National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-02-03

Nothing has been heard of the great
Alexandria fox hunt of New Years day,
in which some of the disappointed hun
ters of Washington were to take part,
After tho foxes, tho society of tho long
name had better look after tho fishes, if
the following incident, described in a re-
cent Washington letter to tho New York
Tribune, DO true:
Many of your readers no doubt have
eaten scotched salmon, though few, i
trust, have ever been witnesses of this
brutal mode of preparing the fish for din
ner. 1t is quite common in England, but
in this country, | am told, it is more FREE
quently resorted to than is generally
thought to DO the case. If 50,
it would be proper subject of
investigation for Mr.. Bergh's and
similar societies. Thore is hero = set of
young men which, even in New York,
deal of their time dovising new means to
crafty their palates. One of them, who
has recently returned from Europe, had
there seen the scotching of salmon, and
he forthwith decided to show some of his
friends here practical illustration of the
process. 1t requires q live fish. To get
it he sent to Canada. A splendid fellow,
weighing about twenty pounds, was
caught for him in the Restigouoho
river, packed in wator.tight
tub, aud forwarded to Washington.
l would not dare to say what il cost
to send the fish here. 1t was certainly
not less than S. pound. The most
elaborate preparations had been made to
do justice TO the process of cooking it. A
dozen or moro of tho young mans boon
cnp nj ft,x VtN al 80 81
process. At the proper time all assembled
in the kitchen, into which the tub con-
tanning the salmon had been carried. On
the range stood copper boiler imported
from England for the purpose. Its inner
sides were lined at regular intervals with
blades OF steel sharp as knives. The
young man at once assumed direction of
matters. Cold water was put, by bis or
ders, into the boiler on the range, and the
salmon's quarters changed from the tub
TO the boiler. 1t took three men to man
age the salmon. As soon as this was done
fires were built under the range, and tho
fish was slowly boiled to death. OF
course rs tho water got warmer aud
warmer he would plunge about more and
more, With every movement he made
his body would come into contact with the
knives and he ripped open. 1t was
hp"aAg NhApoTHuoiAoAp VI houA poioAp
tho Ash was dead, and full hour before
it was At TO DO served. One OF tho young
men In relating the story to me said 1T
was disgusting sight, | tell you. 1t
made me almost sick, aud If had not
feared II would offend tho host l would
have refused To cat of the dish. II was,
though, the best salmon | ever tasted.
You see, tho scotching takes out all tho
milk, which is so Objectionable in Ash
when less than twenty-four hours
old, pulls out the flesh and
makes it light, and you get at the same
time all the good qualities inherent in
fresh fish. II looks when done almost
like popcorn" He added laughingly
There ought to DO some punishment pro
vidod for people who delight in such
cruelty for the sake of gratifying their
stomach. The line used to be drawn at
the scaling Of live fish and tho skinning
Of live cells, but scotching salmon, you
will admit, is worse than either"