The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-02-25 00:00:00

Mr. R. MARTIN. is moving for leave to bring in his Bill
agairst bear-baiting and other cruel practices, stated, that he had
consulted those persons who, trout official situation and general
information, were moat likely to be able to form a just conclusion
on the nature and tendency of those sports: and lie could inform
the House, that it was the opinion of every Magistrate of London
and Westminster whore opinion he had taken, that nothing contri.
butedmore to the commission of crime than an indulgence in such
cruel practices : they were the schools in which thieves and mur-
derers were educated. It had been customary to evade the interfer.
env: of the police, in such cases, by declining to take money at the
doors. This was not always the case; at least, he had a bill in his
pocket of one of thnieemusementa, the admission to which was 3.4.6 d.
It wan an exhibition of badger-baiting, and for training young dogs
before being sent cut on their travels. (Laughter.) It had been
objected to a former measure of his, that it was only his intention to
put a stop to the sports of the poor, and that he avoided attaakiog
slosaanoiemeats of the Nobility. He underitoa that the exhibi-
tion to which he hot alluded was supported by several of the higher
classes ; he was sorry to bear it, but was determined, with the
assistance of the Moues, to tees impartially and put it down. Ile
hor.'d on that ground to receive the support of the MentSer for
Winchelse 1. He thought the Learned Gentleman stood pledged
to support him in his present attempt; which struck at the rich as
well as the poor. The House could not be aware of the cruelties
which were practised upon the animals, and lie was sorry to say
not unfrequently, by men who had a character for learning and
science. lie could not avoid mentioning nue instance of this kind—
it was the case of a person nhorn lie would call a disgrace to science,
an individual of the nme of 3lajendie, who had made one of the
moat atrocious exhibitions at one of our anatomical theatres that
could be conceived. This person procured a greyhound, and made
fast his four paws to a table with iron spikes; the ears of the tor.
lured animal were also nailed down in like manner ; the operator
then proceeded to cut out and demonstrate the nerves connected
with sight, taste, and hearing, on one side of the jaw ; he applied
Fis scalpel to the nerveless socket of the eye, and performed various
other cruel experiments. When the operation was concluded on
the dog, which still survived these cruelties„ he handed him over to
an attendant, and informed the spectators fhat if the assistant took
proper care of the animal during the night, there was no doubt he
would be alive in the morning, and in that case they would have an.
oprortunity of seeing a similar operation performed on the nerves con-
nected with the other side of the jaw. However, said thin humane gen-
tleman, should the attendant be inattentive, there is little doubt but
the animal will possess sufficient vitality to enable me to demonstrate
the perestallic motion of his stomach fur your further gratification.
He trusted there could be but one feeling of detestation at such
barbarities. He had consulted the most eminent professional men.
among others Dr. Abernethy and Sir E. Borne—he had taken the
opinion of many learned and scientific characters in Oxford and
Cambridge, and they all united in condemning and deprecating
such cruel practises. The experiment had taken place in this me.
tropolis, and he believed it was the intention of the operator to
return, but if he did, he (Mr. Martin) trusted it would not be to
receive patronage and encouragement, but the contrary. The
lion. Gentleman concluded by moving for leave to bring in a Bill
to prevent bear beating and other cruel sports.
Sir 31. W. RIDLEY opposed the introduction of the Bill, on
the ground of the subject not being of sufficient importance to call
for an enactment from the House.

Mr. MARTIN replied.
Mr. F. BUXTON supported the 8111.
Mr. Alderman BRIDGES approved of the principle of the Bill.
Mr. BUTTERWORTH deprecated the practice of prize-fight-
ing; the Bill should have his support.
Strangers were ordered to withdraw, and the House then divided,
when there appeared--
For the Bill . 41

Against it - 29
ltlajority . —l2
Leave was accordingly given to bring in the Bill.
NAVY ESTIMATES.
Sir J. YORKE objected to the salary of the Secretary to the
First Lord of the Admiralty being raised from 300/. to 5101. s-year.
He expressed his regret that he should have given his vote for the
reductiop of two Lords out of the seven in the Admiralty, when
they were only able to point out that, and one of Poatmasters-
General, as the reduction of so many millions. No Commissioners
of Excise—no Commissioners of Stamps or of Taxes, had been
yielded to this oft-expressed desire of economy. and he should
therefore move, in common justice to the Admiralty, that 2,0001.
should be added to the grant of 5,0001.
Mr. HUME Pahl. titre was a million charged for building ships
to rot. (A Laugh.) There was also a charge of 180,0001. or 190,0001.
for repairing dock-yards. The charges were higher than in the
year 1822. or the two succeeding years. The principle he would
cheek was the extraordinary rate of expense in public yards. Since
1811 the docks had cost 6.540.000!., all expended in u time of pro-
found peace, while not one shilling had been spent during the war.
In one year there was 600,0001., in another SOll,OOO/., in the next
800.000/. ; hot nothing fixed or known. He thought there must
be something rotten here ; he would wish very much to know
whether it was caprice in the Admiralty, or the taste and fancy of
some Gentlemen for pretty buildings, which created this uncer-
tainty of expenditure. T wcnty-thr ee millions too had been thrown
away since 181 S, in the building of ships of war. We ought not,
he thought, to go on in this manner, building ships to rot—better
to lace all the carpenters in the dock-yards upon half-pay, than
build ships which the put:die service did not require. lie would
enter his protest &gamin this building, and against the improvident
expenditure in the dock-yards.
Sir 0. COCKBURN remen.bereal the lion. Gentleman urging
the employment of these very men, whose unnecessary work he now
complained of. As to the expenses of the dockyards, he could
only say, that in time of war no imiworements could take place, and i
therefore they were necessarily deferred until a time of peace. The
Hon. Gentleman had made u statement respecting tits mot of build-1
ing ships of war, the accuracy of which he begged leave very much
to doubt. lie thought that in his account of the 23 millions, it
would be found he had jumbled together many items which had no
relation to that particular branch of expenditure.
Several Estimates were then Famed.
Upon the Report of the grant to the College at Portsmouth,
Sir J. YORKE begged to ask, whether it was true that one of
thestudents had gone to AMOCIC.I? Ile thought it was ?Rabat an