To the Editor of the "Nonr#. Curxa Dany News" whose letter appeared in the issue of {the ""North-China Daily News" of (Monday, April 25, suggests that 1 am of the opinion that the shipowners fare more or less entirely responsible {tor the unbelievably bad conditions under which pigs" are brought by [steamers to. the Shanghai market from the small ports in the vicinity Jor Tungchow, apparently because 1 not fully" acquainted with the conditions prevailing. He then proceeds to state what those condi-Hions are, saying that the pigs are fon the steamers actually tess. than day, unless the latter are delayed by fog or for some other "cause.
As a matter of fact 1 have read all the correspondence and reports on the subject that have appeared in your and other local newspapers, and fam well aware of. the conditions under which pigs are collected together and transported to Shanghai {from Yangtze ports. He missed the whole point of my leiier in your JApril 21 issue, which was that if it is impossible to do anything with the [Chinese dealers In live pigs for the Shanghai market it might be possible for the officials of SSP.CA. to get after the shipowners or _charterers for failing to provide proper accom~ modation and water for the wretched animals" while they are on. their steamers, The fact that the pigs are starved Jand not given water before they are Toaded on to the steamers is no excuse for not giving them at least [water while they are on board during the twelve hours between the Yang= tae port and Shanghai. Were this done it is certain that many more would survive the journey than do fat present. One would have thought that common humanity would hav prompted the ships' masters to insist on the pigs being given at least this amount of relief, even if they can do nothing about the way they are treuted before coming. under their Jeare. 1 have ni ways understood that captain's word is law on his ship.
Presumably the shipping company or companies engaged in this traffic fare making good money out of it, which being the case it is dificult 10 comprehend how they can fail to do everything in their power to reduce the sufferings of the unfortunate pigs 86 far as possible, "The point is, are the pigs given water while on' the steamers and is the accommodation provided for them what it should" be? If the shipowners can answer these questions in the affirmative, then one would feel that they are doing all that can reasonably be expected of them. If {they cannot, then the shipowners are fust as culpable as are the dealers, and should be dealt with accordingly, that is, if there Is any way of dealing with them.
"Armuun DE C, Sowsnny.
[Shanghai, Apr. 26.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.