THE FRENCH MARKET FOR FROZEN BEEF.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 8359, 19 December 1892, Page 6

THE FRENCH MARKET FOR FROZEN BEEF.

[fbom orm cokresfondent.] LONDON, November 4. The first shipment of frozen beef from I'ownsville, Queensland, arrived by the Otarama last week. The market not being very favourable here, an attempt has been made to place it in France, and-it was inspected by a Committee of French experts at Havre on 31st ult. Mr Weddel, of London, and Messrs de Satge and R. Gray, formerly of Qceensland, were present on the occasion, and I quote from a report prepared by I\ir de Satge some particulars "which, though not entirely applicable from a New Zealand point of vi&w, cannot fail to interest these engaged in developing the frozen meat trade in all the colonies. He beads it "Memorandum regarding the inepection of the cargo of meat of the Otarama, from Queensland, by a Committee of French experts afc Havre, on 31st October, 1892," and says :—

The French Military authorities seem anxious to secure frozen Queensland beef and mutton for ihs provkionmenfc of their army ior two reasons—jurat, they seem to have got a good account of Queensland pastures and stock; secondly, they are aware that they cau get it very cheap as compared to A'ew Zeaiaud or American meat. They seem well aware that Queensland is only just commencing the trade that has ripened out and improved to such a degiee in I\ew Zealand, and I am inuuced to think they, v.'ould like the first refusal of the Queensland meat. The present ti:u>;.rgo oa landing in ..France carcases of ue«f and mutton, unacconipauied by the iuiiijs cf the beast, us also the taxation levitii by the Oolroi (Municipal) and Dooaud {Custom i£ouse) Uutios v.onid of coarse bu mimaiciiul if the State was the contractor lor such meat, vvuea no doubt an agent wt-ukl Uα appoh:; cd to inspect the supplies in Queeuskaiu as tocy were shipped (i.uus tioiug away with tho unsightly xiecessiiy of senuhig tiie lungs) •: uiiy large contract was made with tae Queensland Meat ICxport and Agency Company, or other Queensland iieat Company, thao is at least the impression furnisntd mc Ly conversation with the Jfrenou exports that visited the Ota.ta.ma, audits beef ac Havre, on 31st October.

The fact that France cannot grow sufficient, mutton by along way tor its owu consumption (I'a.m aione requiring weekly 30,0u0 curccises of mutton from foreign supply), and also that that supply of foreign muUuii is largely derived from Germany, its natural enemy, will go a long way 10 favour Queensland as a good and certainly the cheapest source of supply. Iv regard to beef, .although the French supply may be equal to the general wants of the country, there is no comparison be''frnecn the young, poor aud tasteless be£f you get in France generally, and the rich matured beef produced to the Committee on ■board the Otaiuma, coming from Queenslaud, a distinction Messrs Weddel, Gray aiid self were well able to' appreciate, as -we tasted some French " filet do Bceuf " in the evening of the day when when we had eaten some Queensland steak, aud certainly the French beef wae not to be compared to the Xownsville meat, although the latter had nofc had the requisite time to thaw, and waainthatrespeettostedunderdisadvantageoub circumstances. Then there is the fact that besides the nourishing qualities Queensland con claim for her more matured beef, the coat would probably be from one-third to one-half less than that of frhe , French grown article. ; lint perhaps the strongest motive that wiil actuate the French Government to open op a jaeatjtrade with Queensland will be thesupply of the great garrison towns of France, such as Paris, Lille, Lyons, Marseilles, Brest* &c., vriih stores of frozen meat, which in case of war would be ofjeourse immensely increased, and bring into play all the advantages of late and more economic cold air and freezing discoveries. The members of this French Committee seemed to be particularly alive to thia poinc. lor when I said such a system would Have saved Bazaine in Metz, and kept Paiia going for another six or twelve months, they heartily concurred in it, and loudly approved the remark. The remark above made relating to the quality of beef In France ia equally applicable to the French mutton. The mutton we hod the ; opportunity of tasting at both Rouen and fHavre, was mutton that no Queensland station would have ever touched for rations —tough, leas, and destitute of taste as veji as fat, notwithstanding oil the resources ©f consummate cookery. , The Freaeb, it muefc be admitted, ore not great meat eaters, and eat but little meat /that is plainly cooked, or not disguised by .jsauces, &c.j this latter fact would overcome ithechief prejudice against frozen beef, which -would taste better "a la mode" or in *• ragouts" than cooked in heavy joints, ; always somewhat difficult to thaw.

I As far as the supply of Argentine mutton Tre saw stored in the chambers of Messrs S. .G. Sansinena and Co., nothing could be 'better. Though small, and evidently unMacossed merino mutton, they seem evenly ■fatted and unwasted sheep 451b to ifSaib in weight, just the kind-of sheep, only jperhaps a bit lighter, that we-could furnish •at three years old, from Queensland western country. If -all Argentine sheep-are-of the saiople we saw, they are dangerous competitors to the Queensland trade it is now nought to-establish. • ', Regarding the .Townsville beef we had jthe opportunity ,of, seeing in the Otarama ptFVraa good prime beef, and considering the , quarters -we saw came from "Beandesert" .Station, and, must have, travelled a long •distance to the works, was in good coniditian. There was a bloom on the meat, .andit had evidently been taken of on. board, where as far as I could see every--?tMng worked harmoniously and welL The Otarama mc as a sound, strong ajr-*ight<craft, a credit to the trade. When the report of the experts that •visited the Otarama on 31st October has •been before General Delambre (the Presi- ; dent of the Committee appointed by the ,'French Government for the study of retMgeratiag processes with a view to*he pro- , viaionmentof the French Army) I am quite 'prepared to interview him at Paris with the agents of the Queensland Meat Export Com" ipany, if need be, and put before him fuller information regarding the pastures of the fcoantry where the meat is grown than he lias had at present, on behalf of my brother patoralista and myself.

OSCAB DE SaTGE.