Star.
London, England, 1828-08-20 00:00:00

SMITHFIELD.

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The following is the Report of the Committee ap-
pointed to inquire into the siate.of Smithfield_ Market,
and,theSlaughtetinguf Cattle in the Meti op .lis, Ike.,
The Committee presented a Report on the Bth inst.
tecommeeding, Irefrise they had ,concluded their ioqoi-
ties. that leave should be given to bring in a. Bill for
enabling the Corporation of the City of IlAndon to pre-
'vent the passing of carts, waggons,,drays.ao4 carriages.
through.Saiithlield, duriino so may bouts as- they Oat
think fit on Mondayi,ond Fridays ;,but.as such intended
Bill was aturideteCto be within the Standing Orders
of the Rouse relative to Private Bite, it has been nem-
wily abaudonedlor .the present rSeisiout Toe Com-
mittee have now completed their inquiries, and, having
examined many witnesses in support end .tin refutation
of tbe.allegation of the petitions referred to them, take
leave to repo. t theit Ow rations theteopoe to theliouse.
That the passing of live stink-toad from Smithfield
-isa nuisance to the inhabitants of the neighbourhood,
and4o.the public at large,- and that the present.size and
arrangement of the market does, not afford sufficient
accommoihitioo for, the livestock therein offertd for
sale, are propositions which the Committee are prepared
to maintain. Although these propositions may be con-
sidered as aelf..evident„ yet the Committee trust they
shall be permitted to call the attention of the House, in
support thereof, to the testimony of the following wit-
nesrest—Mr. Gurney
.says, I have thought much on
the subject, and frequently it has appeared to me to be,
with the increasing extent of the metropolis, a great and
increasing nuisance to have such a very importaot mar-
ket as SMithfield is now become in the centre of the
metropolis. We all know when it was first adopted as
a market it was without the City ; but the City having
entirely grown beyond it, tl;e outside has become the
centre; and it does appear to me, as I think it must to
any body who walks through London streets, especially 1
on a Monday, to be a very great nuisance. I think it
must be evident to any body who goes into Smithfield
market, that however suitable it might have been for
the purpose originally, it has grown beyond it, both
geographically, and also in the size of it; and that
which was the most suitable place originally has become
exceedingly unsuitable and a great public nuisance. I
"am clearly of opinion that the space of Smithfield is ex-'
ceedingly inadequate so the purpose, and that the evils
are very much aggravated by the want of space, both
as to cruelty to the beasts, and confusion in the arrange-
tient. .

D. Gordon, in his evidence, sars--At eleven o'clock
at night large bodies of cattle come in from Islington
on the west side 'of Finsbury-square; and large droves
also from Essex come up Sun-street; and from eleven
to four o'clock in the morning there is one uninterrupted.
scene of noise and confusion, which is greatly aggra-
vated by the exclamations of the drovers endeavouring
to keep tlie cattle in order; coming from the narrow
streets, of course they scatter, and the cries of the cattle
and the screams of the drovers are so great, that it is a
well• know fact that any individual coming from the
country, is unable to sleep for several nights; it begins
on Sunday night at eleven, and ceases at lour in the
morning. It is perhaps well known to every body
that Monday is a great day of business in the City ;
there is a greater influx of individuals in the City on
that day, and it is precisely on that morning that the
large droves of cattle are driving backward and for-
wards; and as a physcian I can speak with certainty
to the point, that on Monday the City is almost ion.
passable from the cattle; it adds greatly to the inter-
'option we meet with in the City. Most deciJedly I
consider that the continuation of the cattle market at
Smithfield is a nuisance to the City.
Mr. Dorton, an eminent stationer, informed the Com-
mittee that he had noticed fur a number of years chat the
citizens have been put to inconvenience by cattle going
through such a great city as this—we might as well
have the market where it would not annoy tne clizens.
. Mr. Win. Clay, a woollen•draper in Smithfield, says,
Smithfield Market appears to use much too small for
the present business done there, and a considerable deal
of cruelty is consequent upon such a crowded market ;
when the markets are very huge, the cruelty consequent
upon having such a number of beasts is very west.
Mr. Sparrow, te.o.fealer and winequer:bauto Lad-

In providing a remedy for the inconveniences com-
plained of and proved to exist, three plans have been
submitted to the consideration of the Committee—
firstly, to remove altogether the present market; 2d17,
to enlarge it by the purchase of additional ground, ac-
compsnying that measure with authority to stop during
market days the thor ughfare through the market; and
thirdly, to permit S nithfield to remain in its present
state, and to e.t .blish one or more subsidiary markets.

THE REMOVAL OF THE MARKET.
That tl e site of a Live Stock Market in a thickly-
inhabited part of the metropolis is highly objectionable
the Committee cannot reasonably doubt, and not only
has the attention of Parliament been frequently directed
to the complaints of those. who have been aggrieved
thereby, but twice Bills have been introduced under the
sanct.on of the Corporation of London, authorising the
removal of Smithfield Market ; and the Committee have
every re ison to believe, from the examination of the City
Law Officers, and of Mr. Jones, a Member of the Com-
mittee of City Lands, that every fseility would be given
by the Corporation to any measure which Parliament
might think fit to adopt for the accommodation of the
public. Mr. Mills, in his evidence, advises the estati:
lishment of two markets—one at iiirghgate, and the
second in Battersea fields. Mr.,Hebb proposes, as the
most convenient site, a spot of ground near Bagnigge
Wells; and the premises of Mr. Laycock at Islington,'
which have been visited with much satisfaction by se-
veral Members of the Committee, have likewise been,
recommended Its the best substitute for Smithfield. A
strong feeling exists among all' the practical. men whom
the Committee have examined, that one large market
is to be preferred, as giving to the purchasers a greater
choice of cattle of different descriptions, and affording
to the seller a more ceitain.demand. Considerable stress
.has been laid by Mr. Pocklington on the necessity of
communicating by post on Monday evening with the
graziers in the country, and of the advantage arising
from a frequent exchange of cheques on bankers; but
the Committee, cannot but hope that arrangements
might easily be made by which those objections to the
removal of the market might be obviated.
The distribution of live stock to this great metropolis
and its vicinity having for so many centuries taken place
at Smithfield, the Committee are aware that the interests,
habits, and perhaps the prejudices of those concerned in
the trade, render the removal of the market no easy
task; and it must be admitted that innkeepers and other
persons in Smithfield, whose business is intimately con.
netted with the existence of a live stock market, would,
in the event of such removal, have strong claims for the
full consideration of their respective interests. The
Committee proceed to consider the second alternative;

THE ENLARGEMENT OF THE MARKET.
All the witnesses who have been examined concur in
stating that considerable increase to the area of the
market is required. Mr. Helps thinks an acre and a
half, bat other witnesses have reduced* as low as half,
an acre. On behalf of the Committee of Butchers, Mr.
Dean produced a plan by which about half an acre of
ground might be kidded, removing about sixty houses,
at aril expense, including all. the attendant improvements,
.of about 110 or If:0,000/. Mr., Galloway produced
also a plan, by which one acre of ground might be
added to the market, and three acres appropriated to a
great slaughter-house, and_ he did not estimate the ex-
pense of procuring the whole of this ground at more
than 75,0001. Mr. Bush produced a third plan, recom-
mended by the Company of Butchers, by which fewer
houses would be removed and le,s expense incurred.—
None, however, of these witnesses had sufficiently pre-
pared themselves to give the Committee satisfactory
answers es to the detail of expense, and therefore they
do not feel themselves called upon to give. any opinion
of the comparative. merits of these plans, the evidence
relative to which the House will be best able to judge
and appreciate. The Committee, however, referring to
the expense incurred in obtaining ground in the City of
London for other public improvements, are apprehensive
that no considerable addition to the area of Smithfield
could be obtained without a heavy expense.
SUBSIDIARY MARKETS.
It remains for the Committee to consider the third
plan, of adding Subsidiary Markets to Smithfield. The
Corporation of London conceive that they have a t re-
set iptuve right to prevent the establishment of any mai ket
within seven miles of the ancient walls of London; but
the Committee have no reason to suppose that such a
right (if it be well founded) would be exercised to the
detriment of the public interest. The Committee, how-
ever, are apprehensive that, of the three plans suggested
to them, the establishment of Subdiary Markets would
be this most difficult to accomplish ; they therefore de-
tain the House no longer with statements on a schemeb

The system of slaughtering ;ode in London was
especially submitted to ate consideratiOn of the Com-
Mittee, and hlthoughitappears objectinnable in
many respects, there is no evidence by which it can be
collected that tse health of the inhabitants is prejudicially
d Elect t. obY it. The mMittee here take leave to call
, the attention of the liOnste to die enclose. of Mr. Mills,
relative to the Abattoirs of Paris.. It must, however,
be ctbserved..thist:iiihissigh.public slaughter houses are
established with manifest adisiotire to the Community
almost everyCity, yet compulsory
enactments, by which cattle could only be slaughtered
under the superintendence of public inspectors, would
be repugnant to the feelings of Englifhmen. It was
stated to the Committee, that in New York and Phila-
delphia .no cattle can ,be privately slaughtered; but
great d fficulty might arise in instituting similar com-
pulsory regulations is London. The Committee, how-
ever, would rejoice at the establishment of slaughter
houses on an improved.plan,rhicb, by affording every
facility to tbehutcher, might tilincluee a bet:er system,
and. to *WO those connected with the trade might b 4;
induced voluntarily to resort. Such establishments (for
there should be, in their opinion, several in the environs
of London) would well merit the patronage of the public.
to whose opinion on sbch a.subject, if strongly
mani-
fested, the butihers must yield. and from whose decision
there could he no appeal. Toe Committer?. moreover.
have confidence that **eat ,and good sense disphryed
by many or the witnesses helcinging to the triode Will
induce 'hem to take active *awes to ienicitre iol-
rious abuses, and cheering to give for the hexes of
the community Om aid 'of theft experience.
Having thus ericlavoured, howeVer imPirfectly, tp
submit to the impartial review of the House thediffereot
modes by which the present system of MUM* and
slaughtering live stack in the metropolis and its vicinity.
might be improved, the Committee take leave further
to add, that the subject involves other considerations of
no small importance.
The profanation of Sunday has been strongly pointed
out to the Committee. Mr. Wilson, Vicar of Islington,
we: forcible and emphatic language. The brutalising
effects of the present course, the nuisances and ihe im-
proprieties, are such as to produce upon the minds of
the keepers of the public-houses, and the drovers theM•
selves, the very worst moral effects.. And again, there
is a brutalizing effect produced by the !bole of Sunday
being occupied chiefly by those "drOvers. withoUt may
public worship ;ind'that is inc,eased with the inceease
of the market, and the increase of persons employed.
Mr.Blac Burn, the Dissenting Minister of Pentonville,
'also complains of the gross violation of the Sabbath.
and the miseries which quiet and orderly familiesendure
in that neighbourhood. The CoMmittee are aware
that these Gentlemen might, however improperly, be
suspected of being unduly biassed ; they therefore refer
to the testimony of men of business. Mr. Merritt, s
salesman, says, There are 700 individuals employed on
Sanjay ; 500 of those would not be employed at all, if
the alteration took plice from Monday to Tuesday.—
And again, There are from 50 to 60 public houses kept
open under pretence of accommodating these drovers
and salesmen, and so forth, and the abuse atiendant
upon that I will leave the Committee to judge, rather
than describe.

Mr. Hebb, also a salesman, being a:ked, Have your
drovers any time for rest on Sundays? says, Tney ate
employed in nothing but their pursuits; in taking care
of the sheep, and separating them. And again, when
asked, Would it not be desirable to let t' em have that
day for rest? answers, Yes, it is very desirable; but
in the situation they ate placed in, they can hive no
rest on Sunday ; if they did, they would soon lo.e their
situations.

Mr. Pocklington, a money changer in Smith&
details the occupation of his own clerks on the Sunday':
and being asked how many hours of the day (Sunday)
they (the drovers) are employed, says, I should think
the whole of the Jay ; but, on being ablfect, Although
the London drover might have an opportunity to lest
on the Sunday, would not the drover at a distance be
employed in driving cattle forward on tie Sundry
replies, Yes, certainly. I only gave my answer as my
own idea; not that it would be so desirable and eligible
to the trade itself.

The obvious remedy to this alleged profanation of
Sunday is to change market day t.) Tuesday ; but the
Committee submit, that though the evidence adduced
is of a nature to deserve the most serious consideration,
'it is met by objections of such great importance, and
such evident truth,f as to induce the Committee, how-
ever reluctantly, to abstain from recommending, at the
present time, the adoption of such an alteration. It
seems clearly established in evidence, that ttie habits of
the greater proportion of the population of London are
such, that but little meat is bought by the lower and
middle classes f society on Mondays. The butchers,
consequently, on Tuesdays. are so busily employed in
supplying their customers,, that the greatest incon.
venience would arise from their inability to purchase
live stock and to attend to their retail trade on the same
day. It is to be observed, moreover, that supposing the
alteration to take place of the live stock mat ktt, the hay
market, now held on the Tuesday, must necessarily be
changed to Monday—much to the annoyance of the
farmer,who, as some witnesses state,would,consequently,
employ his men on Sundays; and also producing other
serious inconveniences; as detailed in the evidence of
Mr.Tarling, and other hay salesmen, who were examined
before the Committee.

It may, therefore, be inferred, that persons connected
with the hay trade might be induced to devote the
Sunday to labour ; the evils arising from such labour
would thus be removed further from public •iew, but
would probably spread over a larger surface, and pro-
duce effects as much to be reg►etted as those which
have been detailed in evidence.

The Committee, however, hesit ite not to advise that
the Islington Local Act should be amended. They
would propose that live stock should be prevented from
entering that parish after nine o'clock on Sunday morn-
ing, nor should they be driven from their lairs before
tei o'clock on Sunday night; and police regulations
might be formed to prohibit the assembling of cattle
arid sheep on Sunday evenings is the approaches to the
market, whether such market continue at Smithfield, or
be elsewheie established.

It has frequently occurred to the Committee to inquire
why a market for live stock should not be re-establidred
on Wednesday, having beat fnmerly held on that day;
such an additional market, if encouraged by influential

persons connected with the trade, would relieve Monday
of much business, and consequently diminish the pre-
paratory labour on Sunday ; and here the Committee
may add, that it has been strongly urged by many wit-
nesses that important advantages would arise from
changing the market now held for live stook on Friday
to Thursday, by which alteration the supply would be
more erinaliatd, and the butcher, as.cell as the :imp.
sumer, generally benefitted. . •
That much violence is used fowards the cattle in
Smithfield is maintained in evidence, to the regret of the
Committee, but they are induced to hope that such
violence may be principally attributed to the necessity
of driving in the cattle during the night, in order to
secure accommodation, and to the custom of keeping
the cattle in off-droves or rings, and generally ro the
confined space and inconvenient arrangements of the
market. The Committee have every reason to beteve
that an evident improvement has taken place of late years
in the conduct of drovers and butchers. Mr. L.iycock de-
nies that their conduct is cruel, or their behaviour disso-
lute. Being asked, is there much inconvenience to the
inhabitants of Islington from the driving of the cattle
from their lairs during Sunday ? His answer was, no, none
at all; and bring further asked, it the men are rioting
in public-houses in Islington? he replied—As far as re-,
gards my own place, it is as still as possible; I never
hear an oath in the place ; Were is as much difference
between the drovers now and forty years ago, as there
is between the long-stage coachmen of that time and
the present day ; and 1 can assure the Committee that
the drovers who have children pay more attention to
their children than the generality of that description of
people. The Committee thus indulge in the gratifying
hope that a gradual improvement is taking place in the
morals and behaviour of this class of society. They
regret, however, the necessity of contrasting the con-
duct of those who attend the cattle market with the
description given by an officer of the Corporation cf
the behaviour of those who attend the horse market.—
This officer states that this market bringatogether
all the thieves and rogues within ten miles of London ;
it is the most abominable scene that can be imagined ; I
had rather be there ten Mondays than one Friday after-
noon. The men who attend the horse market are
the most lawless set I ever saw; if we interfere, we are
generally obliged to take our staves and fight. I have
repeatedly taken those persons before the Magistrates,
and lucked them up for being disorderly ; and being
afterwards asked what inconvenience would arise if the,
horse mat ket was abolished? he answered, I cannot see
any ; it would only be an inconvenience to the public
houses. The Committee, therefore, urge the propriety
of the Corporation of London taking into their imme-
diate consideration whether the horse market might not
be altogether and forthwith abolished, greatly to the
advantage of the neighbourhood of Smithfield, and
without any serious detriment to the public.
That the sanguine expectation of thoie who aim at
the sudden reform of abuses, without reference to the
habits and prejudices of the people, may be disappointed
with this Report, the Ci.tornittee anticipate; but they
conclude with an earnest disire that the evidence should
be carefully read and examined. Such examination will
prove the necessity of dui caution, and that while the
Committee had to guard against the too zealous wishes
of the philanthropist, they had also to contend with
.much personal interest, confirmed habit, and invete-
rate prejudice. Ti e City of London may effect a
tempuras y and immediate improvement, by a* strict
attention to the police, by directing a More early
and active discharge of the duty of their officers at
Smithfield, by giving them (if, after full consideration,
it shall be still thought advisable', a distinguishing dress,
by strictly enforcing and improving the bye-laws, and,'
perhaps, by closing the thbroughfares on Mondays and
Fridays, even without the intervention rf Parliament;
but the Committee cannot but hope that more perma-
nent advantages will accrue from this investigation ;
they trust public attention will be seriously called to the
subject, and that the Corporation of London Will give
eatery facility to the- adoption of effectual remedies.—
'Mose remedies should embrace as well the removal of
t' e nuisance of the market, and consequent driving of
live stock through the streets, as the improvement of
the present system of slaughtering cattle; and, if adopted
with due consideration of the rights of individuals, the
convenience of the trad', and the welfare of the public,
would confer a mosti ni poi tott benefit on the inhabitants
of this great and increasing metropolis.-19th July 1828

A serious altercation took place yesterday in the Fo-
reign Stock Exchange, between two highly respectable
Members of the House. Very high words were passed,
'and it was understood a duel would be the result. Busi-
ness being slack, the dealers employed themselves in
caricaturing the transaction. Some chalk was procured,
and the.form of a grave drawn or. the floor, at the head
of which was placed a mule and wand, covered with
black. In the dispute a threat was given to pull the
nose, and some soap was hung up, as was said, by order
of the Committer, to soap the nose of each.
About this time last year, Mr.-James Leighton, far-
mer, Moor Pearsie, was stung by a bee, which nearly
plowed fatal to him ; and, on Thursday se'nnight, while
assi-ting some bees to get into the hive, which had cast
off in the course rf the day, one of them stung him in
Vie wrist. He retired immediately iuto his house, and
had scarcely given utterance to his tears that he would
be as much distressed as formerly, when he dropped
down a lifeless corpse.
Yesterday 'afternoon an accident occurred in Loam-
bard-street, by which the lives of two Ladies and a
Gentleman were placed in 'great peril. The parties
alluded to were proceeding in a chaise up Lombard-'
street, when tire butte suddenly took fright and ran off
with great spied. animal's progress was arrested
opposite the Guardian Fire Office, by the wheel of the
chaise coming in contact with that of a waggon. The
concussion was so great that the two Ladies and the'
Gentiemap Mere thrown with great force to the ground ;
one of thaiLrdies was taken up apparently lifeless, and,
conveyed into the Guardian Office, and medical aid
instaotly procured. It was found, however, that no
bones were broken, and after being bled the Lady re-
covered, though severely bruised: the other Lady and
Gent!eman escaped with trifling injury. The chaise was
completely shattered to pieces, and the horse having
di eirong.ecl himself from the shafts, again started, but
was soon brought hack without injury.
ACCIDENT AT CAMBEiWZLL FAta.—Toesday night,
a man in a stale of ii ,t ixicati•in entered one of the booths
in which wild beastr are exhibited, and in spite of the
exhortations of the keeper, insisted upok putting his
hand into "the lion's den," following
i(he example of
the keeper, who had done so in perfeCtsalety. The ani-
mal seized the unfortunate man': arm, and actually
tore off the mu ,des to the bone,, from the elbow to . the
wrist. This had the effect of immediately sobering him.
lit was cafs,veyed into the shop of an apothecary near
the lair-ground ; hut so prufuse was the bleeding from
the ironed, that after partially binding up the lacerated
ligaments, he had him conveyed to Guy's Hospital in a
hackney coach kis feared amputation will be necessary.