The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-14 00:00:00

off as soon as possible, and do not provide them
with food or water, or allow them to rest, before
embarking them on their passage. The unfortu-
nate creatures are rarely supplied with water, and
all the time which is occupied by their conveyance
is thus passed in suffering. Several days elapse
in the transit from Hamburg and Spain. No
wonder that the wretched victims to this in-
human course of proceeding are landed " droop-
ing, unhealthy, and often dead." The ques-
tion of " consigning " the animals is a
very nefarious practice, as the shippers thus send
neither food, water, nor herdsmen with them. It is
mentioned in this letter that if a " special commis-
sioner were to be sent to Plymouth and our northern
cattle ports, he would find the provisions and"
arrangements" on board the cattle vessels worse
than the " black hole of Calcutta." Besides the
fearful cruelty of such proceedings, it is evident
that great harm must be occasioned by the state in
which the animals are landed. How can they be fit
for human food when they have undergone such
tortures ? No censures can be too severe that are
passed upon such conduct, and it is only surprising
that cattle plagues have not broken out before,
when we consider the infamous course pursued by
the dealers in prize cattle.

When we consider that the Manchester market
receives two thousand sheep per week'we may form
some notion of the evils occasioned by the evil
practices referred to. Mr. GREGORY very properly
observes that there ought to be an inspector ap.
pointed to see that cattle vessels only bring over a
registered number, that herdsmen voyage with
them, and-that food and water are supplied on the
passage ; also that ventilation be afforded between
decks, and that after the cargo is discharged the
cattle decks be thoroughly cleansed. In the
railways also the poor animals are consigned,
so that the concluding paragraph of this
letter is indeed true, where it states that " the
wonder is that there is not disease more
alarming than it is at this moment, after so bad a
summer, and with so criminal an unconcern for
cattle." It is to be hoped that the attention of the
proper authorities will be directed to this serious
error in the transmimion of cattle, and that the best
possible means may be devised for its removal. It
is going the way to create dreadful distress, loss,
and suffering to the community thus to sanction
such practices as those which disgrace our ports in
the traffic of cattle. Addressing ourselves to re-
medy the consequences of the evil will not suffice
if the circumstances which are prolific in forming
its causes are not attended to, and the public cannot
do better than evince their desire that a stop
be summarily put to the mismanagement of
foreign cattle, which is the root of the evil now so
seriously affecting the community. Certainly the
sin of this great cruelty has brought down a judg-
ment upon the country, and the worst is that the
innocent must suffer for the guilty. It is unfortu-
nately too much the habit with many to let things
alone as long as they possibly can, and the conse-
quence is, that the crafty and callous have it all
their own way for a time. Sometimes good comes
out of evil, and if anything can at all compensate
for the distress and disaster of this cattle plague, it
will be the reflection that the cruel customs hitherto
in vogue have been done away with, and will no
longer remain to injure the health of the commu-
nity, and to be a grave reproach to our character
for consistency as a civilised nation.

The Reform League•

.4..-_

The executive committee of the above League
met at their rooms, 8, Adelphi-terrace, Strand, on
Friday evening last—Edmond Beales, Esq., in the
chair. The minutes of the previous meeting having
been confirmed, correspondence was read from
Wilfrid Lawson, Esq., E. A. Leatham, Esq., J. A.
Nicholay, Esq., C. H. Waring, Esq., and others ;
also very satisfactory communications from Halifax,
Norwich, Leicester, Huddersfield, Neath, Wivelis-
combe, Brecon, Bishop Auckland, &c. A report
having been given concerning the Reform banquet,
the subject of petitions (adjourned from last week)
occupied the attention of the committee for some
time, when a sub-committee was appointed to at-
tend to the whole plan of petitioning during the
coming Session of Parliament.

A systematic course of public lectures on theprin-
ciples of the League for the metropolitan branches
was next decided upon, and arrangements made for
that purpose. In accordance with a notice of
motion, the subject of a conference was introduced
by Mr. Cremer, and the following resolution car-
ried unanimously:—" That steps be immediately
taken to convene a conference of Reformers from
all parts of the country, such conference to assemble
in London immediately on the opening of Parlia-
ment ; and, at the termination of their sittings, a
great public demonstration be held, and that on the
following day the whole of the delegates assembled
at the conference go as a deputation to the Prime
Minister to urge on him the necessity of introducing
the principle of manhood suffrage and the Ballot
into the constitution of the country."
A committee was then appointed to carry out the
foregoing resolution.

MADAME GRIST, it is said, will appear again at
Her Majesty's Theatre next year; if so, possibly also
Signor Mario! Meanwhile, the event to be looked to is
M. Gounod's " Romeo and Juliet !"

A NEW THEATRE is to be built in Holborn, it is
said, Mr. Southern having an interest in it !

ABD-EL-KADER TURNED NOVELIST.—One of the
many rumours at present in circulation about Abd-el-Kader
is to the effect that the Arab chieftain has written a novel,
which will be published in Paris during the author's stay
there. It is further said that the distinguished visitor is an
excellent story-teller, and has such a fund of imagination
that a lively, and certainly a fresh, book may be looked
forward to by readers.

BOTTOMLESS BOOTS.—" Jerry," said Con Delaney
to a brother of the hod, " them's an iligant pair of top-
boots you have on, anyhow." " Tops," replied Jerry,
" bodder, they're Wellingtons." " Well, thin, 'pen my
conscience," retorted the queriest, " I thought they were
Tops." " And why ?" " Because you haven't a bit of
bottom to either of them." " Arrah, get out of that wid
you intirely, wid yer observations."
THE OPAL.—When held between the eye and the
light it appears of a pale, milky-reddish hue, but
when seen by reflected light it displays all the colours of
the rainbow, in flakes, flashes, or specks—in fact, all the
colours of the most beautiful gems are here united in one.
When the colours are in small flakes, distributed over the
surface, it is termed by jewellers " harlequin" opal, on ac-
count of its resemblance to the motley tints of the harle-
quin's dress. When fine these are much prized; but most
persons prefer stones having the variously-coloured fire in
large flashes. This marvellous display of colour is thought
to be occasioned by nearly invisible fissures; the Abbe
Hauy, however, ascribes it to thin films of air filling cavi-
ties in the interior. Opals are always cut en cabochon on
both sides, and the true beauties of the gem only display
themselves when the stone is moved about, as then a fine
opal really appears to have au actual life within itself.
They are very brittle, and are always much more brilliant
on a warm day. A dealer in precious stones, aware of this
peculiarity, invariably holds an opal in his hand before
showing it, in order to impart warmth to the gem.—
Emanuel's Diamonds and Precious Stones.

A DELIGHTFUL SCHOOLMASTER !—Reate, of Eton,
five feet high, " with the pluck of ten battalions"—
(ride author of " Eothen")—" with shaggy red eyebrows,
so long that ho used them as arms and hands for the pur-
pose of pointing," horrible in temper, and clothed in tho
old masters' costume, which Mr. Kinglake describes as "a
fancy dress, partly resembling the costume of Napoleon,
and partly that of a widow woman." A clever plaster cari-
cature of him by an Italian had an enormous sale. As the
modeller said, "Yes, sare, Eton gentlemen buy him many
times—they have much pleasure to break his head." Many
are the ludicrous stories told of him. He was greater than
Malim at flogging.- Once the masters had all to prepare
lists of all the boys in their respective forms of confirma-
tion. One of them did so on a paper of the exact shape of
the usual "flogging bill," and sent it in to Keate. The
latter asked no questions, but mercilessly flogged every
candidate on the list.