NEWS AND ITEMS. 
1045 
would make no objection to a horse which had a spavin pro¬ 
vided it could do a reasonable amount of work. It is a fact that 
stockmen holding contracts to supply the United States with 
horses were not concerned if the animals were rejected. One 
of the dealers was asked by a curious officer : u What do you do 
with the rejected horses ? I should think you would suffer 
bankruptcy in consequence of your inability to furnish horses 
which come up to the army specifications.” “ I don’t mind 
how many you reject,” was the response, “provided you 
finally select from the droves I bring horses which will meet 
your requirements. All those you reject I sell to the British at 
good prices.” The British have not been by any means as care¬ 
ful as the War Department in its purchase of animals. In some 
quarters here the belief exists that the London government has 
paid a higher price for animals than was necessary, and it is be¬ 
lieved there is foundation for the charge made by the St. James 
Gazette that “ Horses, or at least four-legged creatures, have 
been bought for $165 when only worth a quarter of that sum. 
The difference—three-quarters—has gone into the pockets of 
certain persons.” Major Arthur Lee, formerly British Military 
Attache in Washington, reported that he had advised the Eng¬ 
lish War Office that he could obtain the services of the “ horse 
expert ” of the United States Army. No one holds such a posi¬ 
tion in the American army, but undoubtedly civilians who have 
been employed as inspectors under the War Department notified 
Major Lee of their willingness to enter the British service. Had 
they been employed, undoubtedly the British government in 
many instances would have obtained better horses and have 
paid a smaller sum for them.— (New York Herald , Feb. 23.) 
To Kill Stray Dogs. —A bill has been introduced in the 
New York Assembly prohibiting humane societies from dispos¬ 
ing of lost or strayed dogs. At present the societies sell many 
of the dogs picked up by them and give away others. Under 
this proposed law, they will be required to kill them if not 
claimed within five days. The Review long ago protested 
against the sale of dogs that had been roaming the streets, ex¬ 
posed to all manner of contagion, particularly rabies. The cir¬ 
cumstance which brought the subject prominently to our notice 
was the case of a collie, purchased from a “shelter,” and pre¬ 
sented to a little boy for a playmate. In a week or two he bit 
the child, and speedily died of dumb rabies, the child taking 
antirabic inoculations and escaping serious consequences. 
