The Sun.
London, England, 1870-03-11 00:00:00

THAMES.

SHAMEFUL CRUELTY TO A PONY.—The Royal
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
prosecuted two men, Joseph Thorpe, carbon cutter,
of Charles-street, Wandsworth-road, and John
Stannard, a carman, from the same locality, for
cruelty to a pony.

Simon Ralph, a police sergeant, saw the prisoners
in a cart drawn by a wretched pony in the Com-
mercial-road. The prisoner Stannard was flogging
the poor animal unmercifully. It could scarcely
move, its bones were protruding, and every rib could
be counted. The mob following the cart shouted
and laughed derisively ; and there were cries of
" Shame," " Take the bones out of the shafts,"
" What do you call the animal ?" which certainly
looked more like a half-starved calf than a horse.
The pony, for such ho believed it was, was cruelly
flogged by the prisoner Stannard, and it stopped
from sheer exhaustion. There was more derisive
laughter and plenty of satirical remarks, and the
prisoners were advised to take the animal to the
bone boilers. The flogging of the animal was re-
newed, and at the request of the indignant mob ho
took the prisoners into custody and the animal to
the station-house yard.
Mr. Paget—You carried the animal here ?
Policeman Ralph said—l assisted the animal to
walk here.

Thorpe said that he engaged Stannard to convey
some goods, about two cwt., and consisting of
2,500 carbon plates, to Sil vertown, North Woolwich,
and he was surprised at such au animal being
yoked to the cart.

Stannard said that ho had been in the practice of
proceeding to Silvertown once a fortnight with
goods for Mr. Thorpe, and that the horse ho gene-
rally drove, being laid up with an attack of influ-
enza, he used the pony as a make-shift.
Mr. Paget said he had had much to do with
horses in his life time, and he never saw any animal
so wretched and thin as the pony. lie was in
doubt what the animal really was for some time.
it was scandalous and cruel to work such an animal.
It could not look worse. Both prisoners were in
the court, and he should fine each 20s.

Roche, the gaoler of the court, asked what was
to be done with the remains of the animal ? If it was
sent to the Green-yard it would eat its head off in
twenty-four hours.

Mr. Paget—l doubt whether it has eaten any-
thing for twenty-four weeks.—there is no flesh
on it.

Stannard said he would take the animal to a
knacker, and have it killed immediately. lie had
no money with him to pay the fine. Thorpe was in
the same condition.

Mr. Paget doubted whether any knacker would
take the trouble to kill the poor worn-out, expiring
animal. He would postpone his decision until next
Thursday. The pony had better be under cover
on its way to the knacker's yard, or its appearance
would excite popular indignation. (Laughter.)

Her Majesty held a Levee to-day at Bucking-
ham Palace.
Her Majesty the Queen, accompanied by the
Princesses Louise and Beatrice, will, it is understood,
leave Buckingham Palace to-morrow for Windsor Castle.
We are glad to learn that Mr. Glyn's health is
steadily improving, but he will not be able to return to
the Houso of Commons until after the expiration of a
few days.

Miss Braddon is busily engaged upon a novel,
the title of which will be "Fenton's Quest." It is un-
derstood that the opening chapters will appear in the
forthcoming number of Belgravia.
in reverence to .oir. unnaersl3 soaeme or naval ro-

tirement, a correspondent points out that it is important for
officers to know that if they do not exercise the option which
has been given to them, either to remain on the activo list or
elect to retire on or before the 21st inst., it will be deemed
that they have elected the new regulations laid down in the
retirement scheme.

According to an official return just published, the
estimated number of inland letters (ca culated on the returns
for the year 1868), exclusive of official correspondence,
during the present year, was 752,000,000. The amount of
postage received was £3,488,188, the estimated number of
inland book packets was 55,000,000, and the amount of pos-
tage £408,792. Patterns and samples, 8,000,000 ; amount of
postage, £41,458.
The death of a naval veteran is announced—Rear-
Admiral Thomas Vernon Watkins. Ho entered the navy
in 1815, and served in various parts of the world in the St.
Vincent (Sir Thomas Foley), the Asia (Admiral Hyde
Parker), the Victory, the Britannia, &c. He obtained the
rank of commander in 1837, and served on the West India
and North American stations, and afterwards in the Pacific.
He obtained his post rank in 1847, and flag rank (rear-admi-
ral, Retired List) in 1865. He was in his 77th year.
At the Manchester assizes yesterday two actions
for damages were brought against the Lancashire and York-
shire Railway Company. In one case a Mr. Kenyon sued
for damages incurred by an accident sustained by his wife
in a collision at Clifton Junction. The jury returned a ver-
dict for £2OO in favour of the plaintiff. The same company
were sued in another action by a tailor for damages sustained
in an accident, and damages to the amount of £550 were
awarded.

The very extensive Distillery now being erected
at Belfast, with all reeent improvements for the manufacture of
Irish whisky, by Messis. DITNVILLE & Co., who have gained
a world-wide celebrity for their fine old Irish whisky, is to be
called "The Royal Irish Distillery."

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
Morning. Evening
FRIDAY..
SATURDAY 42 nun past 8 24 min past 9
SUNDAY 6 min past 10 50 min past 10
MONDAY 30 min past 11 0 min past 12
WVE§DAYmisiem.„ ~,,, tslQ Pad 124m1,49 1 D past 12

THIRD EDITION

The Third Edition of " The Sun" of last Evening was
published in time for delivery in town at 7.15 p.m.

SUN OFFICE, 7 o'CLocs.

IMPERIAL PA ULIA MEN T

lIOUSE OF COMMONS—Tors EVENING.
The Speaker took the chair at four o'clock.
THE BOROUGH OF BEVERDEY.

A petition was presented by Mr. Clay from the inhabi-
tants of the borough of Beverley with reference to the
report of the commissioners, and praying for an inquiry.
It was read by the Clerk at the table.