BULLFIGHTS IN SPAIN
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Snt,—In the " News of the Week " section of the Spectator for April 30th there occurs a paragraph, entitled "Fewer Bull- fights in Spain," which contains a number of inaccuracies and misrepresentations derived from The Times.
In the first place, the late Dictator's " reforms " can hardly be said to have been " continued " by the Republic, which has merely accepted the existing regulations established by Royal Decrees, despite the fact that many Republicans pre- viously gave promise of suppressing the bullfight altogether. Nor is continued protection of the picadors' horses by means of a " quilted coat " so entirely satisfactory ; since this measure,talthough it may be claimed to have deflected 18,000 horses from the bullring, also considerably heightens the suffering of the protected horses themselves by lengthening their lives in the arena.
- Secondly, the actual number by which bullfights decreased last year was 58 corridas of full-grown bulls and 354 novilladam This total of 407 fewer officially regulated fights differs front the figure given in your columns by 1093 : presumably accounted for by the final legal suppression of capcas, or village market-place fights. But, as the evidence upon which this latter figure may be computed is necessarily speculative, and as the capea itself was (and is ?) an informal affair involv- ing only one or two bulls, which were not always killed, it seems optimistic to pretend that the figure of 1,500 fewer corridas is at all trustworthy, or that it represents any decline in the popularity of the bullfight proper. Moreover, this decrease was entirely and absolutely due to financial considera- tions. Last year was 1931.
Thirdly, of course, it is misleading to refer to the fiesta nacional, however sarcastically, as a sport ; since, detestable or not, it has none of the attributes of a sport and is never regarded as such by the Spaniard, who goes to the Plaza to watch a spectacle. not to enjoy a game. Clearly he agrees with you as to the cruelty of the (wpm (which may be described as the sport, rather than the art, of bullfighting) ; but cruelty to- the Spaniard means first and foremost cruelty to human beings, and it is purely to protect human life that the dangerous capea has been legislated against.
• Finally, it seems necessary to point out that the bullfighting and football seasons do not seriously overlap. Perhaps .for some similar reason cricket survives in England : and though -it is possible to conceive of ping-pong matches having been played on cricket-pitches without a consequent decline in the popularity of that traditionally English- game, -it is extremely hard to believe that Spanish Football League snatches have ever been played in any bullring, since even Madrid's latest and largest arena would not be big enough for the purpose ; whereas no doubt its Stadiums would.—I am, Sir, &c.,
[Though we publish this letter, we must -not be held to endorse the charge of misrepresentation against The Times. —ED. Spectator.]
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