The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-12-15 00:00:00

STREET AD ROAD TRAMWAYS,

A Parliamentary return, moved for by Mr. John
Holms, M.P., shows the amount of capital organised,
paid-up, and expended on tramways ; th,:, length of
tramway authorised, and the length opened for the
conveyance of passengers, down to the 30th of June,
1883; of street and road tramways authorised by
Parliament, together with ttatistics of tha re,tult of
their working. Toe amount of capital authorised for the
con-ttruu ion of rarnways in the three kim2doma to the
date nn-nt ioned wAs £14,619,8 2, the amoneo.
£0 929,789. and the to•-,.1 capit expanded £9 759 827.
The leng. h of line open f.r public traffic was 671 ml'-s;
the number of horses belonging to the companies
20,122; locomotive engines, 117; cars, 2,819; and the
total number of pa,sectrer4 carried, 295,721,171.
The gross receints were £2,211,973; the working ex-
pense!, £1,752 360; and the net receipts, £09,613.
These figures represent the gross amounts for the seven
years ended June 30, 1883, and relate to 141 companies,
of which twenty-eight, with a mileage open of 170,
belong to local authorities, and 113, with a mileage
open of 501, belong to other bodies or companies.

THE SMITHFIELD CLUB CATTLE
SHOW.

The eighty-sixth annual cattle show of the Smith-
field Club was opened on Monday morning at the
Agricultural Hall, Islington. Notwithstanding the
fact that this year there is no animal in the show
which has been exhibited at Birmingham or at any
other cattle show during the year, the general opinion
appears to be among competent judges that the show
will bear comparison with any previously held under
the auspices of the Smithfield Club.
Of cattle there are 35 classes, the money prizes for
which amount to £1,445, and the cups, &c., to £4OO.
Her Majesty and the Prince of Wales are large con-
tributor' in the Devon classes, as are also Earl
Darnley and Mr. J. Walter, M.P., and other well-
known breeders. The sheep classes number 35, and
the money prizes amount to g 765 and the plate to
£256. The pigs number 16 classes, and among the
several breeds the Queen exhibits, as usual, pens of
black and whits Berkshire. The amount of prizes in
money is £196, cups, &c., £6B. The total amount
to be given in prizes is £3,22l—namely, money prizes,
£2,406 ; plate, cups, &0., £715; and medals, I.loo—the
highest amount that has ever been given.—We take
the following particulurs of the prize stock from The
Times of Tuesday :

In the history of the Smithfield Club 1883 will be
spoken of as " The Queen's year," her Majesty having
accomplished at the show opened yesterday in the
Agricultural Hall a feat altogether unparalleled by
any exhibitor whatever in the annals of live-stock
competitions—namely, winning all three of the
champion honours awarded in the settle classes.
The Queen takes the £5O silver cup for the
best steer or ox, the £5O silver cup for the beet
heifer or cow, and the Champion Plate of 100
guineas for the best beast in the show. This is not
the first occasion on which Royalty has carried off one
of the chief prizes of the Club, for in 1874 the Prince
of Wales won the Champion Plata for the best boast
in the Hall, and in 1877 took the £5O cup for the best
steer in the classes; and in 1853 Prince Albert won the
gold medal for the hest pen of pigs in the show. There
can be no question that the judges yesterday arrived
at this striking conjunction of principal awards after
the careful exercise of a sound judgment, and that the
winning Hereford steer, fed on the Flemish Farm,
Windsor, and shorthorn heifer, fed on the Shaw
Ferns, *indoor, are fairly entitled to their premier
position.
The Devone have contributed on former occasions
more specimens of superb quality, but taking them
as a whole they are quite up to, and somewhat
beyond, an average degree of excellence. In the
clam of yearlings, the first prize steer of Mr.
Walter, M.P., is considerably ahead of the other
competitors—a rich ripe young beast of fine cha-
racter, doing credit both to the feeder and to the
Stowey Court herd from which it was furnished.
Mr, 'W. Rolles, Fryer's second-prize steer, a trifle
older, is covered with good meat. A nicely fed fitter
of the Prince of Wales's, bred by Mr. R. Stranger, is
third. The two-year-olds are so good that the whole
class is commended. Here we find Mr. John Wortley's
thick and even first-prize steer taking the breed cup
as best animal of the Devon breed. There are several
uncommonly good beasts in the class of steers not
exceeding four years old. Here, again, Mr. Walter is
first with a well formed, handsome animal, and a good
handler. Bearwood also contributes the third prize
beast, of compact shape sad fine quality of beef;
while a symmetrical and good steer of the Prince of
Wales is probably in the second place.

The Devon heifers make a remarkably pretly claim
Mr. Walter's Venni 3rd, bred by Mr. Walter Far-
thing, of wonderfully sweet character and mellow
flesh, is first, beating Mr. VT, Rolla Fryer's May.
Venus 3rd was reserve in competition for the best
animal of the breed. The Prince of Wales's third
prize heifer is especially good in hindquarters, rounds,
and twist. Colonel Buller's first prize cow carries a
capital weight of flesh ; but Mr. T. H. Riedon's
Laurel 2nd, which takes the second prize, is of superb
qua'ity. The Queen's Susan 4th, bred by Mr. W.
Smith, is third.
Short in number, the Herefords shine in weight
and proportion of their barrels of beef and in
quality of meat for the butcher, as well as in hand.
someness and in fineness of offal. The class of
young steers has one or two rather narrow and
plain animal.; but Mr. J. Fountain Hall's first prize
beast was evidently enough sired by the bull Sym-
metry; a very level, nice beast of Mr. Lewis Loyd
is second, and another of the same breeder is third.
The two year-olds make a grand class, headed by
Mr. John Priee's massive and very superior
animal which was first at last year's Show in the
younger class. This beast was reserve in competition
for best of the breed. Mr. Christopher Williams's
second prize steer is in several points ahead of Mr.
Philip Turner's, which takes the third prize. Two
magnificent beasts form the class of steers not ex-
ceeding four years old—Mr. John Price's grand
steer, that was second to Mr. Lewis Loyd's ex-
traordinary Hereford last year, need not be ashamed
at being surpassed by the Queen's wonderful
specimen of a Hereford, which is first, and, more-
over, wins the £5O cup as best steer or ox in the
hall. This beast, when shown by his breeder, Mr.
Frederick Platt, last year, was unnoticed by the
judges, and has since then laid on 4i cwt- more in
live weight. As gauging the comparative merit of the
champion steer this year, it may be stated that this
royal winner is not adjudged the beet Hereford present,
wnieh isa heifer; *or is it even placed second
best Herefor.', wirch is Mr. Price's younger steer
just men t.oned. But the Queen's steer, though
second hest Hereford steer in the opinion of
the three judges of Herefords, was preferred by
the jury of three specially selected judges who
adjudicated the champion awards. Mr. Thomas
Myddleton's Lady Mary 4th, whisk is first in the
heifer class, and takes the cup as best Hereford,
also stood ressrve in competition for the cup for best
heifer or cow in the hall. Handsome as she is, she is
certainly not at all equal in perfection to Mr. Lewis
Loyd's model of hat year, with which Mr. Robert
Wortley lately competed at Norwich and at Birming-
ham. A nice animal, Peerless Beauty, of Mr. W.
Tudge, is second. Only one Hereford cow appeue,
taking a first prize for the Earl of Coventry.

Shorthorns, numbering three•fourths of the great
entry of last year, are raised in quality by being
more select, The young steers are decidedly in
advance of the class last year, forming, in fact, a
fine class. Mr, Hugh Gorringe's first prise steer,
sired by Alfonso, which was purchased from the
Sandringham herd, excels in length rather than
depth of frame, but he has a prime top well:covered.
It may be questioned whether Sir John Swinburne's
second:prize beast is as good as Mr. Gorringe's
third, also of Alfonso blood. Two fine animals in
this class are shown by Mr. John Cridlan and Mr.
James S. Butt, An exceedingly grand gleam of steers
not exceeding three years old is headed by Colonel Sir
R. Loyd:Lindsay's extraordinary beast, of vast girth,
great expansion of rib, and specially well ribbed:up
with deep heavy flank, and full fore-quarter. This
animal was reserve in competition for the cap for best
steer or ox in the ball. It may be mentioned that this
she rthurn has a live weight of 18ewt. 3er.811). at 2 years,
11 months, 2 weeks old; and that the Queen's champion
Hereford steer has a live weigh of 17cwt. 3qr. 141 b,
at 3 years, 8 months, and 4 days old. Second in the
class is the Queen's steer, of great barrel, bred by
Miss Beata Baden. Mr. Arthur Pease, M.P., takes
the third prize with a beast of grand top. Other fine
animals in the class are the Prince of Wales's great
and massive white, Mr. roljambo's steer, sired by Sir
Andrew out of Bright Duchess, Lord Tredegar's good
beast, and two steers of great substance, heavily-fleshed,
and one specially capacious in girth exhibited by Mr.
Bult. The small class of steers not exceeding four
years old consists of Mr. James Bruce's very massive I
beset, which is first; Mr. Thomas Mann's broader,
second.prize animal, quite as firm and good in flesh;
and a lengthy beast, not so good in flank, shown by
Mr. Joseph Candwell. In a charming clue of heifers
we have first Her Majesty's Cherry Blenesm, which
wins the cup as bset of the breed, also the cup as best
female and the 100 guinea plate se best azinsal in the
cattle classes. This beauty, which in the hands of
Meares. Freshney was second at Norwich last year,
where she was beaten by a bit of blood from Mr. St.
John Acker; has gone on wonderfully; is nearly perfect
with extraordinary frame, beautiful touch, lovely roan
Goat, short head, fine muzzle, but with horns perhaps
too refined to indicate due robustness of constitution
At 2 years, 8 months, 2 weeks, and 3 days old her live
weight is 18awt. 'qr. 51h. Singularly enough the gold
•medal for the breeder goes to George Turner, a brick-
maker, near Louth, who, by way of live etoek,
possesses only • couple of cows. We may say that
she is not considered at all superior to Mr. Clement
Stephenson's astonishing Scotch polled heifer which
I won easy victories at Norwich, Leeds, and
1 Birmingham. Secend to her in the class is Mr. Richard
Stratton's Mattie, sired by Protestor, of the true
Stratton build, ani most evenly fed. Mr. D. A.
Green's Wild Roes V., by Duke of Oxford, is third ;
and a very good heifer of Mr. David Pugh is highly
sommended. The:shorthorn oows, in a prime class
are headed by Mr. Walter's Pride of Shirburn,
an exceedingly grand roan, bred by the Earl of
Macelesfield ; a long, broad, shapely red cow, Mr.
Gorringe's Star of the Evening is almond ; and Mr.
Herbert Leney's cow, of immense proportions, one of
the three heaviest cattle in the hall, is third. It is
satisfactory to note that seemly a specimen of gross
over:feeding and lumpiness is discernible in any part
of the display of living beef.
For the sheep prizes there were as usual a number
of eminent names amongst the competitors. The
Prince of Wales showed three pens of Southdow no
obtaining, however, only a fourth or extra prise, and
highly commended for fat wethere. The Doke of Rich-
mond and Lord Alington succeeded but poorly, while
Lord Walsingham carried on the many suceesses
of previous }etas. Tbe breed cues were awarded :
—Leicestere, Executors of the late B. Painter,
Ostham ; Cotewolds, Mr. J. H. Elwee, Cheltenham;
Lincolns, Mr. J. Pears, Lincoln; Southdowns,
Lord Wiwi:lief:hem ; Hampshire or Wiltshire downs,
Mr. W. Parsons, Micheldever ; Shropshire; Lord
Chesham ; Oxloroshiree, Mr. A. Bravoes% Chipping
Norton; crossbreeds, Mr, H.V. Sheringham, Fekenham ;
Oneeiete, &c., Lord Poltimore ; Kentish, &c., Mr. H.
Page, Weimer ; Ryelands, &c., the Doke of Rich-
mond. The chsmp;on plate for the best pea of three
sheep or lambs in the show was taken by Mr. Parsons
for his Hampshire wethers.
Her Majesty exhibited and obtained a second prize
for a pen of small white pigs from the Prince Consort's
Shaw Fr.rm, and was 11IIRUCCeeSilll with a sinele
specimen cf Prince Albett's Windsor breed. The
1,,, ed cops went to tini End of Radnor for Small
White breed ; to C3pt-in P. Green, Lamberhnr.t,
,or Midoh Whites; to Messrs. J. and F. Howard,
Bedford, for Laro Whites; to Mr. W. S. North.y,
Lifton, Devon, for Blacks; to Mr. J. Sanrd,r,,
Witnhcrrxe, for Berkshires; and to Mr E Coles,
Yeovil, for dietinct or cross breeds. The champion
plate for the best pen was given to Mr. Saunders.

The Prince and Princess of Wales, with the Princess
Louise of Wales, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Crown
Prince of Portugal, and the Marquis of Lorne, visited

the show on Monday, and remained an hour and
a half. Though the Royal party did not stay so
long as to witness the bestowal of the cham-
pion prizes, they were enabled to participate in
the gratification of seeing many prizes awarded to
the Queen and the Prince of Wales, After exhausting
the inapeetion of live stock, His Royal Highness was
taken by Lord Walsingham to look at some specimen'
of ensilage from his lordship's home-farm at Merton,
Norfolk. There were two cuttings, one of coarse
grass mown on July 3 last; and one of " spurrey" cut
and tossed into the silo three weeks later. Both
presented a favourable appearance, and had the
usual salt and acid taote, not unlike sauerkraut,
the fermentation having given a certain start to
the digestive process. Having been grown from
seed supplied by Messrs. Sutton and Sons, Lord
Walsingham's ensilage was exhibited on the stand
of that firm, and was shown by the senior partner to
the Prince, who examined it with great Interest, as
also the various roots grown on the Sandringham
estate, on the Royal farms at Windsor, and on the
Duke of Connaught's land at Bagshot.

The annual meeting of the members of the Smith-
field Club was held on Tuesday afternoon at the
Agricultural Hall, the Prince of Wales (president of
the club), acting as chairman. There waa a very large
attendance of members, including the Earl of Jersey,
the Marquis of Exeter, Viscount Bridport, Lord
Walsingham, Lotd Feversham, Sir Brandreth Gibbs
(the hon. secretary), Mr. J. Duckham, M.P., and Mr.
James Howard, M.P.

The report of the councl having been read and
adopted, the next business was to elect a president for
1885, and to this position Sir W. G. Gordon-Cumming,
of Altyre, Forres, was, on the motion of the Marquis
of Exeter, seconded by Lord Bridport, unanimously
elected.

The vice-preoldenta were re•elected for the year
1884.

The hon. secretary, Sir Brancireth Gibbs, Was re-
elected, amid general cheers, to hie long-held position,
the Royal President adding some remarks commenda-
tory of the long services Sir Brandreth had given to
the club. The trustees were also elected.

Lord Faversham said he had the honour of propos-
ing a vote of thanks to his Royal Highness the Prince
of Wales for having presided over the meeting that
day. This was by no means the first evid,nee his
Royal Highness had given of the great interest he
took in everything connected with the welfare and
prosperity of the large number of people who gained
their living by agrichlture. They were all rejoiced to
see the presidential hair occupied that afternoon by
his Royal Highness, and it must be a matter of the
utmost satisfaction to feel that Ire had been able to
come there as predient, and to take part in the pros-
perity of the club.
The motion was seconded and carried by acclama-
tion,

The Prince of Wake, who was received with loud
cheers, in responding to the vote of thanks, expressed
the gratification he felt at the manner in which the
vote had been proposed and received, and rernarke3
that he need hardly assure those present of the
very great pleasure it was to him to be among them
upon the occasion of their annual meeting and to take
part in the proceedings. He considered it a very
high compliment to have been elected a second time
president of that club, which was an ancient and a
most flourishing institut4on, and his only hone was
that it would c ,nt!nue to flourish in the future as it
had done in the past, and was doing at present. Te.e
fact that Her Majesty the Queen had succeeded in
obtaining the first prizs for the champion animal was
to him a most gratifying circumstance, and, in fact, he
believed Her Majc sty had won not only the first but
the second prize this year. The competition for the
champion prize was, he knew, a keen one, and he was
proui to say that he had once had the honour of
winning it. In concluding, he could assure them of
the very deer interest he took, not only in that club,
but in anything which concerned agriculture generally.
The proceedings then terminated,