PRESERVING MEAT FOR EXPORT.

Otago Witness, Issue 838, 20 December 1867, Page 1

PRESERVING MEAT FOR EXPORT.

(From the Daily Times, Dec. 18. On" two opposite sides of the World, two strangely different difficulties have to be dealt with. In Great Britain and parts of Europe, thousands — nay, millions — of human beings live miserable, sickly, wasted lives, and meet premature deaths, through want of sufficient nourishment in the shape of animal food. On the opposite side of the globe, an entirelydifferent condition prevails, which is equally perplexing though less disastrous — animal life is beginning to exceed the means for either supporting or consuming it ; whilst the Colonies suffer from the want of that human life so prodigallywasted in the Old Countries, through theabsence of sufficient' animal food to sustain it. There is no longer room to disguise, that year by year, stock which has done so much to produce wealth to the Australasian Colonies, is increasingat a rate beyond the feeding resources of the country to support. If overcrowded animal life is less terrible than over-crowded human life, it has yet a most serious aspect. In the one case, as in the other, starvation will breed disease and a deterioration of race. Those mysterious disorders which at times have committed gigantic ravages, have, in all probability, owed their origin to, as they continue to find their favorite food in, densely crowded populations. The invitations which closely packed towns offer to human disease, over-stocked runs and stations will offer to animal disease. Starvation will perform its evil work upon animals as it does on man. No one can tell from what precise quarter, nor when, the alarm may be sounded ; but the danger looms in the distance, and cries for the exeroise of caution to avoid it. '. The shape that prudence has hitherto principally taken is alike a reproach to science and humanity. With toiling myriads hungering for food in the Old World, at the Antipodes, animal food is ■wastefully, ruthlessly destroyed — boiled down. Quite recently this frightful waste ■was brought before the English public in tangible shape. In the Times City Article, the announcement appeared that a new Joint-stock Company was in coiirse of formation, having for its purpose the boiling down in Australia -10,000 sheep weekly. Meat was at a heavy price, and a startling impression was created. The food it was proposed to waste might be the boon of life to thousands on thousands of wretched starving beings. The Times thundered forth on the subject : — "The food," said the greatjournal, "which is life here is in Austra- " lia a superfluity. Never it would seem, " was there a clearer instance of the law " by which one part of the world is fitted "to supply the wants of another. But " the wise provision of Nature is defeated "by the stupidity of man, and 10,000 " sheep a week, instead of regenerating; " the poor of London, are boiled down. " into tallow. Nature, of course, avenges- " herself upon us ; and because thousands " of sheep are wasted in Australia, thou- " sands of men and women perish of pre- " mature decay in London and the other " great towns in England. Such a story " x*eads like a cruel reproach to mo- " dern science. . . . The at- " tempts hitherto made" to bring this wasted food to English mouths " have- " been sufficiently successful to con- " vince us that success is within our " reach. The task is doubtless difficult, "for there are prejudices as well as ' ' natural obstacles to be overcome. The " poor are particularly suspicious of " strange food, and unless the meat " is brought over in a perfectly natural ' ' form, it may be long before they will " trust it. But the task will be accom- " plished if men of science will but lend to "it the same thought and energy they " bestowed upon the Atlantic cable. No " subject could be more worthy of their " attention. Success wotild make the " difference of health and disease — almost c< of life and death — to thousands, if not " millions, in this country, and in other " parts of Europe. If once achieved,. " there need no longer be any anxiety as "to our supplies of animal food. There " are parts of the world adapted f or main- " tabling vast herds of cattle and sheep,

•* and adapted for no other purpose, and *' from these the more densely-populated "" countries might be permanently aup- *( plied with sustenance." The Times article was succeeded by a lost of letters. Unfortunately, the comanunications soon assumed an invidious shape. Different companies claimed to be tihe possessors of different methods, each iihe only good one ; and the discussion degenerated into one of personal rivalry. Two or three persons claimed for their ■undertakings the only genuine use of liebig's process, and the Times finally re--fused to insert more of their commu•nications. Valuable as the extract of meat undoubtedly is, something more is -wanted. Poor and hungry as the people *way be, they know what the real meat is, and it is the real meat for which they crave. Whilst the Times was writing, and its indignant readers asking, could such waste of food be possible at the other side of the world, where tlie waste was going on, science "was worldng out the problem. If all that is written and «aid be true, ingenuity and perseverance liave solved it. The rumours which, "for a long while, have been afloat, that in New South Wales, a discovery was in course of being perfected, by which, meat, in all its first freshness, could be transported from the plains and hills of Australia to -i3xe great markets of the Old World, have at last assumed a plain and definite shape, •which inspires a hope something akin to ■conviction. A full description of Mr jNicolle's freezing apparatus has at length been published, and it has transpired that Mr Mort has spared no expense in affording to the inventor the means of experimenting on and improv- { ing it. It is claimed for it that, at an , inconsiderable expense, meat may be ■kept in proper condition during the -whole period of the voyage ; and absolute trial is said to ha\e proved that the Jmeat thus kept frozen, for a long period entirely preserves its original qualities; and besides, that when it is thawed, it does not suddenly or rapidly decay, as aneat is liable to do when frozen by atmospheric cold. The accoxmta are so distinct and circumstantial, that they seem to .forbid disbelief, though it is hard to realise that so grand a discovery has been ao quietly and unostentatiously worked out. In the wondering admiration it excites, it is difficult to realise the vast effects which may spring from it. The imagination fails to conceive the fleets »f freezing vessels that may be called into existence, the vast herds of cattle and of sheep that may carry health amd life to the teeming populations of the KMd World, and the fish ova and frozen frah. that may be sent back to stock the Trirer3 of the New World with prodigal life equal to what the land rejoices in. It is unwise to count too much upon a new invention, however sureitssuccessappears. 35utthisoneisso grand, so vast in the effects it promises, that it is impossible to avoid picturing its probable results, and expressing the hope that all that human skill aad ingenuity can effect will be devoted "towards bringing it to perfection.