The Sun.
London, England, 1850-06-04 00:00:00

SMITHFIELD-MARKET.
The report of the Commissioners appointed to
make inquiries relating to SmitbfrAd-market, and the
marklats bad city of Londim kr the sale of meat,
bave just made their report. The markets inquired
into were Smithfield, Newgate, Leadenhall, and Far-
ringdon markets—the meat markets for live and dead
stock used in the consumption of London. The report
commences with what may be called an historical and
topographical notice of Smithfield-market—the steady
lied rapid increase of business within its area, together
with the extensions that have taken place from time to
time. From this part of the report it appears that
Stowe, writing in 1698, estimated the annual sales of
cattle in Smithfield at 70,000 ; sheep and lambs,
540,000; calves, 200,000; hogs and pigs, 252,000.
A return from the City Chamberlain, appended to, a re-
port of the House of Commons in 1849, gave the num•
bers sold in 1848 as follows :--,Cattle, 236,975 ; sheep
and lambs, 1,417,010. The supply has been con-
stantly increasing between these two periods, except
with regard to sheep, which it appears are now, owing
to the facilities afforded by railways and steamboats,
more frequently sent to London ready slaughtered,
and consigned for sale to Newgate-market, which
is now as much or more overcrowded than Smithfield.
The attempts to enlarge the market, in order to ren-
der it more adapted to the immense increase of
business enumerated in the foregoing returns, date
from 1833, since which time seven small patches
have been added to the original area, amounting to
not quite two acres in all, and extending Smithfield-
market to 6 acres and 15 poles.
After adverting to the convenience afforded for the
transaction of business, by the proximity of the
market to the Post-office, the Bank of England, and
the great public establishments, tbey say—
On the other band, the position of the market in the
centre of a dense population, surrounded by streets, and
in the very focus of trade and traffic, constitutes its pro-
minent disadvantage. It is this peculiarity of its posi-
tion which renders the enlargement of its area. expensive
and difficult, which confines its approaches, and obstructs
its thoroughfares ; and produces the various incon-
veniences inseparable from the 'periodical congregation
of a large number of cattle in the most frequented parts
of an immense city.
• The next market described is Newgate-street,
where the business, arising from the cause already
adverted to, has of late years increased with unprece-
dented rapidity—the average annual value of the
nieat sold there being estimated at nearly four mil-
lions, sterling, while so inconvenient is the access to
the market, that it has only the carriage entrance, by
Warwick-lane, which is so narrow that two carts
'cannot pass each other.
Leadenhall-market is stated to be in a declining
state, the business done there having diminished one
half within the last twenty years ; and Farringdon
market is described as being almost altogether suite
nanted.
The Commissioners then go on to say—
Having given this description of the existing state o
Smithfield-market, and of the markets for the sale o'
meat within the City, we proceed to examioe the pray
ticii clues ions more immediately proposed for our con.
sideration.

The Markets Committee of the corporation of Lon;ion,
ig considering the means of improving Smithfield, came
to the conclusion that the present accommodation of the
Market, both as to its thoroughfares and its area, is in-
sufficient. We may add that they came to the same con-
clusion with respect to Newgate •market. They pro-
pose to remedy the inadequacy of the two markets, by a
plan involving extensive cnanges, which they communi-
cated to tut; aid as to which they explained their views,
both orally and in writing, without any reserve, and in
Lbe f dlest detail.

The following are the principal outlines of the plan:—
It is pr,posed to ralin only one acre of the existing site
,of Salichfield, and to form a new market, both for the
'tate 'of live stock and of meat, together with space for
lairs for the cattle, by cleating en area of Hi aeres lyiulr
west of the present market, and extending on its boundary
line from Smithfield-bars, in a north-west direction,
through Greenhill-s-repts to near Cow Cross-strf(r, and
in a line with that s•re't westward till it intersects the
new street in continuation of Farringdon-street, Om*
which it runs sonthwar.l to Field-lane, near Holborn, re-
turning from this paint eastward to the King-street-en-
trance of the present market, of which it takes in the
western corner.