The Express.
London, England, 1867-12-10 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 10, 1867.

the apathy of the industrial classes themselves. In
the Isle of Dogs, during the period of iron ship-
b.uldnig prosperity, the co-operative store system
might have been introduced with perhaps greater
chances of success than in any other parts of the
metropolis, but the opportunity was permitted to
slip away, and may never again occur. One fact,
however, deserves mention. The class of artisans
and others belonging to the Bast London co-opera-
tive associations corresponds in every way to that
found in the northern counties. They are, gene-
rally speaking, the very pick of their order.
Frugal, energetic, self-denying, hopeful, and per-
severing, they are the last to accept parochial
assistance, and the first to remove from themselves
the stigma of pauperism. For the sake of the East
London poor it is devoutly to be wished that the
number of these men was considerably larger than
it is at present.

THE

SMITHFIELD CLUB CATTLE SHOW.

It was the general opinion in the Agricultural
Hall yesterday that the Devons fully sustained
their reputation, as well fur general symmetry as
for their special " points, " which are so dear
to the ruthless connoisseur of the shambles.
Of the magnificent and stalwart Herefords, the only
oxen from which a real royal baron of beef can
be obtained, there are just eleven in this year'sshow.
They are a wonderfully tine variety, as great in
stature as the shorthorns, and infinitely less
stupid in appearance. It is to be hoped that the
managers of the Smithfield show will not permit
this wonderful breed of English cattle to fall into
neglect, as, whether for size, quality of meat, or
general excellence and soundness of constitution,
it would be impossible to surpass these ancient
cattle of the Marches. The first prize in this class
was obtained by Mr. Joseph Beach, of Dudley,
Worcestershire, a gentleman who to the technical
knowledge of the practical farmer unites the expe-
rimental acquirements of the analytic chemist.
Mr. Beach is the inventor of a new species of cattle
food, the excellence of which is attested by the
success of his steer, which, as considered from the
butcher's point of view, leaves nothing to
be desired. It may, perhaps, be permitted
here to call attention for a moment to
this cattle-food question. We observed yes-
terday, whilst passing through the show, that
almost every animal was ticketed "fed with"
some one's " food fur cattle ;" and on making in-
quiry we found that these varieties of artificial food
consisted generally of condiment rather than nutri-
ment, and that their main object was to stimulate
the appetites of the animals and thereby to
accelerate their acquirement of the desired obesity.
There is no doubt but that the chemists are at
work amongst the cattle, and it might perhaps be a
useful task for the experts of the Smithfield Club
to undertake the analyzation of these numerous
varieties of " cattle food." with the view of ascer-
taining whether or not there is anything deleterious
in their composition. As a matter of fact, nearly
all the prizeholders of this year are animals which
have been fatted by those scientifically prepared
compounds, and it would be important and satis-
factory to the public to learn that the artificial food
is likely to tell as favourably on the quality as on
the quantity of the living beef. In the short-
horns, there is nothing this year worthy of
special notice. They are as big, and as phleg-
matic as ever. The first prize of 301. is carried
off by Mr. Foljambe, of Osberton-hall, Notts, but
the success of the winner is as much attributable
to the defects of his competitors as to any absolute
excellence on his own part.
There are, as usual, a great many classes in the
show—perhaps a good many more than are neces-
sary for any purpose other than that of perplexing
the visitors, but in this opening glance it will not
be necessary to follow them through their minute
subdiviawns and ramifications. Making a long
skip down to class 26, we come to the Black Lion
of the show, the Scotch polled steer, which the
judges have adjudged to be the best in all the
classes. This magnificent animal is the property
of Mr. William M'Combie, of Aberdeen, N.B. a
perfect cormorant of prizes, and who had already,
with the same ox, carried all before him
at Birmingham. At former Smithfield shows suc-
cess at Birmingham was not found to be at all a
sure passport to a similar result at Islington ; but
this year the verdict of the capital of the "Black
Country " is confirmed, and Mr. M'Combie's
steer will have the gratification of going to the
butcher's literally covered with laurels. Already
there is a sharp competition for his bodily effects,
but Mr. M'Combie has, we understand, intimated
in the proper quarters his wish to present this
splendid animal to the Queen, and awaits her
Majesty's decision as to its acceptance before he
entertains any trade proposals. The show was
during the whole of yesterday only open to the
lite of society, that is to say, to persons who were
able to pay live shillings each for admission, and
all these five shilling Elite of course crowded round
the sable winner of the gold medal. There
was • general affirmation of the decision
of the judges, but for our own parts we came
to the conclusion that the noble steer of the
Highlands did not bear his extraordinary amount
of flesh at all gracefully. The butchers, of course,
aver that the training of Mr. M'Combie and the
food of Mr. Beach have produced perfection in this
ox, but the lovers of the picturesque in animal life
will hardly accept the small head, tottering limbs,
and huge unwieldy carcass of the gold medallist of
this year, as appropriate to the successor of the
noble and fierce-looking Highland steers which we
have been accustomed in previous years to admire
at the Smithfield Show.

Of the sheep this year, the finest pen is deci-
dedly that of Lord Walsingham, which takes the
first prize as South Downs. There cannot be the
slightest doubt as to their superiority or as to
the acumen and impartiality of the judges. The
Duke of Richmond and Mr. Rigden also exhibit
in this Ciailll/2 but not with their usual success,
neither getting more than " commended," some-
thing equivalent to the sums clestime of the Paris
theatres. Next to the sheep come the pigs in the
order of the catalogue, and the most remarkable
thing about them this year is the very ill-grace
with which they bear the cold weather. From this
cause one-half the pens are empty, intending com-
petitors having thought it better to keep their
pigs at home than to expose them to the severity
of an Islington winter. Those who had arrived
had very judiciously buried themselves in straw
previous to our visit, so that it was only by dis-
turbing them in • way of which they by no means
approved that we could obtain any idea either
of their size or symmetry. They were very
few in number, but some of them were of great
size, and all were pronounced to be of the average
figure of excellence. As they shivered and grunted
in their pens they formed admirable gauges of the
temperature of the vast interior—too vast for a
limited show and an exceedingly cold winter. We
were glad, however, to learn that the Agricultural
Hall Company have another building, more oom-
pact and suitable, nearly completed, so that next
year we may expect to see the pigs receiving com-
pany with all the comfort to which their great
im-
portance in the victualling department entitles
them.

There is, as usual in this show, extra stock in
every class, as well as of breeds which will not sub-
mit to classilication. Much of it is of a very high
degree of excellence, but the want of pedigree has
prevented the judges marking their opinion
by a large distribution of miscellaneous prizes.

SEARCH TOR COLONEL KELLY IN MANCHESTER.—
At half-past 10 o'clock on Sunday night a message was
received at the Manchester Detective Department that
Colonel Kelly was at that time to be found in a beerhouse
kept by John Nolan, Acton-street, off London-road. In-
spector Gill at once ordered 60 ma", the A division to be
called in from their beats, for the purpose of surrounding
the house and capturing the notorious Fenian. In a few
minutes the required muster was collected at the Town-
hall, and after exchanging their bull's-eyes for cutlasses,
hurried at double quick time to the spot. A reinforce-
ment from the C division, similarly armed, soon joined
the first body. A cordon of constables was drawn round
the beerhouse, and the several side streets were guarded
by men appointed to that duty. In the meantime another
body of men rushed into the house, and searched it
throughout, but Colonel Kelly was not there.—Jfartches-
ter Zraminer.