SALMON OVA FROM BRITAIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 847, 22 February 1868, Page 7

SALMON OVA FROM BRITAIN.

The correspondence' received by the Government yesterday, gives further particulars as to the preparations on board the ■ Celestial Queen, which ship was to sail from London, on the . 15fch January, with Salmon Ova for Otago. , , ■ Mr W. Carr- Young, writing to the Superintendent -on the 26th December, says :—: — London, 2Gth December, ISG7. To Hia Honor the Superintendent, , , <> 'Dunedin. Sir— ln my. last, I referred to the Celestial Queen a3 a ship well suited for the conveyance of the salmon ova ; and lam happy to say Mr t Ypul, on his return frbin the country, confirmed that opinion; and "we / iimneI'diaxely'set'ab'odt the construction 'of the icehouse, which yoiir Honor -will be 1 pleased to hear has been very satisfactorily completed. As I have bern down most days to. the ship j to watch operations, a detailed account of j tae building. may' not .be uninteresting.. , The site selected, a?.affprding moat room, in about 6ft. abaft the , fore-hatch, and, in; order to admit of aa, ice-h^use, ..measuring,', outside 16ft. x 12ft. and lift, high, it^was necessary to' remove two supports to the lower 'deck. This done, » strong floor of ' 3in. stuff was laid athwart ships 011 the level of the'kelson,from side to side of the ship/ securely nailed' !to kelson; skin, and intermediate raftera. I Upon this floor, the outside walls— all 3in. thick — are commenced •to • about one foot high. 1 Joists 'are the a .placed across the floor to the height of Tin., and the whole space' is filled up with charcoal- (made from the small .twigs, ami branches of threes) If vel with top of the joists. < Another floor is then laid over the joists to form the bottom of the j ice-house, but does not extend further than within' 9in.' of the outer walls ; the inner ■w&ils are placed " at the extremity ' of this , upper floor, so that there is a clear space of 9in. all round between the outer and inner walls, for the reception" of the charcoal, a n»n-conductor of heat. .As the walls are raised, the charcoal is' rammed well . home between ; and the top of ' the house is completed in precisely the same .way, only that the ramming must be, hori?ontal instead of vertical, which is a more difficult operation. The upper floor is bevilled off for some Gin. to each wall, to allow the, water ; to run off, and a leaden inch pipe is inserted at each comer aft, to convey th-i water ' through the sk>n direct to the well of tbe ship.' The ends of each pipe are/protected by a grating to prevent the possibility of their being choked. ' The wh\>le of -the inside of the house is carefully lined throughout with sheet lead. The entrance to the nouse is by & hatch cut out of the lower deck, immediately over it, aud as near as possible to the ship's fore-hatch for the convenience of loading the ice. The entrance is 2f fc. Bin. square, and the cover, or rather, plug fdr it, is made precisely on same principle aa'the top of the house proper, bo that when all i 3 done, and the plug soldered in from the ' outside, the ice-nouse'wiU be in every respect compact.

At present, it is all ready for the reception of the' ova — for the due collection of which all necessary arrangements have bee a made to suit the sailing of the ship, wkich'is fixed positively for the 15th January, full or not tull.

, A gentleman has engaged by Mr AuLl, uuder Mr Youl's rocommendatious to superintend the ova for two years, aud goe3 out with the" ship." Mr Auld will, of course, acquaint your Honor fully oa this point. '

. „Mr Auld, the Home -Agent,' writing from Edinburgh, on December 25th, gives information which is more detailed in Mr Young's letter. ' \ . The superintendent of 'the ova, during^ the voyagej and, of the experiment here, is Mr Robert Dawbin. .He lias qualified himself for his duties,' to the satisfaction of Mr Youl ; and that gentleman's recommendation as ', to, the .appointment is concurred in both by "Mr Auld and Mr Young.. , Mr Auld says — , The most difficult operation has. yet to be. .executed— vi,z. ," the . securing 'of the ova;, and receiving them oh board in good condition ; but ' I am assured that every .possible" arrangement has been made to Secure success,.,,", . JJ ' ' . .' J