CRUELTY TO OXEN AT CARRARA. [To THS EDITOR OP THE
"SPECTATOR."]
who have visited the beautiful valleys of Carrara must have been horrified at the cruelty practised on the oxen which draw the carts laden with marble from the quarries to the saw- mills. The surface of the roads is covered with large stones which have rolled down the mountain sides, and at intervals they are cut across by gutters in which the wheels often stick. Some idea of the state of these roads may be gathered from the fact that carts frequently take four hours, and sometimes Bur, to cover one mile Many of them, bearing a single block of marble weighing some tons, are drawn by eight or ten pairs of oxen ; when all the pairs but one have turned a corner of the narrow winding valleys, the whole weight must be dragged by the remaining pair, assisted by men who work at the wheels with crowbars ; then the animals are mercilessly beaten and goaded with nails in the tenderest parts of the body, while sometimes a, fire is lighted under them, until, to escape from their terrible sufferings, they make a supreme effort and move the load. Many have died under the strain.
The Naples Society for the Protection of Animals has had an in.spector at Carrara for three years. Improvement must neces- sarily be slow where one man alone has to cope with the traffic from a thousand quarries ; yet. he had done much good, there being now few animals with sores, while the use of long nails for prodding has been almost abolished, and overloading greatly diminished. But it is now feared that even this one inspector must be withdrawn owing to want of funds, as the Carrara branch has never received any local support, and has a deficit of .2150 P May I earnestly beg your generous readers to come to the aid of these unhappy animals? Contributions will ba gratefully received by Princess Mole Barese (nee Msokworth Praed), 2 Via Vittoria, Naples, or by myself.—I am, Sir, &c., S. HARFORD ADLAN.
30 Bramhant Gardens, S.W.
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