longer than by a simple stun on the head by the flat axe; to say nothing of the horrible convulsions caused in every muscle of the body by thrusting a stick into the brain and up the spinal marrow. This view will, I believe, be confirmed by any practical surgeon, several of whom I have consulted. In case of an old ox, or bull, it may sometimes be necessary to use this sharp axe, but in general, by clipping off the hair from the forehead, the common flat axe would do. This, though a simple, yet I consider an effectual mode to prevent a repetition of strokes. With regard to sheep and lambs, the common mode of sticking them is, I think, the best, and immediately breaking the neck, to allow the finger to be introduced to crush the spinal marrow, but not the knife to cut it. By this means the skin or membrane round the spinal marrow is not broken, and the crushing acts in the same manner as a stun upon the head.

Bullocks and sheep ought never to be fasted more than from twelve to twenty-four hours, and calves and lambs only so long as is necessary for them to cool after being brought to the slaughter-houses.

When, judging from our own, we consider the depravity of the human heart, and know also how habits either of humanity or cruelty become strengthened by constant repetition and example, we must, I think, be convinced of the necessity of placing slaughter-houses under better regulations than they now are. I would suggest the propriety of the friends of humanity uniting their exertions for the establishment of Abattoirs near London, where, from the observations I have made, I am convinced they are much wanted. Let such establishments be situated on the outskirts of the city, so that the foot-sore cattle may not suffer from being driven through crowded streets. Let them have printed Rules, and these Rules strictly enforced, as to the time of fasting, &c. Let it be the business of expert and experienced persons (duly appointed) to take the life of every animal, and no one else to be allowed to do it. Let the whole be placed under the superintendance of a resident inspector, of tried humanity and integrity. So might the cruelties at present practised be much lessened, and the reflecting mind would have the satisfaction