PREFACE 



Certain conclusions have been stated with reference to the above 

 topics as they arose, and these have been summarised at the close 

 of the main parts of the work. On the basis of these results the 

 questions relating to the supplies of animal foodstuffs within the 

 British Empire have been briefly examined, and a number of obser- 

 vations and conclusions arising from the enquiry have been re- 

 corded in their proper place, This latter subject, which is indeed 

 sufficient in itself to occupy the whole of a separate work, has 

 necessarily been handled somewhat broadly owing to lack of space. 



It has been a distinct aim in this enquiry to correlate in broad 

 outlines in one important class of goods the economics of con- 

 sumption with those of production ; and this constitutes, I believe, 

 a new field of investigation in economic geography. 



In conclusion I have to acknowledge my indebtedness to Pro- 

 fessor Sargent, of the London School of Economics, for many 

 useful hints and for sympathetic guidance, and to Mr. Headicar, 

 the Librarian at that institution, for his never-failing efforts in 

 obtaining a desired document or item from the collection of works 

 in his charge. 



E. W. SHANAHAN. 



LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS. 



