Anniversary Address. xxxiii. 
The coldness of the nights in New Zealand makes the climate 
specially favourable for the process of freezing the meat; but, 
admirable as are the arrangements at Belfast, near Christchurch 
(where I had the pleasure of witnessing the operations), and else- 
where, I feel that much may yet have to be considered in the 
working-out of the details. 
The principle of the machinery now in use is, that air is first 
compressed to such an extent that it attains a temperature of 300°, 
is then passed through cold tubes so as to be restored to its 
former temperature, though in its compressed state, and is then 
allowed to re-expand to its original dimensions, which causes its 
temperature to fall to zero. It seems probable, however, that, under 
some circumstances, it will be found that other means—as, for 
instance, the application of ammonia, ether, or sulphurous acid— 
are more suitable for freezing purposes than the compression of air. 
LITERATURE. 
. I consider it a most healthy sign of the times that, during a period 
in which scientific knowledge has so rapidly advanced, literary study 
and research have made such steady and remarkable progress. Time 
would not permit me even to emunerate the principal literary works 
of the past year; but, to take merely one branch as an example— 
archæology—how much is there to tell ! 
| DISCOVERIES IN EGYPT. 
Foremost amongst the archzological discoveries must be placed 
the interesting investigations which have recently been made in 
t. 
a 1878 some ruins at Tel-El-Maskutah, which had previously 
been considered * not worth visiting” (although some scholars had 
believed them to mark the site of Raamses, mentioned in the book of 
Exodus), were practically examined, and, amongst other things, was 
found a sculptured group, which was conveyed to Ismailia. When Sir 
Erasmus Wilson’s exploring expedition commenced operations last 
year, the first step taken by M. Naville, who was in command of the 
party, was to examine these carvings. He observed that they were 
dedicated to the god Tum, the setting sun, and describe Rameses II. 
(the great monarch of the 18th Egyptian dynasty, who reigned in 
the 14th century B.C.) as the friend of Tum. Hence he conjectured 
that they might come from one of the many cities which bore the 
sacred or temple name (as opposed to the popular name) of Pe-Tum 
(i.e., the abode of Tum) ; and that this Petum might be the same as 
the City of Pithom, which is mentioned in Exodus i, ll, as one of 
the treasure cities built by the children of Israel for Pharaoh. On 
Cc 
