No. 112.] 267 



" Of the American beef imported into this country that from th6 

 OhiOj Arkansas, &;c., which comes through New Orleans, is gene- 

 rally of inferior quality, while that from the States on the shores 

 of the Atlantic is, on the contrary, of excellent quality, particu- 

 larly that importe i fiom Baltimore. The meat cured at the 

 latter place is gpr.erally from store cattle, driven across the 

 Alleghany m : tains, and fattened in the rich pasture"^ on the 

 coast." 



Another memoranda dated in 1847 says that "previous re- 

 ports on the quality of American beef were so satisfactory, as to 

 have induced the purchase of 2,000 tierces last year ; and a re- 

 port has been received from Commander Murray, of the ' Favor- 

 ite,' stating ' that the American beef was superior to any that he 

 had ever seen issued to a ship's company, and that it was of a 

 fine quality, and lost very little in boiling.' No report has yet 

 been-received on the quality of the American pork purchased for 

 experiment, except that it was considered, at Deptford, when re- 

 ceived, to be of a superior quality." 



The test by boiling is one much relied on at the victualling 

 yard at Deptford. When there last summer, the Commandant, 

 Capt. Dundas, allowed a copy of one of their reports of an exami- 

 nation of beef, to be made for me, and as it will give some idea of 

 the manner in which the trial is made, I insert it heie. 



Extract from the Deptford^ s officers^ report j dated Deptford vic- 

 tualling yard, April 15, 1851 : 



" We have made three comparative trials of American and 

 Irish cured beef, by boiling each until properly cooked, and the 

 following are the results : 



Baw. Boiled. Lost, 

 lbs oz lbs oz lbs o» 



No. 1 , ribs boiled 2 hours, Irish, Wood's Brand, 8 10 5 6 3 4 



American, Hough's, " 8 9 4 2 4 7 



"2, sirloin," 2 " Irish, Wood's, " 8 1164 27 



American, Hough's, << 8 10 4 8 4 2 



*• 3, brisket," 2 " Irish, Wood's, " 8 7 63 24 



American, ' « 8 4 412 38 



