New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-02
LONDON DINING
TURTLE SOUP IN DANGER
VINE. PUNCH AND WATER.


Mayors dinner. Whether Lord Mayor Fowler VIII be the
last man to support the dignity Of the Mayoraty under
present conditions remains to be seen but there 49, o
was few days ago. romantic halo around the man VINO
might be the last the Lord Mayors Of London as war
wick was the Last of the BarOns" and Sir Henry huo
deson is the last of the Baronsof the Exehequer C
REFORM however, is more in the hao'ouS not
uncommon 70 the East End and there betting in the
Pail Mall clubs that the City outlasts Mr Gladstone
Government. As not called upon to prophesy de-
cline to offer opinion and Only remark that Is oIteh
long odds on a corporation against Cabinet
To return to our turtle. Sir Henry Thompson the
famous surgeon known "stOne Thompson, on ac-
count OF his speciality, wrote little pamphlet Tor the
Fisheries Exhibition Fish Food" and so forth
wherein he stated that the basis OF turtle soup
was q stock made OF conger-ee This provoked "a bal
lade published in The Daily NewS and written
shrewdy apprehend by the brilliant pen OF Dr. Anuie"
Lang. Now there is severe controversy In the daily
papers, including The Times in which the most celebrated
makers of turtle soup entirely dscam the use OF conger
eela coarse sea fish have never behed in America IL
in the civilized parts OF this country In
Cornwall it consumed by the curious alternately
mining and fishing population, always on the sea or
under the eartn. 1 have seen many dozen OF dfled
conger IN mining hsherman's cottage hung up In rows
like sides OF bacon and have heard that c0nger soup L.
eaten in the Channel Islands the northern coast OF
France and IN other uncivilzed places, but nobody VIII
buy IL IN England proper therefore
to hear that the best in the world IA made Of congcr
eel and that fat as 1t Is called Is all that
there is Of the turtle in 1t.
On the face OF any discussion always ready to sus-
pect restaurant keepers who rule lie without COM
junction. have been served in NewYOrk City with
rot o-rent a la hnancere without single cockscomb-
the article by which it is distinguished from kindred
dishes. Within a week served at English hotel
with partridge instead OF the widgeon had ordered
the waiter maintaining that the animal wdgeOn-
small wild duck little larger than teal and as unlike
a partridge as any bird imaginable. My confidence in
cooks is therefore not very profound but must confess
that had doubt as TO the accuracy OF Sir Henry
Thompson. had always heard that If the stock or
turtle soup eked out with anything with vea
stock" the foundation Of the most agreeable soups II
now declared that green turtle cheap that there
no occasion for this device and that the turtle them
selves supply abundant stock for the fine soup which
bears their name Green turtle soup here is may OBJ
serve very different from the preparation of the same
name sold commonly I'm New-YOrk, and Is made with
great and at great cost It the most expensive
soup the world except the Oud steret soup of the
Russians and also the best admit the virtue OF ter
rapn in soup prefer that excellent little animal in
stew have eaten oyster clam soup, and gumbo a.
prepared by Dclmonco and know the French soups by
long practice including that famous ish-soup or stew
known 6ouGJaSse but still think English green
turtle the perfection Of soup Scotch broth when well
nhle, nOlcu pDtcl koot
a. well as hare-soup with boiled celery in the Scotch
manner are all good dishes, but coarse when COM
pared with real turtle call It to distinguish it from
imitation, good in lis way made from calves heads
The chief maker OF turtle soup in London Is the host OF
the ship aud Turtle" celebrated tavern In Leaden-
hall-st opposite the site which once stood those
Office. Of the old East India Company TO whioh Charles
Lamb went late the morning that he made up for
by leaving very early in the afternoon The Ship ana
Turtle" entirely special reputation for turtle
soup fms aud outlets ami Is in other ways an excellent
restaurant It Is not long since the Prince OF Wales
dcd there special turtle dinner. which was perfect
The proprietor writes letters the papers and indig
nantly disclams the congerce Speaking individually.
must say that NY view Is that Sir Henry Thompson of
stonc) has made distinct mistake have seen. over
and again when have acted rs cceDne To Amcr-
can friends London the interior OF the Ship aud Tur-
tie" quite show place and on the way to Jamrachs
u wild beast repository which should miss.
Jamrach's" IS not only wonderful for the beasts
crowded within limits but for the queer speci-
mems OF man and womaukiud visible in Radcliffe High
way. The ship and Turtle Is OF miider complexion
There are generally at least hundred turtles In stock
some swimming some crawling and some torpid. and the
owners mari, those 10 be killed next on the back with
s the doors OF the persons designed for the go
tine we're marked during the Reign OF Terror. On every
occasion that have visited the ship and Turtle have
found plenty OF live turtle there ami only wondered at
the enormous price we are charged for soup made from
them.
Sir Henry Thompson has in fact become almost
fanatic Iii, scientific knowledge IS so highly esteemed
that he operated upon the late King OF the Bclgans and
upon the Emperor OF France But he has gone Wild
upon the drink question which 1t must be confessed he
de- monde, does not allow To Interfere with ms
famous Octave dinners. at which the best wines ~
well as food are served Seven eight ago he be-
came to total abstinence from alcohol IN any
shape. He had always been very small drinkcr re
strcng himself four glasses of hook or caret per day.
al that he did not feel the loss OF that amount of stmu
liant very severely. He declares, however that his
health has greatly improved since he abstaned alto
gchcr and he. for clever is just little overmnch
given 10 prosclytizug. What Is amusing IS that he is
quite as much opposed 90 water-rinking as 10 wine
drinking. Alcohol is poison, and so Is water when not
distilled and absolutely pure Thus there Is no safety IN
waer-lrnling eleryescing bottled water even not eX-
ccpted Milk Is regular medium conductor for ty-
phod. What, then to drink Is the question we
address to Sir Henry Thompson who tells us that our
only safety is III tea, hot cold. but made with aDso-
utely boiling water this high temperature is neces-
sary to XIII any lurking germs of disease. There is no
doubt that his preaching (why do teetotaers always
preach has had great effect on the upper classes An
excellent artist we'll surgeon, he lives in the best
society Of London and by asking celebrated people to his
OCTAVE dinners obtains the best kind OF circulation for
his ideas Even at his least popular period just after he
proposed Running hospital not to be prayed for In
church. against one toabe prayed for every Sunday in
order test scientifically the efficacy OF prayer always
met interesting people at his house, famous artists,
authors musicians, politicians and diplomats The oc
aves are charming and arranged with great care by
the host who has an arrangement like Thibetan praying
machine by which he arranges and rearrangcs his guests
that the persons shall not meet again. The blue
and white Nankin service the Venetian glass, the dinner
md The mines good the company. In decd Sir
Henry Thompson admirably liberal but In word he VIII
not admit that there any sound health but in cold tea
ono effect Of the crusade against good wine and re-
fre.hng that lemon sauashes and cigarettes
are taking the place OF brandy and the nause-
Gus mi xture OF whiskey and Pol which all the doctors
few years ago. mainly for the reason that
little whi-key Is the only stmuant taken by the sover
crn OF these realms. There ia an odd old saying that