SMTTHFIELD CLUB. 
233 
Government would have any trouble in getting any number they 
might need; or that, if necessary, they would hesitate to take 
powers to seize as many as they might want. Admitting his noble 
friend’s facts to be all accurate, the noble earl had completely failed 
to show what his Commission was to do. Was it to set up breed¬ 
ing establishments all over the country? In 1831 the French 
complained that half their cavalry was mounted on foreign horses. 
The Government established studs; and in 1831 it could boast that 
all its military horses were home bred ; but twenty years later, 
General Fleury reported that the system was a failure, and had ex¬ 
tinguished private enterprise, and it was therefore abandoned. In 
Algeria every encouragement had been given by the Government 
to the breeding of horses, but there the system had also proved a 
failure. In India we had ourselves, after eighty years’ exertions, 
succeeded in completely extinguishing private enterprise, and in 
mounting our troops at £285 per horse. If, on the other hand, 
the Commission should recommend the putting of an export duty 
on brood mares, he could conceive no greater discouragement to 
breeding. He would venture to suggest to his friend that he 
should withdraw his motion and substitute for it one for a Select 
Committee. That Committee might be composed of men fond of 
horses and men fond of agriculture, with, he hoped also, some 
political economists, and he thought that its inquiries would prove 
both interesting and useful. (Hear, hear.) 
In answer to Lord Howard de Walden, 
Lord Granville added that he had received his information 
respecting India from a member of the Council. 
Lord Roseberry having assented to the noble earl’s suggestion, 
The Luke of Richmond expressed his pleasure at the result of the 
debate, for he was unable to see what a Royal Commission could 
have done. He entirely agreed with Admiral Rous as to the 
superiority of the present breed of horses. 
The motion was then -withdrawn. 
SMITHFIELD CLUB. 
REPORTS OF THE JUDGES ON THE SLAUGHTERING OF 
CATTLE BY MEANS OTHER THAN THE POLE-AXE. 
LORD POWIS’S PRIZE. 
Read at the Council Meeting of the Club , Feb. 4 th. 
Mr. J. A. Garton, 117, Metropolitan Meat Market, reported 
th a t—“ Having seen three additional trials I am still of the same 
opinion, and much prefer the use of the pole-axe. The first trial 
at Markham’s slaughterhouse I think was a failure, and I may say 
the same of the second trial at Bonser’s slaughterhouse, seeing that 
in each instance the pole-axe had to be used to finish the beast. 
Although in the third trial at Noon’s slaughterhouse the cane was 
used in addition to the dirk, yet it had not the desired effect, viz. 
that of destroying life so quickly as when used with the pole-axe. I 
also think that the pithing process is detrimental to the meat, seeing 
