The Sun.
London, England, 1828-12-12 00:00:00

SMITHFIELD CLUB CATTLE SHOW.

(From a Correspondent of the Morning Chronicle.)
The 30th Annual Adjudication of Prizes to Fat
Cattle was made during yesterday. Amongst an
unusual number of extraordinarily tine animals assem-
bled to compete for the premiums offered by that
praiseworthy and useful institution, styled " The
Smithfield Club"—the value and benefits which
the public have derived from this great Metropolitan,
and several other similar but local societies, is in-
ealenLble. The results of each of their annual exhi-
bitions must have far exceeded the original expecta•
tion of that great Nobleman, the late Francis, Duke
of Bedford, who, with Mr. Ellman, Mr. Astley,
and others, established it, in 1789, with a. view to
encourage and reward the exertion, energy, and ta-
lent of our agricultural community, at a time when
the enemies of our country required us, en mz-.-.fse, to
commence great exertion to ensure her preservation
and independence.
The encouragement occasioned by publishing in
detail the management of the several animals exhi-
bited at such institutions is very great ; and the ex-
hibitorsapd competitors must feel a very high degree
of vrcdit and satisfaction at witnessing the assemblage
of so Many. thousands of the most experienced coun-
try and practical men in • the kingdom, each criti-
cally examining the result of their experim'ents, and
publicly communicating their opinions and experi-
ence to each-other—independent of the honour of
competing for, and receiving prizes, which are in-
tended as tokens of triumph and merit, rather than
the pecuniary interest •to the receivers. The mi•
tional acid widelyspread stimulus thus given, has
brought our general system of agriculture to such
perfection, that, together with our improved ma-
nufactories,. and "increased industry, and conse-
quent wealth, "this nation has justly become the
envy and adMiration of the world;" and it has also
enabled us to pow corn and wholesome meat enough
for our . increasing, population, and consequent in-
creased consumption of.animal food; for in propor-
tion as-a man works harder, or lengthens his hours
of application to business, so the necessity has in-
creased of the mass of our working poor requiring
more animal and nutritious food than formerly; and
if such great improvements had not taken place in
animals, viz. their size, symmetry, quick propensity
to equally fatten and grow, yet feeding on less ex-
pensive food, together with a general improvement
of every branch of agriculture, such increased de-
mands of the people's food could never have been
so steadily supplied from nearly double the extent of
our present- cultivated soil. The best criterion of
improvement is to be found in the superior excel-
lence 6f the mass of the animals that ;tow come to
Smithfield Market.

The members of this Club and the agricultural
community have been lucky in obtaining such an in-
defatigable and noble-minded President US Lord
Althorp, who, besides his well-known knowledge in
the pursuits of this .Society, his Lordship, like its
illustrious founder, is ever at his post, to ensure a fair
and i ist competition between all candidates, whether
menr%ers or strangers, who wished to send up im-
proved stock to these shows. The arrival in town
of agriculturists, from all parts of the country, seems
to be greater than usual, partly in consequence of
the Bath Agricultural Show- being held this year
sootier than so that persons can attend both
Shows, and partly from the superior excellence ex-
pected in the. animals.

The Stewards this year, J. A. Arnold, Esq., John
Buckley, Esq., and John Beasley, Esq., and the
Secretary, made arrangements, which seemed to
give general satisfaction; yet I was act able, until
a vety late hour, to get you the following interest-
ing'and- useful account, from the labels over each
animal:—The Judges were three very experienced
men, Thomas Chapman, of Stoneleigh,
• near Coventry, Warwickshire; Mr. John (:ooper,
of Much Wenlock, Shropshire; and Mr. Richard
GrAitn, of Sanitary, Oxfordshire. ' These gentle-
awn, 4,4.teiated only by. the. Steward, and Secretary,
who read every minutia in the cenificates to them,
excepting the names of persons and places th;-reiii;
therefore, while in tOtal, ignorance as to whom the
animals belonged, they awarded the prizes. From
the superior general quality -of the stock, and the
number in each class, the judges took nearly the
whole day in their examinations. The results, &c.
are as follow .