Punch (72.1877)

May 5, 1877.]

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI,

197

OPINIONS ABOUT THE WAR.

be Butcher. Terrible
thing, indeed! How
the poor" Russians
and Turks are to get
proper food, I am
sure I don't know.
Still, I can't do any
harm by raising the
price of meat two-
pence a pound.

The Editor. A
disgrace to civilisa-
tion ! Infamous that
diplomacy should
have allowed nations
to drift into war.
Still, it will cer-
tainly give us plenty
of leading lines for
our Contents' Bills,
and capital subjects
for leaders.

The Newspaper
Proprietor. Hor-
rible ! It's merely
butchery by thou-
sands and thousands.
It is very hard not
to call it murder.
Still, I have no doubt
that our circulation
will be considerably
increased.

The /Special Cor-
respondent. I^was quite'upset when I heard the news. Remembering, as I do,
the terrible scenes of 1866 and 1871, to" say nothing of '54 and '55, I am more
sorry than'I can say. Still, I expect my letters from the seat of war will create
a great sensation.

The Gun Manufacturer. Fearful! The worst'of it is, no one can say wnere

it will.all end. It will be so very difficult to localise the
war. Still, I am glad to say that everywhere gun-
manufacture is looking up, and we have more orders
on hand than we can get through with.

The Shipowner. Almost too painful to think about.
It will be a dreadful blow to commerce in every part of
the world. Still, it is only fair to admit that it may
give freights a fillip, and that neutral bottoms are likely
to be in demand.

The _ Doctor. Sad, very sad! The amount of misery
that will be caused by the war will be immense. Gun-
shot wounds and disease of every kind will carry off
both the combatants and the non-combatants with the
greatest certainty. Still, we ought to learn something
out of it all.

Mr. Punch. Dreadful, horrible, terrible, and lament-
able ! Still, my dear friends, none of you seems inclined
to forget, what is, no'doubt, true, that " it's an ill
wind that blows nobody good."

A Brand-New Song.

After Goldsmith.

(On the Speaker having his pocket picked of his watch at the
Folly Theatre.)

"When a grave Speaker stoops to Folly,
And finds with tickers roughs make 'way,

What charm can soothe his melancholy—
Can Laughing Gas his loss repay ?

Yes ! the one way to hide vexation,
To shield himself from pungent chaff,

Save dignity of House and nation,
And keep his temper, is—to laugh.

a problem.

Given "the amount of Kurds in the Turkish army in
Asia Minor, required its Cream.

A EEIN PAST BEARING.

Our valuable" contemporary the British Medical Journal has
lately uttered a, seasonable reminder to its professional readers (to
which Punch is glad to'give publicity beyond the professional pale)
of the cruelty of bearing-reins, Punch s protests against which,
from Fiower, have, Punch is glad to see, borne already abundant
fruit—and will yet bear more. Punch quotes from the journal
in question:—

" We are reminded, by the recommencement of the season in London, to
say a few words by way of directing attention afresh to the powerful and
humane pleas of Mr. Flower against the cruel practice of driving horses
with bearing-reins. It is a pleasure to notice that by far the larger number
of the leading medical practitioners in London have discontinued altogether
the use of bearing-reins ; and we hope that the day is not far distant when we
shall be able to point to the equipage of every medical practitioner in the
country as a practical protest against the use of this most unnecessary,
painful, and mischievous appendage to driving-reins. Physiology protests
against the strained and artificial attitude which the horse is compelled to
assume, and which must certainly lessen his power of drawing weights.
Humanity and common sense protest against the infliction of this constant
gagging strain upon the sensitive mouth of an animal whose mouth is used
by the driver as the principal means of guiding and directing him. Nor can
any one who has any real knowledge of or pleasure in the study of animal
forms feel otherwise than gratified at the free and unconstrained attitude of
a horse driven without bearing-reins. Their use is a mere matter of senseless
fashion. No good coachman uses bearing-reins for a horse from which he
desires to get the full amount of work, or which he desires to leave at ease.
Their employment is, indeed, merely a senseless fashion, which has abso-
lutely nothing to recommend it; and in favour of abolition there are reasons
so many and decided that we hope that not many years will pass before they
are not only disused but forgotten. The members of the medical profession
owe much to horses, and they can so well appreciate the reasons for disusing
bearing-reins, that we may fairly look to them to set an universal good
example in this matter. And now that London is filling with fashionable
people, whose horses are much disfigured by this cruel instrument of torture,
we hope that before the season is over we may be able, in directing attention
to this subject, to say no medical man in London uses bearing-reins for the
horses which he drives."

Can it be true, by the way, as Punch has heard, that Baroness
Btjrdett Cotjtts allows the use of bearing-reins on her carriage-
horses P If it be, let our sweet Angela, in her character of the
animals' friend, just trouble herself to investigate the matter. Let
the Angel take counsel of the Flower—and we will answer for her

abolishing the gag forthwith—not coute qui coute—for it^will cost
nothing to do it away, though it costs poor horses more 'suffering
than her kind heart knows, to bear it.

And can another strange story Punch hears be true—that the
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has shrunk from any
manifesto against bearing-reins, through fear of annoying wealthy
and fashionable subscribers who like to see their horses hold their
heads up ?

LITERA SCRIPTA MANET.

An ancient aphorism, sage and true,

(Though it will scarce to Protocols apply,)
So Hicks-Beach thought, and searched his pockets through,

For written proof to poke in Gladstone's eye.
But when at last Sir Michael found his letter-
Official pockets should be ordered better—
He found his demonstration missed the mark

Wide as De Morgan's.
Undated history leaves one in the dark,

Though set to music of " the Party's " organs :
And so Sir Michael learnt, midst general laughter,
Proofs before letters may not be proofs after.

A ;Chancery Rasher.

A health to Mr. Fry, Q..C, on his appointment to be a Judge of
the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice! In an account
of his professional career, and literary and scientific achievements,
we are informed that—

" Since he became Queen's Counsel in 1869, the Court selected by Mr. Fry
to practise in has been that of Vice-Chancellor Bacon."

Bacon first, and now Fry P Is not this rather likely to suggest to
suitors unpleasant associations with the frying-pan and the fire.

What Dr. Kenealy gives the House, when he Apologises
to the Speaker.—Its due, instead of his dew-drops.

Contempt of . Court.—Objecting to allow that Sir Henry
Hawkins has any right to "Justice."