The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-03-13
[Fron ths l ondon Iime., Yeb. 7.l

Iron the London Tines Feb. III
At least one hundred and fifty persons were
asking each other yesterday why horse flesh
should not be good fare. 1t was question OF
reason against prejudice. horse Is clean, aud
even dainty feeder. The pig, which Christians
eat without scruple, is not to be compared In this
respect. Many persons had by actual experImsni
convinced themselves that horse lesh was not less
succulent and appetiziDg than other animal food.
II was necessary to show that these we're not
mere theorists, enthusiasts or epicures DESTROYS
only TO create a new sensation. so what Is called
banquet hippopbsgique was given at the
LsDgham Hotel last night, and over one hundred
and eixty gentlemen were invited 10 partake OF u.
You may convince yourself more or less COM
pletely that you ought TO eat horse without fee
ing squeamish. Can you compose the stomach
and Danish al qualms by force Of reason! This
was the experiment which a. the cost OF gnlnsa
and half was Iied last evening.
As far as we could ascertain, the guests went
through the bill of fare conscientiously there was
q little gibbing The soup was hardly distinguish
able from that usually given at snch oi1ners.
There was, perhaps, some approach TO shndder
when soles "a rhuile hpp0phdgiqae" were
handed round, but IL was barely possible TO de-
tect the special flavor of the animal even here,
end one could not but recognizes the truth OF Mr.
Samuel Weller's profound observation: IT'S the
reasoning that does IT," After all the fancy dishes
and sauces-the piquant sauce derived from an
imsQiuaTy Arab steed, the slice cut from Pegasus,
ard 20 On-the test which practical men desir dt'
apply VAS how did horse taste du ndtlua! A
neither more nor less palatable. more sausfac-
tory dish then appeared. trumpet sounded.
and beef eater entered clad In scarlet and gold,
and playIDg "The Ross. Beef OF Old England"
followed by four COOKS In kitchen costume, bear
ing on their shoulders a smoking baron OF horse,
This monster joint, weighing $50 pounds. was soou
carved and served. EDicures said the flavor re-
sembled that OF roebuek. II was certainly meat
which, once tasted, would be taken without hes
tstion. The result may soon be described fonr
prejudice was overcome, but you did not enrol
yourself among the enthusiasts who say thathors
flesh Is more palstable than prime beef Ti's, We
think, would BIO the conclusion Of an average
ciper, who was neither enthuslasue nor preJn'
diced. II u quite possible to dine of horse, even
at your first meal, without nausea. With very
little effort of cookery yoH will hardly distinguish
II from beef. At your next meal your appetite
may come In ealing.
Three horses contributed to this dinner. Their
photographs we're handed round. II yon yielded
10 sentiment II sad TO look at the iiying
image Of the gray horse you were then eating IN
soup. or Of the brown horse which was then oeing
served en- culotie. But the chairman, Mr.. For.
eyfh O O.. rem inded the diners that you secured
20 the horse humane treatment In his latter days
when you showed that hi. carcass was az, not for
dogp but for men. Statisticans declare that IN
this realm IS 600 horses. free from disease and
available for human food, are slaughtered annu-
ally On this theme the chairman enlarged.
Here was animal food, pslatable, nutricious,
cheap. Should it be any longer wasted when
the reach of our poorer countrymen! Mr.. For
syth treated the horse question, not as one Tor
epicures, but as practical question OF the high.
est Importance; and this dinner was intended not
10 crafty the palates of few. or to introduce
new dish into the rich mans house, but to popu-
iAize a new article Of food for the poor.
The horse and meat at 29d. per pound" vas
the next text on which be dwelt. MIR. Maule 2.
c., Sir Henry Thompson. Sir j. Lubbock, and VI.
A. s. Bicknell also spoke. To the latter gen le-
man vas Justly ascrbed the merit OF providing
the banquet-a task, where the staple dlsl %
horse, of considerable difficulty. II only now re-
mains 20 convince the classes who have most to
gain from the cheapening OF animal food that
Lorsefesh is good to eat. Sir Henry Thorn oso0,
whose authority on such point must needs De
great, declared last night that for invalids equine
tea was more nourishing than beef tea. Other
medical authorities who were present at the din
ner were ready. we believe, to corrob0rate Sir
Benry as TO the stimulating properties CT h
horse when treated in this way.
EWe should add that three horses partaken OF
were Of the respective ages of four, twenty, aud
TWENTY-FIVE years. Two had been cart horses (;
one had drawn brougham, and in his prime had
been worth seven hundred guiness. The baron
was carved from the four-y ear-Old. e.
The following letter from the "Societis Pro
tectrice des Apimaux." founded in Paris in ls4i,
was read by the chairman during the evening.
The brUnze medal therein referred 20 was handed
by the charman, amid general ecclamadon, to
"PARIs, Jan. 80, 1868.
",cif-In the name % our entire committee we
Congratulate you on the generous efforts which
you are making TO introduce horsetesh into con-
sumption IN England.
1--WE know by experience how much courage
ard perseverance are required to struggle against
public opinion in such matter, but the import
snce Of the object at which you aim, and the love
OF humanity, will give you the necessary strength
TO maintain this struggle. You think, with much
reason, that IL is absurd 10 lose each month
throughout England millions VI pounds OF meat
admittedly wholesome and nourishing, when a. the
zane time throughout England there are mil ions
OF human beings who stand In need OF meat.
'In France the opposition 10 this new food hs'
been very strong, and the authorities, In spite o.
the favorable opinion OF the council OF health, Ia
Commission Generate dHygiene. have delayed fol-
mere than three years the grant OF any authority
20 open IN Paris shop for the sale of horsefiesh
Things have changed now. At the Official recep
q ton al the beginning OF the new year, the minis
ter OF agriculture Congratulated our committee OF
the results which 1t has attained. Bis excellencl
was pleased to remind us that al this momen
there are twentythree butchers shops at wheel
nothing but horsefesh is sold, and that they hav'
already produced for public consumption seyera
million kilogrsmmes of this hesh which has beeI
sold at price much below that OF beef, result
which at this moment is great boon TO the pooFe
classes.
"Our committee, sir, wishing to encourage you
efforts, has just resolved that medal should b.
offered TO you. You VIII receive il very shortly
1--WE pray you on our behalf to address our cor
cratulations 10 the honorable gentlemen who Civ
you their support, and who In organizing horse
flesh banquet, cause this important question to b
the subject Of fair experiment BY and by ID
public gratitude viii recompense them for tn
Initiative they have so courageousy taken.
sPrsy accept, cir, the expressions OF our SYN
PATTY. .r,v ,,..,
"A GEoFtRoY ST. HILAIRE. Vice President
x obEc c / TX ' Assistant Secretary"