The Sun.
London, England, 1858-03-20 00:00:00

LECTURE BY M. SOYER air COOKERY.
leOR THE ARMY AND NAVY.

The revelations that have been already made by
the Royal Commissioners appointed to inquire into
the sanitary condition of the British army have
attracted general attention to the very unscientific
mode in which the food of our soldiers and sailors
is prepared. We are glad to observe that there is
a movement on the part of those whose duty it
oyinerthtoe
culinary giN there more especially is to regulate these.matters, and
art thebbyedueelfi of
his,
ivt
er
that the council of the United Service Institution
have
longexperienceinvited
MS
ing a lecture on the subject of military and naval
cookery. The lecture took place yesterday itt the
presence of a large and highly respectable audience
among whom were—Major General Lord Rokeby,
Major-General Sir W. Codrington, Colonel Lord
A Powlett, Sir J. Burke; Sir T. Cochrane, General
Sir J. Wilson, the Rev. G. L. Gleig, &c. ; and we
were pleased to see many non-commissioned officers
and privates of the Guards present on the occasion.
M, SOYER having been introduced to the com-
pany by Lord Rokeby in highly complimentary
terms gave a very interesting and graphic descrip-
tion of his mission to the East with which the pub-
lic generally are acquainted through the able
work already published by M. Soyer himself, and
then proceeded to explain the process of his culi-
nary art, by which he made out of the simplest
materials a savoury and nutritious meal. It is quite
obvious that the great skill of M. Soyer consists in
having a thorough knowledge of the chemical
elements which he manipulates. The degree of
heat, the quantity of water, the weight and size of
the meat, the apportionment of the seasoning, all
combine to produce a dish relishing to the taste
and beneficial to the health and stamina of the
body. These are the arcana of M. Soyer's art.
He explains them by reference to the apparatus
which accompanied him throughout the Crimean
campaign ; and he assured Lord Rokeby, to whose
personal experience of his modus operandi in the
Crimea he frequently referred, that all the advan-
tageous results that were realised there might be
easily obtained in barracks, or in camp, or in
marching, by the same agency and at the same
economical cost.

Lord ROKEBY asked what was the weight of the
travelling cooking carriage ?
M. SOYBR said the weight was about one ton
and a quarter; but the utensils for cookery con-
veyed by the carriage weighed only 1 cwt. and 201 b.
each ; two of which a mule was capable of carrying.
Lord ROKEBY entertained a doubt on that point,
and thought the weight should be less.

M. SOYER proceeded to describe his experience
on board ship. He and Miss Nightingale were to-
gether on board the Robert Lowe, and they ob-
served that the cooking wasvery bad—the meat was
not soaked enough, it was boiled in too small a
quantity of water, the large Turkish leas were as
hard as bullets, and a large quantity stuck at the
bottom of the cooking apparatus, which was
clumsily made. The mode of making the puddings
was also highly objectionable. The ingredients
were good, but were spoilt in the cooking. The
addition of a little fat or salt pork would have
made a great improvement. The cocoa was good,
and well made by the sailors. The emigration
Commissioners had consulted him on the dietary
of the naval service, and had furnished them
with a report, which he believed had given entire
satisfaction. Explanations were then asked by
Lord Rokeby as to the mode of working the cook-
ing apparatus (manufactured by Messrs. Smith and
Phillips, of Snowhill), and which were very satis-
factorily given by M. Soyer.
This being the first occasion on which M. Soyer
has appeared as a lecturer before the public we
cannot but congratulate him on his very successful
debut. Lord Rokeby, in expressing the thanks of
the meeting, complimented the able artiste in the
most flattering terms, and assured him that the
country at large could not fail to appreciate his
disinterested services in promoting the physical
health and comfort of the Biitish army. We
understand that M. Soyer regards this only as
a preliminary lecture, and contemplates extend-
ing to the public at large, by the same means,
the benefit of his experience in the highly useful
and interesting branch of art to the study of which
he has devoted 40 years of his life. M. Soyer
exhibited a plan of a kitchen devised by him and.
Miss Nightingale, by which roasting, baking, broil-
ing, brazing, frying, stewing, and boiling can
be easily accomplished for from 1,000 down to 50
men. After partaking of some excellent soup, im-
promptu omelets, bouilli, and other products of
the ingenious culinary contrivances of M. Sayer,
the company departed with the conviction that
"boiled beef" would not long be the sole ration of
the English soldier.

MARKET NEW S.—(This Day.)

GARDEN.

Ire seasonably good, and a mo
t our quotations:—

Filberts,per 100 lb 30s to 40s
Cobs., p. 100 lbs. Os to Od
Almonds, p. lb. Os Od to 00d
Walnuts, per 100 Os to Os Od
Figs, per doz Os to Os Od
Strawberries, per
pottlo

Gooseberries, per
half sieve ....Os Od to Os Od
Currants, p. h. sv. Os Od to Os
Plums, per do. Os Od to Os Od
Green gages , per h. sv.Os to Od
Raspb7rries, p.potl. Od to Od

'ABLES.
Shallots, per lb Gd to 8d
Horseraddish, p. b. Is6d to 4s
Parsley, per do. 6d to 8d
Celery, per do is Od to is 6d
Beet, per doz. is Od to 24.0 d
Parsnips, per do. Od to Os Od
Small salad, p. pun. Od to Od
Mushrooms,p.ptl.2sodto2s Ed
Artichokes, each od to Od
Lettuces, per doz. is 6d 2s Od
Endive, per scr. 2s Gd to 4s
Radishes, p.d.bun. Os to OsOd
Tomatoes, per hsv.Os to Os Od
Walnuts per 100 ...0d to Od
Chillies, per 100 is 6d to 2s Od
I Capsicums, per 100 Os Od to Os
Rhubarb, p. b. is Od to is 6d
I Asparagus, per bund 4s to 9s
Seakail,perpun.2s Od to 3s 6d
I Turnip greens, per
bush Os Od to Os Od