The Sun.
London, England, 1862-03-07 00:00:00

BOROUGH HOP.

A• moderate business is doing in new hops, and prices
are fairly supported. Yearlings and olds, however, com-
mand but little attention, yet no change has taken place in
their value compared with our last report. There is still
some inquiry for exportation.

New Mid and East Kents.. 140 s to 190 s per cwt.
New Weald of Keats .. 130 s 150 s ~
New Sussex

COLONIAL.
TEA.—The dealings have been limited, but late prices
have been well supported for all descriptions.
SUGAR.—For the better qualities of West India there
has been a fair inquiry, at full rates, and refined descrip-
tions have shown a steady improvement in prices.
COPPEE.—Good and fine qualities of colonial have beon
in increased demand, at a slight advance on former quota-
tions, while other descriptions sold steadily at about
previous rates.

RlpE.—Business has been rather dull, but for the better
qualities of East India there was a moderate inquiry, and
former quotations were maintained.

SALTPETRE.—A slight improvement has taken place in
he demand, and rather higher rates have been established
for all qualities. _ _

TALiow.—The market has continued dull, prices being
a shade flatter. P.Y.C., on the spot, is quoted 46s to
45s 9d ; and last three months, 46s to 47s per owl.

THE MILITARY STOCK.—I would next, at once,
entirely and for ever, abolish that infinitely worse than use-
ful instrument of torture—the leathern stock. It is true that
of late years the stock has been somewhat modified both as
to material and size, Lut why should it be worn at all ?
Would any roan, not a maniac, wear such a thing willingly
at any time, more especially when about to undergo as much
physical exertion as a soldier has even on a common field.
day ? Why should our troops be the only men in England
or the colonies whose windpipes must be compressed before
they are considered fit for duty ? Have we not the written
testimony of the best writers on military surgery, and the
verbal opinion of nearly every medical man who has done
duty with soldiers, that the stock has caused or aggravated
innumerable diseases, and is answerable for a number of
deaths in the ranks? What is the last article of dress
every soldier puts on when getting ready for parade,
and the first he takes off when parade is over ? The stock,
When a man falls out of the ranks sick or faint, what is the
first—the only—part of his dress of which his comrades
relieve him ? The stock. Or, when too ill to speak, to what
does his hand move mechanically, if it be still griping his
neck ? Always the stock I I have seen again and again,
both in England and India, men fall out'from the ranks during
the manoeuvres, looking deadly pale, and almost as if about
to die ; but when their stocks were removed they at once
revived. Yet to this abominable relic of stiff Prussian dress,
which Frederick the Great considered soldierlike,
tary authorities adhere with a tenacity that would be abso-
lutely incredible if it were not within our positive know-
ledge.—All the Year Round.

ATROCIOUS CRUELTY.—On Monday last two
young men, named Thomas Oakes and William Merryman,
were charged before the Dudley magistrates with wanton
cruelty to a cat. The prosecution was instituted by the Royal
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. It ap•
peared that on the 18th of February a cat wandered Info
the workshop where the defendant were employed, when
one of them (Merryman) tied itslegs together, while Oakes
covered its body with oil. Having thoroughly saturated
the animal's fur with oil, they set fire to it, first untying its
legs. The poor creature was in a Flap in a moment, and
ran about the shop uttering the most pitiful cries. The
cruel tormentors, however, only laughed at its pain, until
the unfortunate animal set fire to some shavings in the
room, when they threw water over the shavings, but left
the poor cat to burn. A third person who was present
then threw water over the cat, and, to put an end to its
misery, stoned it to death. The magistrate inflicted the
highest penalty allowed by the law (a) in each CPO, with
costs. The half of the penalty which goes to the informer
was handed over by the Royal Society to the Dudley Dis-
pensary!