The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-14 00:00:00

FOREIGN

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Australian ............
Bon Accord Cop. )
Brazilian Imp. (issued
at .£5 pm) .........
Do. Cocaes & Cuiada
Do. St. John Del Rey
Clarendon Con. Min.
Co. of Jamaica,,,,,
Cobre C0pper.........
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Santiago de Cuba ..:
United Mexican

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MISCELLANEIIS
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10001 900 Atlantic Tel. (Lim. ) ..
25 19 tAnstralian Agricult 21 23
10 all lAustraln. Royal Mail ...
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10 all Berlin Water 4 ..... 'i
10 2 Do. New ics. at 51. d ... __
50 40 Brit. American Land 30 -_ 55
100 32i Canada
St. 100 Do.Go.6pe.Jan&July 1084 _ 109,
108
St. all Copper Min. of Eng. 27 __ 323 lii 9 8,
25 all Do. Pref. 7§ p. cent. 23 25
5 all Crystal Palace
5 all Do. Preence
3if 4
4 all Crystal Pal. of France ...
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20 all Eastern Steam
St. 100 lEleetricTelegraph lOO __ •••
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10 lOs.iEur. & Ind,Jetn. Tel. ."
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Scot.R ,hoy Yam 'An
Austral.
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St. 100 S. Aus, Gov. 6 p.c.bds
25 all South Austral. Land 32 34,
1 all Submarine Tel. Scrip A _ „
1 all Do. Registered
20 5 Trus.Ln.Co.UP.Can. .. _ ff.
i 1 28?, Van_Dlenieu'a Land B.l,
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_9

GREAT CHRISTMAS CATTLE
MARKET.

Notwithstanding that the consumption of food has
unquestionably fallen off, owing to the late panic in the
commercial world ; and, although the prices of fat stock
have, consequently, shown a tendency to give way, we
never recollect a period durirg which so much general
interest has been shown in reference to our fat stuck
shows as was the csse here this morning. At an early
hour the market was thronged with visitors from nearly
all parts of the United Kingdom, as well as from the
Continent, to inspect and admire perhaps the finest col-
lection of animals ever shown in this or any other market
in the world. As the day advanced, the number of
visitors rapidly increased, yet, from the enlarged space
included in the market's area, there was ample room for
close inspection without inconvenience.
That the show of beasts was of the richest order of
merit will be understood when we observe that fully
nine-tenths of them were considerably above average
weight, and otherwise in unusually fine condition. The
increase, be it understood, was not so much in the
quantity of fat carried by the collective breeds, but in
their general symmetry. As was the case in Baker-
street, there were not so many obese marvels as in some
former years ; but the absence of extreme fatness may
be noted as one of the great merits of the present show.
The fat being laid on evenly and well is the result of
well-shaped and well-bred animals being in more general
demand on the part of the butchers and consumers.
Formerly, by dint of stuffing, fat was often deposited
everywhere save in the right places, and the result was
that the buyers of both beasts and sheep lost considerable
sums by the stock when slaughtered. We hail this
change in the system with much satisfaction, because
we are perfectly convinced that our breeders and feeders
have at length got into the high road to additional fame.
From the foregoing observations it will be seen that
the supply of beasts was one of no ordinary merit, and
we may now briefly glance at each of the leading classes,
the more fully to determine their positive excellence.
These classes we may call Scots, Herefords, Devons,
Short-horns, Sussex, and Welsh. When we consider
the great disadvantages, as to climate, under which the
Scotch graziers are suffering, compared with those re-
siding in the " sunny south," great surprise may well
be expressed at the wonderful animals which were
shown from the " far north." Whether we carefully
consider the high value of their primer, consequently
most selling, parts to the butcher, or the supreme quality
of the inferior joints, it must be admitted that the word
" perfection" may be fairly applied to them. Those who
witnessed the splendid collection of Scots, the property
of Mr. William M'Combie, of Tilly four, exhibited by
Mr. Daniel Maidwell, will at once understand the bear-
ing of these remarks. Not a fault could be found with
them ; though, on the other hand, it is to be regretted
that they should have been reserved for an open market.
Still, they added greatly to the show, and proved to the
world what Scotland really can produce. Mr. M'Com-
bie'e ox exhibited in the bazaar was purchased by Messrs.
Banister and Bidborough, cf Windsor, to supply the
royal table on Christmas Day.
The collection of Herefords has seldom or never been
equalled. Amongst it were very few what may be
termed large animal 4, the supply being almost wholly
composed of a size admirably suited for general con-
sumption. As regards the Devoe's, the excellence of
their condition was folly equal to that of the Here-
fords, and the " men of the west " mustered
in full average strength. The short horns, too,
were of more than average merit. There was
everything to admire in them, even though the fat was
not " plastered" upon them so much as at some former
exhibitions. From Sussex there was an increased show
of oxen, all in first-rate order ; but the graziers in that
county can do even greater things by a more extended
cultivation of the turnip. They have now a wide field
opened to their enterprise and industry, from a separate
class having at length been allotted to them in Baker-
street. There were about 300 extraordinary prime
Welsh runts on sale, anal which elicited the marked
encomiums of the visitors.

As regard the sheep here to-day, we must admit that
the supply, taken as a whole, fell short of our expecta-
tions. True, there were some very fine and very large
animals on offer ; but the bulk of the show was of a
second-rate character. And here is the result of prema-
ure forcing, and of what is termed "early maturity ; "
whilst, no doubt, an unfortunate selection of stock for
crossing purposes has led to a decreased size and
supply. Exceptions, however, should be noticed,
and we have no hesitation iu referring to choice
specimens of the Lincolnshire long- woolled, bred
'direct from that country. They were shown by Messrs•
Elm& Hancock, Woodward, and Smith ; and com-
prised 30 from the flock of Marshall Heanly, Esq., of
Croft ; 10 from H. Seals, Esq., of Wainflett Hall ; 29
from J. Byron, Esq., of Marbletborpe Hall ; 50 from
George Saul, Esq., of Wrengle ; 20 from Bealbry,
Esq., of Wigtoft ; and 20 from R. G. Chatterton, E q.;
of the latter place. There were also a few splendid
sheep of the same breed, the property of J. Cook, Esq.,
of Norfolk. The whole of them possessed that peculiar
quality which the county of Lincoln is noted for pro-
ducing, viz., a large proportion of moat, compared with
size. In this respect the breed must be considered
superior to what are termed the new Leicesters. From
Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Sussex, some fine sheep came
to hand.

The following return shows tho numbers of beasts
shown, and the highest and lowest prices obtained for
them on the great days, in the last seventeen years :
Year. Beasts shown. Prices.
1840
1841
1842
1843
1844
1845
1846
1847
1848
1849
1850
1851
1852
1853
1854
1855
1856

The total imports of foreign stock into London last week
were 1,773 head. In the corresponding week in 1856 we
received 1,622; in 1855, 4,752 ; in 1854, 3,999; in 1853,
6,316; in 1852, 4,436 ; in 1851, 4,277; and in 1850,
5,124 head.