The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-15 00:00:00

THE GREAT CHRISTMAS CATTLE

MARKET.—(This Day.)

Business
this day

mentality of the Smithfield and other stock shows—of
the great breeders of Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk,
Lincolnshire, Herefordshire, Devonshire, &c. Well,
then, as these exhibitions are highly important in more
than one point of ♦iew, and as every effort should be
made to bring into play every breed of stock in the
country, it would appear surprising that any descrip-
tion should have ever received leas favour at the hands
of the Smithfield Cub than any other; butevery one must

feel gratified in learning that very important chances have
been made in the rules of that club, that in future Scotch
cattle is to be classed separately, and that Sussex stock

is to have a similar position. These changes, whilst they

will no doubt increase the interest in the show in future

years, cannot fail to improve the number and quality of
our breeds, and thereby increase the amount of food for

general consumption.
The annexed return shows the number of beasts exhi
bited on the great days, and the prices obtained for them
in the last sixteen years :

Year. Beasts shown. Prices.
1840
1841
1842
1843
1814 ..... .... 5,713 ....
1845
1816
1447
1818 .... _... 5,912
1849
1850
1851
1852 ......... 6,271
1853
1854
1855
Only limited supplieS of foreign stock arrived in the
port of London last week—the total supply amounting
to 1,622 head. In the corresponding week in 1855 we

received 4,752 ; in 1854, 3,999 ; in 1853, 6,316 ; in 1852
4,436; in 1851, 4,277 ; and in 1850, 5,124 head.

IMPORTS INTO LONDON LAST WISE.
From Beasts. Sheep. Lambs.
Oporto
Rotterdam 92
Elamburgh 3O
Harlingen
Amsterdam
Antwerp —
Schiedam

Calves. Pig

''''' •••

131 ... 144 -
97
433 -
258 -

""- • •• .....

- ... --- ... 52 ::: -

-''' ••• ....

T0ta1.... 499 ... 919 201 ...
The yearly comparison of weekly imports is as follows :
Beasts. Sheep. Lambs. Calves. Pigs
1855 859 3,555 238
1954 1,130 ... 2,593 269 7
1853 1,136 4,698 462 ,„ 20
1852 235 3,782 419
1851 607 3,155 363 152
The latest advices from Spain and Portugal state tha
the value of live stock is still on the advance. In the
Dutch markets only limited purchases continue to be
made for France ; yet 4 compared with last year, price
continue high.
Even fur a great market, we had a very large show of
beasts, and, taking their number and quality collectively,
we may affirm that it was never excelled, much less
equalled. From the west country we received 700
Devons ; from Scotland, 600 stots ; from Ireland, 200
oxen ; from Norfolk and Suffolk, 800 stots, short horns,
Zzc. ; and from Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, and North-
amptonshire, 3,000 short horns. The beef trade was by
no means brisk, and, compared with Monday last, very
little change took place in prices, with very few excep-
tions. The highest quotation for beef was ss. per 8 lbs
Amongst the wonders of the bullock show, we may
notice the following :—Mr. D. Maidwill bad on sale 40
wonderfully prime stots, fed by Mr. M'Combie, of Til-
leytour, N.B. Mr. Robert Morgan's stand exhibited a
remarkable fine number of beasts, fed by W. Thomas,
Esq , of llolbead ; R. Cook, E,q., of Portland ; L.
Bird, Esq., of Peterborough ; .T. Ailday, ERq., of Sole-
bill ; E. Farrer, Esq., of Spank ; Robert Gillett, Esq.,
Halongate, Norfolk ; Messrs. Martin, Knowles, Cooper,
Phillips, Mitchell, StAdart, Kidd, and other large gra.
ziers in Scotland. Mr. Collins bad a very fine show
of Herefords and other breeds. Mr. Vorley's stand was
filled with good stock, fed by Mr. Beatte, of Huntley,
Mr. Walker, of Westerfinray, and other graziers. Mr.
Fairbrother exhibited seme fine Herefords, the property
of Mr. Rowland, of Creslow. The other portions of the
supply were very fine, including the stock sent by Prince
Albert.

teltiomonfi t et4rdda.dseup perrpullyesdiobbfsr. si:hket,he pe at
pi
an
intnt haeaedtvmaDna roc
ekwenitns,
th
be
enWc c
tee
utohhtaeadt tun
having sold at ss. 4d. per 81bs. There were no Irish
sheep in the market. Amongst the wonders were 10
Gloucesters, fed by Mr. Ewer, of Northleach; 10 ditto,
by Mr. Barton, of Fyaeld ; the same number, by Mr..
Slatter, of Stratton ; and 50 half breds, by Mr. Lang-
ston, of Oxford. These sheep were exhibited by Mr.
Gurrier. Mr. Weal had 123 Gloucesters from Mr.
Rowland, of Creslow, 23 Downs from Mr. Oakley, of
Luton, and other fine lots from various other graziers.
Mr. Eland showed some remarkably fine sheep, fed by
Mr. Henley, of Croft, Mr. Chatterton, of Wigtoft, and
Messrs. Morley, of Donnington. Some of these sheep
weighed 26 stones each, and realised considerably above
51. each.
We bad only a limited supply of calves in the market.
The primest veal sold briskly, at an advance of 4d. per
8 lbs. Otherwise the veal trade was in a sluggish state,
at last week's prices.
The show of pis was very moderate. On the whole
the pork trade rued firm, at very full prices.
Per Sibs to sink the offaie.

s. d. s. d. I
Interior Beads... 3 4to 3 6 PrimeSouthdown 5 2 5 4
Second quality.... 3 8 4 0 'Argo crse. calves 310 4 8
Prime large oxen 4 2 4 8 Prime small d 0... 410 5 6
Prime Scots, dm 410 5 G Large hogs 1 8 4 4
Inferior Sheep ...3 1G .4 2lSmall porkers 4 6 5 2
Second quality ...4 4 4 SlSuckling calves.. 23 0 30 0
Prime tree.-wlled.4 10 5 1, Quarter old pigs. 22 0 29
TOTAL SUPPLY. FOREIGN SUPPLE

. . : : : : :
.: : :... . . . . 1: :03:24,1
1
....... 2,010 , Beaata..„„ ..
........
Sheep ....„.... 2,960 1 Sheep ..,..,
son of the supplies and prices of fat
:o..amn.d.p:a::eld in the Great Metropolitan Cattle
2400 i
~regv:.8:::::,
;,:gtt Ives
oa.
et.
ko:
m. ixn.ht. .i
b::ni:t..de.d. ..c
Market, on Nfonday, Dee, 17, 1855, and this day, Monday,
Dec. 15, 1856.
Per Bibs, to sink the offal&

Dec. 17, 1855.iDec. 15, '36.
s. d. s. d. d. s. d.
Coarse and inferior beasts ... 38to 3 10(3 4to 3 6
Second quality ditto ... ... 4 0 4 4 3 S 4 0
Prime large oxen ... 4 6 4.10 4 2 4 8
Prime Scots, &c ... 0 5 24 10 5 0
Coarse and inferior sheep
- 4 3 63 10 4 2
Second quality ditto ... ... 3 8 4 2 4 4 4 8
Prime coarse woolled ditto ... 4 4 464 10 5 0
Prime Southdown ditto ... .• 4 8 5 0 5 2 5 4
Lambs ... ••• ••• ••• ••• 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Large coarse calves 410 5 43 10 4 8
Prime small ditto ... 6 6 6.04 10 5 6
Large hogs ... 310 4 4 3 8 4 4
Neat small porkers ... 4 6 5 0 4 6 5 2
Beasts... 7,000 6,748
25,500 16,(,90
Calves... ... ••• ••• ••• 200 172
Pigs ... 310 320

1 _
StrPFLINS ON SALE, Dec. 18, 1854.—Beasts,
17,100; calves, 133; pigs, 305.
December 19, 1853.—Beasts, 3,580; 5heep,19,350 ; calves,
169 ; Pits, 285.

1,133; sheet,

This being the day appointed for holding the Grea
Christmas Market no little excitement was obeerv,t
here throughout the morning, and, indeed, up to quit,
the close of business. Front nearly all parts of th,
U~sited Kingdom, as well as from the Continent, nutne
sous visitors poured in to witness a might which is with
out equal in any part of the world, both as regards tbl
weight and quality of the stock brought together, in-
cluding, of course, their extraordinary number. In tht
first place, let us do justice to those to whom the
arrangements were entrusted. The great additions
space in this market, compared with the area of Smith
field, would appear highly favourable for an improve,
allotment of the stock, in other words, that each sales
man would have ample room afforded him to show hi,
beasts to advantage ; but their enormous bulk require,
more than ordinary space ; and, although almost the el-,
tire of the "alleys" were filled, no inconvenience wa-
experienced, and the authorities are entitled to grew
credit for the scrupulous care with which they afforded
accommodation to all,
In minutely considering the general excellences of
the beasts shown here to-day, not a few important
points suggest themselves. We have had exhibitee
animals of a first-class character: we have had Devons,
Herefords, shorthorns, Welsh, Sussex, and Pembroke
runts of enormous weight. Cross breeds, too, have beer.
numerous, whilst the Scots have been in profuse number.
Compared with some former shows, we have observed
very great improvements in the condition of the stock
not to be despised. Some parties have opposed fat
stock exhibitions, on the ground that too mcch uncon-
sumable meat is produced by them, consequently that
there is a great waste of food. But if fat stock shows
were unprofitable to the graziers, we might venture to
assume that these exhibitions would speedily cease, and
that their opponents would ere long cry out for "more
fat" upon their sirloins. The character of great stock
shows are, in a general way, misunderstood by the public.
The feedets produce splendid animals frequently at a con-
siderable loss to themselves, but they hay i ulterior ob-
jects in view. How frequently do we find thet competing
in the exhibition in Baker-strew, year after year, at an
enormous outlay of capital, and how many seasons have
they made their appearance there unsuccessfully t But
success at length attends them, and, the moment
they have gained a prize position, they then look to a
certain pecuniary return, that is to say, their stock for
breeding and other purposes is sought after at a high
—certainly an enhanced—price, and thus the consumers
have every year had an important addition to the supply
of food. In confirmation of this view, we might refer
to the high position gained, chiefly through the instru.