Twenty dears' Changes in our Foreign Meat Supplies. 483 
trade opened, the following are the proportions of our beef 
supply which came from the American Continent, from the 
Scandinavian countries, and from the rest of Europe respec- 
tively at the three following dates : 
Live Cattle Imports. 
1877. 
1883. 
1886. 
Tons. 
Tons. 
Tons. 
From Canada and the United Stales 
6,600 
72,900 
62, GOO 
14,000 
34,500 
19,900 
28,800 
25,900 
8,700 
Total 
49,400 
133,300 
91,200 
If I were to add in similar groups and for like years the 
receipts of dead meat recorded as " beef," the westward course of 
the centre of our foreign beef supplies would be yet more evident, 
and it is not difficult to do this. The beef imports so returned 
from the United States and Canada in the earlier of the above 
years exceeded 33,000 tons, while the whole import from all 
quarters fell short of 34,000 tons, thus leaving less than 1000 tons 
for the contribution of all non-American countries. In 1883 
the States and Canada provided in beef, salted and fresh, more 
than 52,500 tons. Not 2000 tons reached us from Europe, to 
make up the total 54,500 for that year. Last year the European 
quota was much less than this, and the American total itself was 
lower, 48,000 tons coming from Canada and the States, with 
less than 400 tons from all Europe. 
A new element, however, now appears, for we have no longer 
alone to deal with North America and with Europe, but, as in 
the case of mutton, with our distant Australasian Colonies, 
especially New Zealand and Queensland, and with the exports 
of certain South American States. But this new quota would 
not much disturb the contrast, for 1400 tons of beef would cover 
the receipts from both the last-named regions. Disregarding 
for the moment this relatively insignificant item, without in- 
tending to set it down as an impossible source of future com- 
petition, I may roughly show the change in the sources of our 
beef imports, live and dead, as between Europe and America 
thus : — 
Cattle and Beef Imported. 
1877. 
1883. 
1886. 
From America 
T<.ns. 
40,000 
Tons. 
125,000 
Tons. 
110,000 
44,000 
62,000 
20,000 
VOL. XXIII. — S. S. 2 K 
