General Supplies — Not only are the supplies of bacon from the continent decreas- 

 ing, but the local production as well is being materially reduced, on account of the extra 

 demand for fresh pork, caused by the high prices of beef and mutton. It should be 

 noted that, while Irish bacon is becoming an appreciable factor in the trade, the output 

 is not at all commensurate with the increased demand. Practically the only other 

 sources from which Great Britain can draw her supply are to be found in Canada and 

 the United States. The latter country has more than doubled her exports to the 

 United Kindgom since 1913, and in 1915 forwarded an amount exceeding in value that 

 supplied by Denmark by £3,623,987. Canada has also increased her exports from 

 £863,139 in 1913 to £3,324,511 in 1915, but at the present moment is exporting about 

 one-quarter only of the amount furnished by the United States. This latter considera- 

 tion must be recognized, notwithstanding the fact that Canadian bacon is selling at an 

 advance of from ten to twelve shillings per hundred weight above American, and is 

 admitted to be generally of superior quality. The Canadian hog is of a type from which 

 Wiltshire bacon can be successfully produced, while the fat hog of America cannot easily 

 be adapted to the fastidious requirements of this trade. With the stimulus given to all 

 sales and the high prices resulting from War Office orders, there may easily be seen the 

 opportunity that is now presented to Canada to develop a very remunerative bacon 

 trade with Great Britain. 



Quality of the Output — This opportunity undoubtedly exists, and if properly 

 safeguarded, can be fully realized. It must be pointed out, however, that while 

 Canada clearly holds the favourable position above outlined, this position can be 

 established only by commercial enterprise, business development and strict integrity, 

 coupled with volume of supply. I have reason to believe that bacon is at present being 

 exported from this country that is a credit neither to the business experience nor to 

 the honesty of intention of those who are sending it forward. 



From another point of view, it should be noted that lack of information with 

 respect to the niceties of the trade, a faulty cure, even ineffective advertising may be 

 just as fatal to the future of our export business as are dishonesty or fraud. In this 

 enterprise Canada will be faced by the keenest competition of wit, business acumen and 

 intense application, that capital and brains can furnish, and we cannot hope to get very 

 far unless we create such an effective system as may enable us to meet such competition 

 on its own ground. 



Frozen Beef 



War Demand — A somewhat complicated problem presents itself as regards the 

 sale of this commodity. The price of frozen beef is practically and effectively controlled 

 by the British War Office. This control, it is generally admitted, has prevented a 

 monopoly price being realized by the packers, has provided against any undue rise in 

 value, except from widely operating causes, and has even resulted in a depression of the 

 market in a comparison with prices that might have been expected to obtain, owing to 

 greatly increased demand as against a bare continuance of normal supply. The War 

 Office has been able to attain this pre-eminent position in the meat trade through its 

 control of the transport service, and, while this control remains intact, the 

 price of frozen beef in Great Britain, France and Italy will, undoubtedly, be 

 materially affected by the dictation of the Imperial authorities. It is, perhaps, 

 worth while stating in this connection that contracts with the French and Italian Govern- 

 ments become, by consent, practically inoperative, except when ratified by the British 

 War Office, and that this ratification is refused unless the price is approved, or, in other 

 words, conforms to the figure that the War Office itself is obliged to pay. The fact that 

 Great Britain has undertaken to furnish France with 20,000 tons of frozen meat per 

 month and Italy with 100,000 tons per year, will indicate the extent of the British War 

 Office operations and its practical dominance of the situation. It was intimated that 

 this supply to these two countries would probably be continued during the period of the 

 war. 



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