626 



other. Statistics and statements from high authorities go to show 

 that the transport and preservation of perishable produce is an 

 enormous and growing business, and likely in the future to be one 

 of the most important in the world. In the Annual Report of the 

 British Board of Agriculture the following reference to the dead 

 meat imports into the United Kingdom is made: 



To the development of this trade the resources of science and 

 the ingenuity of inventors have greatly contributed, and the capital 

 employed in it is now very great. It appears highly probable that 

 the dead-meat trade will continue in the future to increase year 

 by year with the ever-growing requirements of our population, 

 while the oversea transit of live animals may be expected to 

 diminish and eventually to disappear as a relic of an age of im- 

 perfect economic development. 



Sources of food supply. Refrigerator ships. In spite of the 

 careful fostering of home industries intended to provide the food 

 supply of the United Kingdom, the imports of provisions are regu- 

 larly increasing. Instead of drawing on near-by countries, the 

 English people are looking more and more to their colonies in 

 distant parts of the world for these supplies. This is made pos- 

 sible by the present methods of refrigeration. 



There are 358 ships engaged in the trade of the United Kingdom 

 that are fitted in part or throughout with a total refrigerating ca- 

 pacity of 36 266 ooo cubic feet (m. c. i 015 450). Of this number, 

 71 ships, with a capacity of 3 341 ooo cubic feet (m. c. 93 550) for 

 perishable produce, bring supplies from the United States; from 

 Australia and New Zealand, 92 ships, with 15514000 cubic feet i 

 (m. c. 434 390) cold-storage capacity, bring chiefly beef, mutton, j 

 and butter. From Canada come 47 ships, with i 829 ooo cubic feet 

 (m. c. 51 212) capacity, chiefly with meats and dairy products. The ; 

 number of ships earning from South America carrying refrigerated i 

 cargo is not given, but their capacity for this class of goods is placed \ 

 at 7 611 ooo cubic feet (m. c. 213 no). 



The port of London is at the head of the list in the number 

 of vessels and their carrying capacity, and takes most of the Au- 

 stralian and New Zealand cargoes, while Liverpool is second and 

 takes most of the North and South American cargoes. However, j 

 the shorter trips of the Liverpool steamers bring the yearly sailings j 

 and capacity as high or higher than those of London. 



Cold-storage Warehouses. Increased 'imports of Foodstuffs. - 

 As the large quantities of foodstuffs arriving in England can- 



