The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-07-25
FOREIGN MISCELLANY.
AN ENGLISH ADMIRAL ON COCK FIGHTING.

AN ENGLISH ADMIRAL ON COCK FIGHTING.
| The London Times publishes the following
, letter from Admiral Rous
motion in the House Of Commons to in
crease the punishment to her Majestys sub
Ijects who indulge in the most ancient anG
royal amusement Of cock.f fighting, induces
me to trespass on your columns. It has beer
argued that it is wise policy to forbid this
sport, owing to its cruelty. On this principle
why not make pigeon-shooting illegal, when
fat Herods, standing over the traps, STAY the
innocents? Why not legislate against hunt
ing, coursing, fishing? In the latter amuse-
ment what can be more brutal than impaling
worms on hooks or trolling with live bait to
catch pike? Playing with fine salmon on
your hook is pleasant pastine, although the
victim differs in opinion. Neither is there
much to be said in favor of grand battues,
where hundreds of birds and ground game
| escape mutilated to live a miserable life or to
be eaten by rats. --.
All these amusements must of necessity be
cruel, but they are sanctioned by the upper
| classes, and the cruelty is ignored. With re-
spect to the champions of the cock pit, is it a
greater boon for young cock to be well fed
and reared to fight a battle, if victorious to
be petted for the remainder of his life, with
half dozen little hens for his comfort, or to
lite of a carnivorous man? And this man,
who daily is an accessory to the murder of
youth in the shape of veal, lamb and spring
chickens, prides himself on his amiability,
and in the House of Commons expatiates on
the crue ty OF allowing puguacious birds to
contend in fair fight, to the admiration of
thousands of good, honest men who delight
In such specimens of first-rate pluck and
courage. A vegetarian may indulge in such
romance, or Fakir who dec ines to wash or
comb his hair for fear of disturbing happy
family. 1t must be clear to every In an, that
in this country there is one law for the rich
and another tor the poor. The snob sticks to
the former; but the thoroughbred gentleman
stands by the poor man. Inancient times the
gamecock was considered an emblem of di-
vinity by the Syrians and Greeks.
When Themistocles besieged Dalmatia he
comm anded that two cocks should be fought
in the open view of his army, and exhorted
them to behave as these stout-hearted crea-
lures fought Pomponius Mels, the his. |
torian, asserted that the Roman E mpire did |
not begin to decline until cock-f Citing had |
fallen into dlsrepute among its governors.
He proves that Severus was not able to con-
quer Britain until he had rendered his prin- |
cipal officers passionately emulous of glory |
by exhibiting main of cocks every day be-
fore them. The soothsayers warned Mark |
Antony to take heed of Caesar, because his |
cocks were always beaten by him.
The great Gustavus told the King of Den
mark heyhad no cause to fear the Imperialists, /
since they had given up cooking and were
devoted to drinking and dancing. Christian,
King of Denmark, said: "Were I to lead an
'rmy against the great infdel of Constantin-
,ple, would choose none but cookers for
ny commanders, and none but lovers of the
port for soldiers"
Our Henry VIII built stately pit in White
lall, where he often disported himself
mong his most noble and loving subjects
Phe dying speech of Sir T. Urquhart, who
7as wounded at the battle of Naseby was:
My King and good cock have ever loved,
nd like good cock in my sovereign's SER
ice gladly now expire
Mr. Wilson, in the last century, advises
II men who take delight in this delicious and
leasaut pastirne never to forsake or a!isDate
themselves from it. so long as it shall please
be Almighty to bless and prosper them; and
g adds that we are bound to encourage cock
ghting among ourselves and to discourage it
mong all foreign nations
Ii cooking, which formerly was grand
port with the great MOBILES of the King
g now sin, L am an old and hardened sin
er. In 1927, in command Of the Rainbow, I
rought ten English. bred cocks from Sydney
} Malacca, and fought ten battles with a Chi
ese merchant who had defeated all the Ma
Us. We won every battle, and would go
70 hundred miles to see main between the
heshire Piles and the Lancashire Black
roasted Reds. if there was no legal prohibit
On. Any amusement which creates al
ances and augments friendly acquaintances
Ids to the strength of the Empire, for united
Q stand, and the monotony of human life is
lieved by every salutary diversion.
finish by a quotation from an ancient
ritter ''We in our short-sighted wisdom,
'em ourselves superior to our progenitors
ID ridicule their pastimes and pursuits, for
'tting that in a few years another generation
i'll hustle US off the stage, and will revenge
lr treatment of our ancestors by treating us