The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-31 00:00:00

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LONDON STREET REFORM SO
PRESIDENT.

Sir WILLIAM FRASER, Bart., M.A., F.

On the 13th of June, 1865; it was admitted unanimously in
the -House of Commons that the condition of London, as
regards Paving, Lighting, and Cleansing, was disgraceful.
No improvement has taken place..
The Traffic of London becomes every day more un-
manageable. The Public Vehicles are inferior to those of
Provincial and Continental Cities.
This Society has been formed to stimulate public atten-
tion; to collect, condense, and make known facts ; to
Point out defects in the law ; to enforce provisions at
present neglected; and to watch Bills introduced ibto Par-
liament on these subjects.
The London Street Reform Society is not pledged to
Support any specific change in tho Government of the
Metropolis.
Those who may wish to join the Society are requested
to write to J. S. Haly, Esq., Hon. Sec. L.S.R.S., 88, St.
James's-street, S. W.

N°. 23,262.

1"1:1Cle ld,

how that committee acquitted itself in the per-
formance of its patriotic- duties the result
of the election may bear witness. The thanks.
of the Governor elect and of the State Central
Committee have been publicly tendered to the
League, on more than one occasion for our
assistance in their canvass, and the deep satisfac-
tion which each one of us feels at the issue of the
arduous contest is a sufficient reward for our volun-
tary labours.

"The most powerful adjunct to the Committee of
Seventy-six was, as it has always been, the intelli-
gent action of the Board of Publication. Previous
to the election of October, that Board had distri-
buted eight hundred and sixty-seven thousand and
fifty-eight documents, consistindof eighteen millions
and sixty-four thousand eight hundred and seven-
teen pages of sound Union doctrine. All this great
literary work has been quietly accomplished ; but of
its value in the grand result no man can form an
adequate estimate.

" The report of the Library Committee is little
more than a list of losses occasioned by fire and
water to the perishable property which they have in
charge. Great damage was done to the voluminous
files of newspapers and magazines which had been
accumulating since the organisation of the League,
and-which were -stored--in Me niter .r,art of the
building. This loss cannot be supplied without
great trouble and expense. Our members are ear-
nestly requested to co-operate with the committee
in the proposed extension of the library, .so that it
may not only became a useful department of our
institution, but a collection of mark in the city.
" The report of the Committee on Fine Arts and
Trophies is also little more than an array of losses
incident to the fire. As soon as our rooms are in
proper repair most of the works which we pos-
sessed, and those which were loaned to us by our
members, will again ornament the walls, in as good
condition as the careful exertions of the committee
have been able to accomplish.
"The thanks of the League are due to Me. Jas.
M'Henry, of London, for the excellent marble bust
of the great English Liberal, Richard Cobden, with
which Mr. M'Henry has adirned our house, in com-
memoration of the pleasant visit which he and hiS
English friends paid to us during the present year.
Oar thanks should also be rendered to the generous
donors of the admirable portrait of that wise and
steadfast statesman the Hon. Thaddeus Stevens,
whose visible form has at length followed his pxtrio-
tric spirit into a house where that spirit has long
been domesticated and deeply reverenced.
"The Committee on Membership report that dur-
ing this year they have recommended to the Board
of Directors three hundred and thirty-nine candi-
dates for admission to membership of the League.
The Board returns its thanks to the Committee for
the care and fidelity with which their trust has been
discharged, and renews to the Committee the ex-
pression of confidence contained'in our last annual
report.

" On the Ist of December, 1866, the roll of the
League contained the names of nineteen hundred
and seventy members. Of these two hundred and
eighty-nine were elected during the current year.
We deplore the loss of twenty-two of our members
by death. There have been fifry-four who have
resigned their membership, and six, after having
been suspended from membership for non-payment
of their annual dues, were finally dropped from the
roll, in accordance with the hy-laws."

A preamble and resolution were offered by
Robert A. Corson, Esq. The preamble set forth
that since the restriction in reference to liquor
had been taken off several cases of drunkenness
had occurred which had cast odium on the
house, and that on one or moie occasions per-
sons had been taken from the restaurant in a
state of drunkenness. The resolution was ably
supported by J. P. Wetherill, Frederick Fraley,
Esqs., and other prominent gentlemen. The
resolution reads as follows :—" Resoived,—That
the house committee be, and they are hereby in-
structed to adopt and enforce the provision formerly
in force at the organisation of the League, whereby
the sale and use of liquors were restricted, and some
prohibited being sold on the premises."
The resolution was laid on the table by a close
vote.

am, &c.,

Another resolution was offered by Charles Gib-
bous, Esq., proposing that the question be put to
vote by all the members of the League as the Sunday
question was submitted, which resolution wa3 finally
withdrawn.
It was understood that the Board of Directors
would be petitioned to take a vote on the question.
The ticket known as the Director's ticket was
elected.

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with the conventional duty
nutted, subsists in principle
general law, it were decided
the special taxes successively
consent of the different Powers who have entered
into agreements with 1.13, we' should arrive at the
singular result that the .ships.of countries remaining
outside the conventional duty would be better
treated than the ships of Powers who have drawn
to us by the tie of a contract.

" In fact, it is comfortable both to the spirit and
to the letter of the law of May 19, 1866, only to re-
quire from, foreign Governments reciprocity of
national treatment, even when, in consequence of
the application of this principle, foreign vessels
should, like French ships, enjoy complete humanity
in France, while French ships, like all native and
other vessels, should remain subjected to naviga-
tion dues in a foreign part.
" This principle once laid down, the execution of
the law upon the mercantile marine could not en-
counter any difficulty,
would be to consider in what form the application
ought to be made. aud the only thing remaining

"It has happened, Sire, that a decree from your
Majesty was necessary to settle the questions apper-
taining to your conventional system. In fact, as
treaties of commerce and navigation can only be ap-
plied in the Empire by virtue of imperial decrees,
nothing but an act equally emanating from the Sove-
reign can modify these same treaties, even although
the modification is an advantage and not a burden
to the contracting party.
" It is in this sense that the annexed draught of
a decree has been drawn up, which I have now the
honour to submit to your Majesty :
" Arr. 1 replaces in the commondutyall.the corn-_
trig which fiad consented-id-the ettabl ishment in our
ports of a compensating tax for the duties levie d
upon ous ships as upon their own in their ports.
" Art. 2 suppresses the tonnage duty which French
and English ships, as has been said above, pay in
our ports by virtue of the treaty of Jau. 26, 1826,
and which equally affects all flags assimilated to
ours by acts of convention.

" The Government of her Britannic Majesty hay-
ing undertaken to present to Parliament in its next
session a law for the purpose of abolishing all loea 1
taxes impressed with any differential character, there
was no longer any reason for maintaining a tonnage
duty which affected our own flag quite as much as
the English flag. It is, moreover, to be observed
that the English Government does not dispute our
right to reimpose tonnage duties in the improbable
event of the bill in question not receiving the sanc-
tion of the Parliament. Finally, Art. 3 retains upon
all vessels of the United States of America arriving
in our ports the duty of sf. per ton established by
the treaty of June 24, 1822. There is no question
of reprisals, Sire ; it is purely and simply the
maintenance of an existing' fact, which it depends
upon the Government of the United States to cause
to disappear, by granting to our ships the same
treatment which their own ships enjoy in the ports
of the American Union. Already negotiations'
with this object in view are in progress at Washing-
ton, and there is every reason to hope will termi-
nate successfully. Such, Sire, is the object of the
draught decree which your Majesty is solicited
to sanction by your signature. It is conformable
to the liberal character of the law concerning the
mercantile marine, the object of which is to attract
into our ports the greatest possible amount of busi-
ness. It is evident that merchandise will go by pre-
ference to those places where it has the least charges
to bear, and the suppression of tonnage dues in all
the ports of the empire is a powerful means of at-
traction. If this truth needed any demonstration,
I should ask your Majesty to permit me to cite the
example of Marseilles. In that great port tonnage
dues were suppressed after the re-establishment of
general peace by au ordinance of the 17th of Sep-
tember, 1817, and this equality of conditions be-
tween French and foreign vessels has caused no in-
jury to the French marine,whose proportional share
in the maritime business of Marseilles has always
been increasing. There is there for the future of
our commercial navy a point of comparison, and an
example which should give security -TO

" ARMAND BEIIIC."

The Alleged Steeplechase Cruelty.

At the Croydon Petty Sessions on Saturday, Mr. Craw-
shaw appeared to answer a summons by the Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, who charged him
with having been guilty of cruelty to his horse, which
broke its back as he rode it at the late steeplechase meet-
ing at Croydon. Much interest existed among sporting
circles upon the subject, and the court was well attended.
Amongst others present were the Duke of Hamilton and
Sir F. Head, Bart., author of " The Horse and his Rider"

(who was there to give evidence, if needed, for the defence).
The magistrates on the bench were Mr. E. R. Adams
(chairman), Mr. J. Sutherland, Mr. J. R. Edridge, Mr. E.
Foss, 'Dr. Hood, and Mr. J. S. nI. Churchill. Mr. J. 5.1.
Eastley, Captain Returnis, and Mr. S. Gurney, MP-) with
drew before the commencement of the case.
Mr. Merowether, instructed by Mr. William Jaquet, of
Sergeants'-inn, Temple, appeared for the defence.

The facts of the case are as follows:—On the first day
of the Croydon steeplechase meeting, Mr. Crawshaw rode
Voightlander in the race for the Stewards' Plate, and upon
arriving at the water jump,
the first time round, the horse
fell and broke his back.

Mr. Colam iciecraary for the Society for the Preven-
ola,
tion of Cruelty to Animals, said proceedings were taken
under the 2d section of the 12th and 13th Vict., charging
Mr. Crawshaw with cruelly beating, ill-treating, over-
riding, abusing. and torturing a horse named Voightlander,
and causing it to be done, thus making himself liable to a
penalty not exceeding £,5. Ho said that Mr. Crawshaw
rode Voightlander at the Croydon Steeplechases, on the
27th November, and " persevered" with the horse to make

it take a leap at a sensation water-jump, consisting
of a. fence 5 feet high with water beyond it. The
horse, leaped the fence, but failed to reach the other
side ; and in consequence fell, broke its back, and dislo-
cated its hip joint. The prosecution was not got up
with the view of putting down steeplechasing, but they
could not overlook cruelty under whatever auspices they
found it.

George Brewer, a knacker's slaughterer, said ho attended
the steeplechases with his cart, and stood at the "sensation
water jump." The fence would be about 51 or 6ft. from
the ground. Ho saw Voightlander go over the fence and
fall into the water. He took it away in his cart. The horse
could not see the polo which was laid on the top of the
furze. Tho ground was slippery.
When asked by the chairman whether any horses had
gone over before, he said there might be one or two. They
cleared the water about Oft. Voightlander did not struggle
at all. Wo took him up on a gate. We found its milt ten
times larger than it ought to be, and the lights and other
things were injured. The sizo of the milt could not have
been caused by the jump. It must have had that some
time.

Benjamin Charming said he was a bricklayer, and Was
standing beside the water jump when Voightlander fell.
The pole laid along the furze would be about 4ft. high, and
the furzo itself about sft. or more.

Simeon Lell, an officer of the Society for Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals, said he measured the width of the
water jump on the 6th Dec. with a string. He here pro-
duced the string, but did not know its length. Some ono
in court said the length of the string was about 15ft. Gin.,
and on Mr. Merewother asking him if he would swear it
was more than 12ft. sin., witness could not say. Witness
ascertained the depth of water by placing a string with a
stone attached to the end of a stick, and holding it out like
a fishing rod, to be 3ft. Gin. or 3ft. Bin. Similar evidence
was given by this intelligent officer. lie said lie " had no
other measurement, no tape, no nothing."

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suffer some kind of injury, though it might not be perma-
nent. Tho injury might be transient. He thought 31ft.
or 4ft. a proper jump.
Dl r. Both n, one of the lessees of Croydon steeplechase,
understood the fence was trimmed before ti oightland:ir
jumped; at any rate ho had given orders to Mr. Williams
to do it.
Mr. Goodwin, another lessee, said the polo was removed
after Voightlander fell. The pole was 2ft. Gin. from the
ground,.,
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andan
d wasthefnuortzesfatb. ova it would make it 4ft. Gin. or
4ft.
Mr. Edward Smith, of Begs Life, said the fence was
sft. Gin. or Mt. 9in. The polo would be about aft. 10in. or
so, and the furze placed above it for the horses to take a
better spring would make it the sft gin. The water jump
at Liverpool was much higher and more difficult to jump
than that at Croydon. If Voightlauder had been clover he
would have got over like the rest of them. When asked if
it was a severe jump for a horse, witness said, "No; neither
for man nor horse."
This was the last witness for the prosecution, and on
Mr. Merewethor saying that they had no defence to make
the magi: trate dismissed the case.
Costs were allowed to the defendant.