The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1805-08-19 00:00:00

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k/ir.F7 or p4nr OF HIS Af/tJFATT'S
Fl.ooif OF SPANISH SHEEP.
It was now shout eighteen years since His Majei.
ty rime began to embrece eve-y favourabKiopportun-
ty for procuring Spanish Sheep, of the true Merino
or fine wonlled sou, in order to lessen the great
sums that were then, and still continue to be sent,
not of this etnintry, for the pnrchase of this wool,
without which, fine broad cloth canna he mad- ;
the several lots of Sheep thus imparted by His
Majesty, were distributed, as they arrived in this
country. among the Noblemen and others concerned
in breeding of Sheep; but such a general prejudice
prevailed against their uncouth appearance, and bad
carcases, when compared with the hest breeds of this
country.thatlittleor no good seemed to have resulted.
About 14 years ago, His Majesty had the good for-
tune to be able to procare a considerable flock of the
very hest kind of Spanish Sheep, which he deter-
mined upon retaiMng in his own possession, and
giving,. a fair trial to the important exp-riment, of
their ntness for this climate, and that their wool
would not here degenerate in fineness. The pro-
duce of this flock was at first given away, as bad
been done in former instances; after which, a cer-
tain number of young Rams and Ewes were annually
disposed if, at the prices of common Sheep at the
time, to the persons that appeared most likely to
preserve and improve them ; but all this proved of
little or no avail, only one or two individuals were
thus found who entered into the business, or seemed
to give the experiment a fair trial.
At length Sir Joseph Banks, who superintends
the management of this flock for His Majesty,
SO much to his own honour and the advance-
ment of His Majesty's beneficent designs, about
a year ago, advised His Majesty to follow the
example of all the great improver; of the breeds
of sheep, particularly the Duke ut Bedford, and
Mr. Coke of Narlolk, and have a public sale,
instead of giving away or selling his sheep
at inferior prices, by which persons inclined to
speculate in the new breed were deterred there-
from. The experiment was accordingly made
last August, and 31 rams and 14 ewes were d -
posed of by public sieltion, in one of His Mejesty's
paddocks at Kew. 'File eagerness that was display-
ed by several Gentlemen in bidding. and the seal
and care with which they seem voice to have entered
upon this new speculation, have fully justified the
expedations that were formed from this new mode
of disseminating the breed of Spanish sheep ; and
this year 38 rams and ewes, being all that could be
spared from the flock that His Majesty wishes to
keep up, viz. about 100 breeding ewes and a pro-
portionate number of rams, were lately seleaed out
for another sale, which took place on kriday, about
one o'clock, at the same place as Last year.
Sir .Joseph Banks attended, and was met be nearly
the same circle of gentlemen and breeders that at•
tend-el last year. Alter the sheep had been minutely
examined, each in a separate pee, Mr. Farnham,
the auiflionevr, °poled the business by congratu-
Esti ag the company upon se;ing Among them so many
of the buyers of last year, and that he had this year
to offer to them several sheep that were much superior
in wool and carcase to those he then had to sell. He
proceeded to read the condi; ions-of sale from one
of the printed particular; that were handed about,
and stated, that all the ewes that were to be sold had
borne lambs this year, and had good hags. Lot 1
was a slieulmg ram, without horns; a circumstance
not very common with the rams of this breed of
sheep, and which is said, in general, to he accom-
panied by a better shoulder than those sheep have
who are horned. This polled ram, after much
keen bidding, was knocked down to Mr. Cot, at
twenty-one guineas and a half. Lot 2 was a shear-
ling ram, with very small horns ; this WAS sold to
Mr. Angerstein, at thirty guineas. Lot 3, a ieitto,
to Mr. Bartley, at forty guineas. Lot 4, a ditto,
to Mr. I roister, at thirty-one guineas. I." 5, a
ditto, to Mr. Grighy, at thirty guineas and a hall
Lot (./, a ditto, with very large horns, to Colonel
I-aileron, at twenty-.even guineas. Lot 7, a ditto,
to Mr. Bele, at thirty-five guineas and a half. Lot 8,
a ditto, to Mr. Aiton, for Earl Powis, at forty seven
guineas. Lot 9, a ditto, to Mr. Hurry, at thirty-
tour guineas. Lot 10. to Mr. Stanford, the King's
shepherd, for a gentleman in Ireland, whose name
we did not learn, at twenty-six guineas. Lot 11,
a ditto, to Mr. lances, at twenty-eight guineas.
Lot 12, a ditto, a fine large sheep, to Mr. `evil,
at forty-eight guineas. Lot 12, a ditto, to Mr.
Sumner, at twenty-eight guineas. Lot 14, a ditto,
with large horns, to Mr. Lucas. at thirty-one gui-
neas. lent 1.3, a ditto, a handsome sheep, to Mr.
Bell, at fifty.six guineas.—This completed the young
or shearling rams.
Lot lb, was a four.toothed ram, without horns,
that has been used in His Majesty's flock; it was
sold to Mr. Angerstein, at sixty-four guineas. Lot
17, another font-toothed ram, had also been used in
the Royal flock, and is a descendant of the famous
Snag; it was sold to Mr. Hurry, at thirty-three
r guineas.
The sale of the ewes then commenced, each
. . .. .

ewo being distin:;ui.hed by a ticket, suspended
by a small riag tr .m its ear, and all of them
were without horns.

Among thecom pany we noticed the Earl and Conn-
tess of Jersey, young Lady Villiers, dud several other
Ladies, John Fine, Esq. M. P. ifeary Hugh Hoare,
Esq. Mr. Angerstein, Mr. Bartley (Secretary of
the Bath Society), Cal. Fullerton, Mr. Wood, Mr.
Boodierett, Mr. Bauer, Mr. Aitnn, Mr. Farey, Mr.
Garrard, the Modeller, who attended for the pur-
pose of taking sketches from several of the sheep ;
Mr. Belk Mr. Cox, Mr. Wallace, &c. &c.
Mr. Polk), st.ited, in a conversation with several
genticinm, that a Spanish ram in his possession,
c ips I 1 ;lb. of wooi, which, whey scowered fit fur
manufacturers, produced blab. equal or superior
any Spanish imported wool, and worth 8.. per lb. ;
that the Spanish wild now comes over so badly
seaward, that it will lose 2 to 3 lb. in the score,
hid/airing these operations completed : and that this
c.rcuntsrance had temb-d to remove the pit jwlice
which rimy mantif iziorers li,sJ entertained against
ilr;th grown Meting., wool. We !tarn that Mr.
Coke lately purchased a Merino Rani of n.fr. Toilet.
with the view of crossing it with some of his Las-
hio' fine woolkl Sheep.

Royal Highness the Dike of Scuts. we are
sorry to in I. is still very much indisposed at else
Ap/Ilion AL Brighton, in conseptence of an accident.