The age-herald., 1898-11-15
BIGGEST DINNER
 ON RECORD

From the London Mail.
 What was the biggest banquet ever given in London? There are ancient legends of thousands seated before single repasts but that was before the era of chefs, of daily papers. and of wholesale caterers. Probably the biggest public spread ever given in this kingdom occurred few even- ngs ago at the Albert hall. Three thousand persons, including H. R. H. the Prince of Wales, sat down to this record feast.
 An inquiry into the subject by Daily Mail representative elicited the following interesting statistics in connection with this feast, which was supplied by the we'll known caterers, Messrs. Spiers and Pond Our interviewer was told of the countless wounded, dismembered, and vanquished, the result being however, a glorious vc- tory. It reads like a page out of Harrison Ainsworth.
 Flight hundred" begins the record "sur- rounded the 5000 guests as they took their seats, following the royal chairman's ex- ample, at the tables glittering and glowing with the weapons of defense. One thousand one hundred and twenty pounds of salmon and 1,2Oo Holsters were put be-
 
 petites. Two whole calves and one pig in cooked and edible form disappeared under the stoubborn attack, and with them went eighty large sirloins of Englands roast beef. The necks of 300 tender lambs fell before the flashing blades. but PA pounds of pressed beef made very fair struggle considering one volunteer beef is worth, ten pressed beefs, as the saying goes. "Of fifty glistening powdered hams little more than the bones were left, while 450 bullets, 800 pigeons and 2y50O qualis were consigned to the oblivion of hearty diges- tion, preceded or accompanied by 45O OK tongues in fragrant slices These huge avalanches of edibles went to their doom with attachments of 250 pounds of mixed vegetables and 1900 crip, fresh lettuces, bearing in their hearts the crystal tears of the heavens. But the end was not yet, for the, contending army fought on and brought up my reserves and preserves. The puff pastry stood and faced death with their jam to the foe, but 500 jellies and blanc-manges quivered and oscillated like cravens, though they never retreated from their glass vases.
 "The attack was chilled by $50 ice pud- dings, but the foe went eating on, and the next minute was in the orchads doing cruel execution. From their armored coats and green crests 100 pineapples were cut out and sacrificed, 100 cool melons gave up their luscious crimson interirs, and 1000 bananas were skinned a-ripe and demolished. Sum tinted apricots to the number of 75O, with 750 greengages and ten bushels of cherries, proved their everlasting grit by the indis- II fn.. 1-n4 |. own memory as he died.
 "Gone with all these are 750 apples that will never see the cider vat, 75O oranges that narrowly escaped the marmalade jar, 300 pounds of grapes that died in teetotal innocence, and were saved from the suffo- eating hug of the wine press, and 700 pounds of strawberries just from their beds of green leaves they will never rest in again. When the missing were counted | it was found that 200 solid, honest loaves and 4,OOO crustplated rolls were among | those that were not left, but had gone before.
 "I do not wish to detract," continued our victim, from the deeds of the diners, but | it must be remembered they had magnifi- | cent supports. The, proper spirit of ur- | mpeachable excellence was supplied in | seventy-two bottles of whisky and twelve of brandy. The sparkling champagne from | 2,45O quart bottles invgorated them, 600 bot | ties of hook gave assistance early in the | combat, 800 bottles of sherry aroused | glow of martial ardor, 800 bottles of claret poured out a -blood-colored stream be- | fore them, 400 bottles of port prevented | them from going to 'starboard' by mistake, + and 200 dozen of mineral waters kept them | cool and collected. The bases of | attack were laid on three thousand F yards of tablecloth. and occupied | 1S,CO0 pieces of glassware, 29,5oO pieces of | crockery, 2,500 plated dishes, 1000 less- | powerful china dishes and 1000 compo and | fruit dishes. As arms the enemy were | supplied with 16,0O0 knives and 16,OOO forks. | 12,O0O spoons and 4,500 serviettes to pre- | vent any one escaping on to their glossy 1 linen cuirasses or broad-cloth leg encas- | ings. It was great fight" added our in l victory inSHRDLU SHRDLU 1jarscpj ao | formant, finally, land we won great vic- + tory in being so signally defeated" II