COMPETITION IN CORN AND MEAT. 163 



genuity and enterprise of the engineer, ship- 

 builder, and shipowner. 



And it is not in corn only, but also in all 

 kinds of animal produce that this competition 

 has to be met. The imports of animal produce 

 inclusive of wool, last year, exceeded sixty 

 millions in value, a sum closely approaching to 

 the entire land rental of this kingdom. The 

 imports of corn of all kinds during the last 

 three years give an annual average slightly 

 exceeding sixty millions in value. The enor- 

 mous volume already reached shows at once 

 that this country still affords the best market, 

 but also that, in the face of some decline 

 of price, there is no cessation of supply, the 

 reduction being met by scientific appliances 

 which minimise the cost of transport, and 

 lessen the risk of bringing fresh meat from 

 the great grazing grounds of America, North 

 and South, and the more distant plains of 

 Australia. A recent French patent has 

 proved that, without the direct use of ice, 

 the temperature of fresh meat can be kept so 



reduced that it is beginning to be transported 

 L 2 



