344 The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology. [Noy. 
cold to hot weight can be of very little practical value to us at this 
side of the world. 
Transportation. 
It is claimed that there is a further loss of weight due to evaporation 
during transportation. Various ports in England estimate this in various 
ways, but the general average is 2 per cent., and this is deducted in addition 
to the previously mentioned 6 per cent. The quaint position with regard 
to this estimated loss lies in the fact that if the loss exceeds 2 per cent, 
the sellers have to make good, but if the loss is less the broker gets the 
benefit. 
If we are out of pocket in this matter we deserve to be, for how much 
interest do our shippers take in the transportation ? None ! The cargoes 
are shipped and are out of mind until the Home returns are due. We 
entrust cargoes of meat equal, say, to 100,000 freight carcases of 60 lb. 
weight, and of a value, at 5d. per pound, of £125,000, to ships’ officers 
whose only worry is to land the cargo hard and sweet. 
The following illuminating report appeared one time in one of our 
southern newspapers concerning two shipments of perishable goods sent 
under refrigeration from the same store and by the same boat. The first 
shipment was not satisfactory, but the second was, and the reason of the 
different results was given as due to the fact that in the first instance the 
deck officers were given a bonus, and in the second the bonus was given to 
the engineers. Is the quality of our product to be impaired bv our lack 
of interest in the transportation ? I do not suggest or advocate the bonus 
system, but I do suggest that we should take an hourly interest in these 
valuable cargoes during transportation. 
While ships’ engineers are quite capable of maintaining desired tem¬ 
peratures, very few of them are aware of the effect of temperatures 
upon meat. An engineer endeavours to get his temperatures well down, so 
as to have a reserve for any contingency which may interfere with the 
continuous running of his refrigerating machinery. Meat cargoes should 
be carried at from 15° to 17° F. Widely varying and lower temperatures 
are detrimental. 
About 70 per cent, of the moisture in meat is water. Now, water is 
at its greatest density at 39T° F., and freezing increases its volume one- 
seventh. The fabric or tissue, however, is subject to the . general law of 
reduction of volume upon reduction of temperature. We have, therefore, 
two natural forces working in opposition to one another, the tissue shrinking 
around the swelling ice, and the result is the straining of the tissue beyond 
its elastic limit, causing a permanent lengthening, so that when the meat 
is thawed out and the moisture again shrinks to its original volume the 
tissue becomes flabby ; moreover, the blood-veins are burst, and the blood 
permeates the meat and causes discoloration. 
To check the temperature recording-thermometers should be placed in 
various parts of the holds, and the engineers should be held responsible 
for undue variations. To establish the { best conditions of transportation 
inspectors should be sent upon several of the boats, and logs should be kept 
with regard to temperatures, and, when air-circulation is used, to velocities 
also. These logs should then be carefully compared. 
The 2 per cent, deducted from the frozen weights represents 126,858 
carcases, and is the minimum loss assumed and accepted. As the only 
