The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-13 00:00:00

SMITHFIELD CLUB.

The annual dinner of the Club took place yesterda Y
at the Freemasons' Tavern ; the attendance being the
most numerous that has been known for some years.
The chair was -taken by his Grace the Duke of Rich
mond, supported by Lord Berners, Mr. Miles, M.P., R.
Barker, S. Jonas, R. W. Baker, Fisher Hobbs, J. Hud-
son, Esq.,. &o. About 200 gentlemen sat down to an
excellent and well appointed dinner. ' A novelty in the
arrangements was the introduction of a musical party,
under the direction of Mr. Genge, who sang a selection
of appropriate music in the course of the evening.
On the removal of the cloth,
The CHAIRMAN gave " The Queen," Weith a warm
eulogiurn on her Majesty's public and private virtues.
The toast was drunk with great enthusiasm. The other
loyal toasts were then given' in the • usual succession,
with a special compliment to Piince Albert for his pa-
tronage of the Club, and generally'for:the great interest
his Royal Highness took ;in agricultural-matters.
The next toast was
."The Army and Navy," which
was received with the loudest demonstrations of ap-
plause. In proposing it, the chairman 'disclaimed any
political allusion as to the probabilities of 'peace or war,
.but, as an old soldier of a former war, be might be per
mitted to express his admiration of the conduct of our
brave soldiers and sailors during the present. (Loud
cheers.) A young army had in their first campaign to
meet the pestilential swamps of Bulgaria and the ter-
rors of the cholera. After all that, they had forc-d
the heights of Alma and' defended the defiles of
Inkerman. Subsequently they had_ submitted to the
monotonous dangers of the erenchee.; but all through
these various nerils they had nobly maintained the
honour of the British arms, and now their only aimiety
was to be on the best terms, with their allies, and. to
emulate them in deeds of gloretere( heeri.) As foes we
had respected those allies, as friends now we almost
' revered them. Much had been said on the reverse at
the Redan. All he could say was that haiing been in
three storming parties, all his wonder was that ever they
succeeded. (Hear, hear.) The navy eomplained that
they had not had their:share in the war. He did not agree
with them, and the Emperor of Russia knew far better _
for so much was he impressed with the prowess and dis-
cipline of the British navy, that he dared not trust his
fleet out to meet them in fair fight. (Cheers.) He begged
then to give them "The Army and Navy." (Cheering
for several minutes.)
The CHAIRMAN next rose to give the toast of the
evening, " Success to the Smithfield Club." He would
not trouble them, he said, at any length, seeing that
they had for the first time good music, which was much
more entertaining than anything he could say. (" No,
no.") But he might say that the Smithfield Club had
done some service to the country, for in their club had
originated the Royal Agricultural Society of England.
Rival societies were mentioned as rising up all over Eng-
land, but of these ha had no jealousy, looking upon them
all as the children of the parent club. If their superio-
rity was spoken of, he only said let their prizes be col-
lected a week after the show, and let them come and
show against 1/heir (Smithfield Club) prizes, when the
world would see where was to be found the best stock.
He had very properly been beaten in Southdowns this
year, but nevertheless be was ready to show his beaten
Southdowns against any local specimens. He under-
stood that fault had been found with the club for confin-
ing themselves too much to the pure breeds. All he
could say was that the club would be happy to receive
suggestions from intelligent farmers, but he trusted the
landlords of the country would keep up the pure
breeds. For the tenant farmer the cross-breeds were
the best, but the landlords must maintain the pure
breeds, and to stimulate them to do that the only proper
incentives were the prizes and premiums of the club. He
gave " The Smithfield Club, and may it continue to
prosper." (Loud cheers.)
The next toast was "The Health of Mr. Brandreth
Gibbs," in proposing which the noble chairman did full
justice to the zeal, intelligence, and ability of Mr. Gibbs,
in conducting the affairs of the club.
Tho toast was received with loud cheers.

Mr. B. GIBBS returned thanks, alluding to the grati-
fying fact that the club had now been in existence for
more than fifty years, and had been the parent of all the
modern societies. Air.—altrbt-ooneluded with a warm
expression of thanks for the handsome testimonial which
the club had thought it right to present to him.
After this toast the prize list was rea3, as alrewly pub-
lished, and the hearths of the winners of the gold medals
were proposed, and then the remaining toasts having
been disposed of, the company separated.

BIRMINGHAM AND MIDLAND COUN-
TIES CATTLE SHOW.

BIRMINGHAM, WEDNESDAY.

The dinner in connection with the chow took place last
evening at the Royal Hotel ; the Earl of Dartmouth
in the chair. Amongst the notabilities present were
Mr. Muntz, M.P. ; Mr. Scholefield, M.P. ; Mr. Spooner,
M.P. ; Mr. Ne wdegate, M.P. ; Mr. Holland, M.P. for
Evesham ; the Mayor of Birmingham, &o. After the
customary toasts bad been given, tLo noble chairman
gave the " House of Commons."
Mr. Muterz responded. He had now, be said, been
a member of that house for sixteen sessions, and he
might say without any presumption that as he believed
he had gone into it an independent man, so be hoped he
had continued add would continue as long as he lived.
Being an independent man, therefore, and altogt ther free
from party spirit, none had a better chance of judging
how far the country der:ved the advantage which it
ought to have from that house. He believed there was a
great deal of room for improvement in the House of Com-
mons. Either from ridicule or threat men very fre-
quently voted quite contrary to their original intention
arid disposition. Sometimes they said it was unpleasant
to have to refuse when a friend asked them to vote in
such and such a way. Now, why should it be so ? Could
there be anything unpleasant in refusing to do what was
wrong ? Last session a man came to him and said,
My dear fellow, for whom do you mean to vote?" His
reply was that he meant to vote for whichever side of the
question under debate was the right one. " Oh," said his
friend, " I wouldn't git • a d—n for a lean who will vote
for us when we are right ; we want those who will vote
for us when we are in the wrong." (Laughter.) He (Mr.
Muntz) was afraid tbm was the way in which too many
gave their votes. Then, too, some constituencies sent re-
pt., sentatives to the house who ought not to have any
such power ;;so that though the House of Commons wasau
assembly of which the country might justly boast, lie
thought, as he said before, that there was indeed great
room for improvement. The lion member resumed his
seat amid much applause. Mr. Meals afterwards pro-
posed "The Agricultural Interest."
Mr. HOLLAND, M.P. for Evesham, responded. After
referring to bis having been a member of Parliament for
14 days only, and to his consequent inability to speak of
the existing state of parties in the House of Commons,
although he acknowledged they were very different to
that presented some years ago, when he represented East
Worcestershire, the hon. member went on to say that
the object of free-traders must be, not to maintain a high
or a low price of agricultural produce, but to maintain a
natural price. He congratulated them upon that day's
proceedings, upon the excellent cattle exhibited ; and
this was especially remarkable when it was considered
that the Smithfield Show was doing its utmost to com-
pete with there, and upon the some day. Not only
had there been exhibited cattle and sheep of first-rate
quality, but there hairEeTin a-new feature introduced in
the Exhibition Which was
of
great importance, viz., the
roots upon which the cattle had been fed. (Hear.) The
importance of roots should be well understood when they
were considered in connection with artificial manure,
upon which so much labour and money was expended,
and what was to the British agriculturist what Califor-
nian and Australian gold was to the money market. The
Exhibition of that day showed that the British agricul-
turist was keeping pace with the rest of the world and
with the improvements in manufacture ; and he did hope
that the two interests would, as Mr. Muntz had said, be
always considered as twin sisters. (Cheers.)
Mr. NEWDEGATE, M.P., then proposed " The Manu-
facturing Interest." He felt that the agriculturists owed
much to the great manufacturing metropolis of the mid-
land counties for the noble reception it had given them
on that occasion; and as representing both manufac•
hirers and agriculturists, he rejoiced in that practical
illustration of the union between the two interests. How
could any one doubt that their interests were identical ?
What supported our trade now but the soundness of the
home market ? It showed that tke strength of the
country depended on this, that if external o'rcnmstances
are adverse, it has within itself a power of consumption
which, if not adequate to keep in motion all the wheels
of our industry, yet supported them when markets
abroad might be failing, and was in itself a security for
the prosperity of our manufactures. (Hear.) He con-
gratulated them upon the metropolitan character
which this annual meeting was assuming. Birmingham
was every day giving some fresh proof of its title to be
considered the capital of the midlands. Whenever the
inhabitants of the adjoining counties came to this town
to enjoy the music it provided, or to take part in such a
meeting as that, they met with a graceful, and generous,
and hospitable reception. (Hear.) As one who had
been supported by manufacturers at a time when the
opinions he held regarding agriculture and its prospects
were unpopular, and most unreasonably so, he claimed
from the agriculturists present an expression of their
best wishes for the success of the manufacturing interest.
(Cheers.) After a few other remarks, Mr. Newdegate
concluded by givirg the toast.
Mr. Alderman LUCY briefly responded. •
This toast was followed by that of " The Successful
Candidates," "The Unsuccessful Candidatee," "The
noble Chairman," "The Mayor," &c.
Mr. C. N. CALDECOTE proposed "The Judges and
Stewards of the Show." He referred to the complaint
that the show this year clashed with the one in Smith-
field. Many exhibitors said it would be of advantage if it
were so arranged that the Smithfield cattle might also be
exhibited At Birmingham. But their object. was to obtain
the best show of local produce, lie was instructed to
say, however, that the committee and subscribers gene-
rally were anxious to take the subject into consideration
at the meeting on Thursday, and to make any arrange-
ment that might meet with the more general, approbation
of the exhibitors of stock. Their idea was to have the
show a week previous to that at Smithfield, so that the