The Sun.
London, England, 1851-01-09 00:00:00

SMITHFIELD CATTLE MARKET.
(From the Morning Advertiser.)
"He digs and makes no sign." What has become of
the " eminent engineer" of the Times —the genius who
discovered that " the 160 ecres of sloping ground be-
tween Highbury and Hornsey" is, as the Americans
would say, the most suitable place in creation, for a
new metropolitan cattle-market? Ho is silent. He has
not a syllable to say in vindication of himself. His
voice has not been heard—no traces of his pen have
been discernible since the appekrance cf our article on.
Monday week, in which we demonstrated the absurdity
of his scheme.
Nor has the Times, who formerly stood by him as his
sworn friend, come to his rescue. Both seem to have
abandoned their positions. Both appear to have re-
treated from the field, as if conscious that they either
bad already sustained a defeat, or were doomed to en-
counter a signal discomfiture.
But though both the Times and its "eminent engineer"
have, at least for the present, given up their pet-plan of
a cattle-market on the open space between Highbury
and Hornsey, the question of e new site for a metro-
pulitan cattle-market is one which must excite very
great and general attention, and occupy much of the
time of Parliament in the ceming session.
It is, therefore,
of the deepest importance to the me-
tropolitan comteueits , that the matter should be looked
fairly in the lace. It must be considered in all its
bearings, calmly and dispassionately. We must get at
the real merits of the case, and once we have mastered
these, the public mind will not be influenced either by
the pompous declamation of the Times, regarding the
evils of Smithfield-market, or the lofty pretensions of its
" eminent engineer," when describing in raptures, which
none but that class of persons can feel, the way in which
he could destroy the beauties of nature and art with
which the neighbourhood of Highbury and Bornsey
abound, by cone( ring that d lighdul locality into a
huge cattle-market, at once hideous to the sight, offen-
sive to the soul), and most injurious to the health.
Only put the " 160 acres of sloping ground" into the
bands of the " eminent engineer" of the Times, and our
readers will have some idea of what the locality
wouldibecome, through his destructive agency in a year
or two, from the frightful trandormatiou which other
places in the suburbs of London have been made to un-
dergo by other engineers—very possibly, indeed, by the
same " eminent engineer," as our contemporary has in
his eye. Let any one but contrast the spot leading
from Battle-bridge to Highgate, as it is to be seen at
present, with what it was a few years ego, before it fell
into the hands of one of the engineering fraternity, and
he will be at no loss to form an idea of what might be
expected from the handiwork of the "eminent en-
gineer" of the Times taetween Highbury and Hornsey.
Let the reader start from London-street station, and
proceed to Camden-town—it will only cost him four-
pence—and let him behold the scene of desolation which
presents itself to his view before he crosses Maiden-
lane. What a picture to look at! What scenes of de-
struction! Mounds of earth, mountains of clay—ruin in
every shape, every thing that is hideous to the eye—
these are the doings of "eminent engineers." An earth-
quake could scarcely have caused greater confusion, or
committed more terrible ravages, on what was before a
scene of order and of beauty.
As we assume that the Legislature will not, for a mo-
ment, entertain the idea of proscribing Smithfield, before
another site for a cattle market has been found, the prin-
cipal point to which our attention ought, in the present
position of the question, to be directed, is, to show that
as yet no other site has been proposed for a new metro-
politan cattle-market, combining the requirements, which
even the most inveterate opponents of Smithfield are
compelled to admit to be indispensable.
The very multiplicity, indeed, of the new sites which
have at various times been proposed for a new metro-
politan market, constitutes conclusive proof of the diffi-
culties by which the subject is surrounded. Uxbridge,
Barnet, .Epsom—every open place, in fact, within ten or
twelve miles distance of the metropolis, has, at some time
or other, been proposed for the purpose. And now all
former sites have been abandoned by the Times and by
its friend, the " eminent engineer,"—a plain practical
admission that the matter is beset with difficulties which
have heretofore been found insuperable.
The Highbury and Hornsey plan is not destined to
fare any better. There are greater objections to it than
to any of the other sites previously proposed. Some of
these objections we stated in our article of Monday week.
Numerous others, hardly less formidable, could easily
be urged. But we du not know that it is necessary to
waste our space in pointing out the objections which
may be brought against the Highbury and Hornsey
scheme of the " emit,ent engineer" of the Times. We
have met with no one—literally not with a single indi-
vidual—who concurs with the Times, and its " eminent
engineer," in the propriety of trans erring the metropo-
litan cattle-market from Smithfield to the " 160 acres of
sloping ground between Highbury and Hornsey," They
are alone in their glory. Nor dces there seem the
slightest probability of any one appearing to share it
with them.
On the contrary, we hear of but one intense feeling
of disapprobation, mingled with a feeling of a still
stronger kind, at the bare idea of the Vandalism con-
templated by the Times and its engineer friend, in the
neighbourhood of Highbury and Hornsey. Why, the
very sight of an army ot navvies, bricklayers, and hod-
men, in that beautiful and healthy locality, would
almost be enough to make the whole of the population
ot the north of London rise in open resistance to the
work of destruction.
The place proposed by the Times and its engineering
coadjutor, is one of the most charming in the neigh-
bourhood of the metropolis. It is deligntful to spend a
few hours on a fine day in that part of London. Its
natural beauties aro great, and the tastefully finished
villas, with their adjotning gardens, which are studded
in all directions, contribute very materially to heighten
the effect of what nature has done to bs aunty the place.
Nur is the locality in question less salubrious than it
is beautiful. There is not a more healthy place within
many miles of the metropolis. Transfer the cattle-mar-
ket, with the proposed slaughter-house's, lairs, abattoir:,
Ste., to it, and it will be at once transformed into the
most unhealthy place in or about London. Its exposure
to the sunny south, would perpetually cause exhalations
to arise which, while they would prove most offensive to
the olfactory nerves, would be most prejudicial to human
health. And the evils thus necessarily incident to a
place with a sloping southern exposure, would be very
greatly aggravated by the clayey nature of the soil.
The site of the market would be a vast field of mnd,
from one year's end to the other, with the exception,
perhaps, of a few weeks in summer; and then the burn-
ing heat would be intolerable to men and very injurious
to beasts.
The transfer of the metropolitan cattle market to the
place suggested by the Times, would be frightfully de-
structive of property in the neighbourhood. Just now,
the value of land and houses is rising in that quarter.
Let but Parliament decide on removing the metropoli-
tan cattle market from Smithfield to the locality in qnes-
tiun, and the value of property everywhere in the
neighbourhood will at once become depreciated to an
extent which, for the sake of persons who have property
there, we forbear to mention. The times admits that
if the market is to be removed from Stem-field, persons
who.e interest will be affected will be entitled to com-
pensation. Transfer the site of the market to the " 160
acres of sloping ground between Hightury and Horn-
sey," and it there be such a thing as justice in the world,
the proprietors of houses and lands in the vicinity must
receive very large compensation for the injury inflicted
on their property.
That tneie are evils connected with a large cattle
market being held in the centre of a great metropolis,
no one will deny. But the questii n is, are not these, in
a certain sense, necessary evils? Can they be got rid of
without creating other and still greater evils? Will it
not be the wiser and better course, as _Hamlet says—
" R-ether to bear those ills we have,
Thin fly to others that we know not of?"
Much may be done to ueodity the evils connected with
Smithfield cattle market. We can conceive it possible,
that arrangements may be made, and precautions
adopted, by which nearly all the objections urged
egainst Smithfield being u cattle market, may be ob-
viated. But this is an espect of the question which we
cannot at present bring under the consideration of our
readers. In a few days, however, we shall recur to the
question generally, and view it in its more comprehensive
bearings. _

THE ARMY IN IRELAND ON THE IST 01' JANUARY,
1851.--The following is the official return of the present
military force in Irel _did, with the head-quarters of the
th uitto,
dif-
ferent regiments :—Cavairy—lst R, giment of Dragoon.
Guards, i üblin ; stb ditto, Longford; 6th ditto, ettbir; 7th
ditto, Nevs bridge ; 4th Light Dr.mouns, Lublin;a
•s; brid re°. If
;t 12th
Royal Lancers, Dublin ; lith Laticp*a, •..
,me n antry
(Enniskillen), Dundalk; ith litnisars.ewß ltinc I6i
17th ditto,
ditto, •st Regiment of Foot (2d battanon), Le lot rick
m'
2d ditto,
Clonmel ; 3d ditto, Birr; 6th
hdictlittotot,dAlhlocoempany), Ne-
131st ditto, n;
Dublin;En34nitshkidllietnto;
or3kst;h4lds.t. ditto, Cork; 43d
nagh ; 9th ditto, tj.ublin ;
Galway; 27th ditto. Bel
(depot cotnpany),,t9l:4%'2tdhufandBitrFolC:noy ;
am ditto, NewrY;
7 h ditto, Butte
52d ditto, Limerick;
rout (under orders for the
lonian Islands);
60th ditto (2d battalion), Buttevant; 62d
ditto, Dublin; 4.t-- ditto,I'
55th ditto, Waterford; 57th ditto, Fermoy; 09th ditto
(deptAxt),
urlrlianiegea;r and Cork ; 66th ditto, Youghal (depbt
68th ditto. Limerick ; 73d ditto cdepOt cow-
pc°,:3-)", iSY)aa;s; 74th ditto, Fermoy; 81st ditto, lemplemore ;
act] ditto, Dublin; and 92d ditto, Kilkenny. This force,
with the Royal Artillery, Engineers, &c., is an effective of
25,900 men; besides Which are the enrolled pensioners and
police. Ireland is divided into the following military dis-
tricts :-Ist, Dublin county (head-quarters, Dublin) • 2d,
Cork district (head-quarters, Cork); 3d, Limerick ehead-
q ,arters, Limerick) ; 4tb, Kilkenny district (head-quarters,
Kilkenny); and Belfas district (head-quarters, Belfast).

LADIES CARVING AT DINNER.—Why doesn't
some leader of the fashionable world put an end to this bar-
barous custom? IA hat a eight, to see a delicate little crea-
ture, or worse, perhaps, a " line woman," in all the glory of
her beauty and bedizenment, rise up with a huge knife in her
hand, as it she were going to act the part of Judith, and
begin heaving away at a great piece of beef For the hus-
band does not always think it necessary to take the more la-
borious dish on himself. Sometimes the lady grows as hot
and flustered as the housewife in the Winter's Tale, " her
face 'cjile with labour." Gentlemen feel bound to offer their
services, and become her substitutes in that unseemly war-
fare. Why don't they take the business on themselves at
once ? or, rather, why don't they give it to the servants, who
have nothing better to do, and who have eaten their own
meal in comfort? A side-table it the proper place for carv-
ing. Indeed, it is used for that purpose in sonic great
houses. Why not in all? It is favourable for additional
means of keeping the dishes hot; nobody at the dinner-table
is inconveniei.ced ; and the lady of the house is not made a
spectacle of, and a sub;eet for ridiculous contiolements. None
would regret the reforination but epicures who keep on the
watch for tidbits, to the: disactve.utage of honest diners; and
whom it would be a pleasure to see reduced from shocking
oglers at the hostess iuto, dependants on the plebeian carver,
Bunt.
T lig COMMERCIAL DUCKS.—Applications are to be
made in the ensuing session for the improvement of these
docks. It is proposed to eulalge the east 04,14tt1 polo!
and to carry a tramway from the docks suurtoy to INA t,14
Dana 9f rAilway et Deptford.