1848-49 COMMISSION ON SMITHFIELD MARKET 349 
the ‘Times’ of Tuesday, November 27, 1849, ‘has 
been appointed to inquire into the live and dead 
meat markets of London, and consists of seven 
members.’ Owen attended the first meeting at 
the Home Office, on December 5, and shortly 
afterwards an entry in the diary records of the 
second meeting that it was of a most satisfactory 
character, owing to some conclusive and sensible 
evidence given by a noted West-end butcher : 
‘ This gentleman came prepared with a plan of 
improvements in slaughter-houses, &c., which was 
much the same as the committee were strug- 
gling to bring about. Richard asked him (his 
name, I think, was rather appropriate — Giblet) 
if he was aware that his really excellent plan, which 
Mr. Giblet was afraid might prove too Utopian to 
be acted upon, existed and was maintained in most 
Continental towns. R. made a great point of this, 
so that the Lord Mayor, who was present, could 
not plead ignorance of such a fact. There will be 
a great deal of difficulty in altering the present 
state of things in London — chiefly in respect to 
the great sums of money required — but it must 
come sooner or later.’ 
‘ December 4. — Milne-Edwards and Dumas 
fils here this evening. Young Dumas has a very 
worn, old look, though he cannot be more than 
twenty-five. He says he understands English, 
but does not speak it.’ 
— We hear that there is a hippopotamus 
waiting for the Gardens at Cairo. It must be an 
