THE MEAT PRESERVING PROCESS.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 12 May 1880, Page 2

THE MEAT PRESERVING PROCESS.

The following letter from H. Weld Blundell, who lately visited Mans. GifI fard's freezing machinery, at Paris, is published m the Caprieornia, a Qaeens* lsnd pap»r. Mr Blundell says s— The Bell and CoJeman process was m the main, it not entirely, invented by a Frenchman named Giffard, who finding the process faulty m many ways, gave it up and sold the patent. Giffard then set to work arid has since invented i machine which, although not differing m principle from bis former invention, stilt contains i two improvements of the utmost possible importance. A fortnight ago I went over to Paris with a number of gentlemen from London, and carefully examined Giffard's at work at the establishment of la Com* panic 'Frigorique.' We found the ma* ; ehinery wonderfully simple, absolutely free from the complexity and intricacy of most feetriag machines, ud turning out hcwijy 800 cubic metres of cold dry air, at a temperature©/ 6» d*f. centigrade* or 70 degrees below aero Faraeneit. The machine was worked by a small 24-howe power engine Indicated, or about 12 nom. inal— about the same site as a donkey engine on a large ship. The process is the following »— Air is admitted at the ordinary temperature into a cylinder with a diameter of 9F inches. The piston descending oompresses the air into a pressure of thfee atmospheres, Or 451 bto the square inch. This pressure raises the temperature of the air so compressed by 10$ degree* ceatigfade, or 200 degrees Farheneit from what it was before pressure. The air is then passed into a large drum of strong boiler metal, where it still remain* at the »*s« pressure and fat.

Cold water is then injected through pipes that traverse the dram, as m an ordinary condensing engine. . This water reduces the temperature ol the air to within a few degrees of itself, and the air is then passed on still at the same pressure of 481 bto the square inch and admitted into another cylinder working m conjunction with the first, where the force of expan* [ sion is utilised at the end of the stroke of the piston for assisting the engine m the work of air compressing m the first cy» Under. The two piston rods are worked from the ends of a crank with a fixed centre. The air m this second cylinder m ptsting from a pressure of 4sbs to the •quite inch to the normal atmospberio pressure loses 106 degrees centigrade m the same way, and for the same reasons that it gained that heat In the first cylinder, but as the water has already drawn off by, conduction from 50 to 60 degrees centigrade of heat from the air, the temperature falls when the air is a!« lowed to expand to a temperature about 60 degrees centigrade lower than that of the water used m the injecting dram. The cold air is then driven into a chamber, where it is utilised for cooling. Both this process and Bell snd Cameron's hare this great advantage orer others, that the excessive cold produced m the expansion m the second cylinder precipitates all moisture m the air m the form of snow which lies m a heap outside the discharge pipe. The advantage of Giffard's second ma* chine over Bell and Coleman's is that he has introduced an india-rubber packing to the pistons* with air passages connect ing the back of the peeking with the interior of the cylinder, so that when the air is not compressed, the pistons work easily, but when compressing a perfectly airtight piston is produced. Simple as this may seem it is all-important, as without it he was unable to obtain the requisite pressure without enormous fine* tionorheat, This machine is capable d keeping; a chamber containing 200,000 cubic feet down to a temperature at SO degrees centigrade, or nearly 60 degrees below zero Farheneit. The cost of a machine is about £600. Whitehead and Co. bare just secured the sole right of use of this machine m England and the colonies from the French in* venter* ami I trust that before many months have passed steps will have been taken to utilise it lor the expott of meat from Australia. A single machine set up at Rockhampton would be capable of freexing for export many thousands of tons of meat, and only a small mashine would be requisite to keep the tempera tare m the meat compartments on board during the passage down to the proper degree of cold. The 8. M. Herald writes upon the same subject : A number of gentlemen inter* estedrathe Meat Exportation Question assembled on the afternoon of March 1, at MorVs Freexing Works, Darling Harbour, to take into consideration the ques« tion whether it would be preferable to have meat killed m the interior or m Sydney, and whether it should be shipped with the skin on or without that covering. The course adopted to settle these ones* tions was the examination of the carcass of a fat wether killed at Mr Carlo Marina's Moppity station, near Young, on the 14th August last* sent down to Sydney and froaen eight days afterwards. This wether, with several others, wai forwarded with the skin on to Captain Farquhar, and on the Ist instant was skinned by an experienced butcher. When frozen the carcass weighed 69 Jibs, and when put on the scale previously Jd being skinned it weighed fllbs, thjfl crease being due to moisture aequia^H the fleece m the transit to the fa^^H works* On beiig skinned the n <^^H found to be m perfect conditioo^^H part being sound and sweet. At^^H eteminness or dampness was notie^^H on the outside for a time, but this^H owing to the vapours of the beatea| atmosphere condensing on the intensely cold carcass. The wool looked excel* tent, being elastic and lustrous ; and *f, as is calculated, the wool and the pelt will fetch a price at home, which will, more than pay for the carriage thither of the meat, there can he no two opinions on the question that it would be better to send the carcasses borne una skinned* than to so to the expense and trouble of skiaaing them and covering them with canvas. The meat was, as we have said, m fanltnets condition, but no definite general opinion as to the res* pective merits of killing it here or at the pasture ground was taken. Considering, however, that it was winter or early spring when it was sent down, aid that should a meet trade with England be es» tabfisbed the supply would have to be kept up nmme/ at watt as winter, we think ibal bo batter course could be adopted than to freeae the meat at the slaughtering establishment, send it dowa m cool trucks, and freeae it again here. Mr Marina states that a .wether like the one skinned was sea* to England m the Strstblereo, and tbnt two others, weigh* ing 84'bu each, are still reposing m the cool shades of the chilling room at (fort's Freezing Works.

thrown over tbe face while ridiogor walking against a cold wind, is a remarkably comfortable protection. Never sit or stand with the wind Wowing oji yon for a siogle moment, for it speedily produces a chill, to be followed with a fever, and then a bad cold. A hearty meal, taken while excessively fattened, has often destroyed life. Spending two or three moments oa rising and retiring m rapid friction of the whole surface of the bodr with tbe band it a more health-promoting operation for most persons than a daily cold water brth. Acidity always arises either from having eaten too mneh food, or of a quality which the stomach coold not dissolve. The remedy is eat less and less each meal, until there is no acidity, then yon know for yourself how much your stomach can manage ; to eat the same amonnt and us regularly, take something to correct the aridity, is certain to caase dyspepsia, or some other moire serious form of disease. Industry and economy will always, ensure competence, and often open the pathway to affluence, and if integrity be added, to respectability and influence. A man whatever may be bis /situation m early life, who lays down a correct line of conduct, and penevers theretof|Mth that patience, fortitude and talents which he is endowed; will always be loccessful. An old patriot of the Bevo* Sution, who wished the rising generation to emulate the virtues of their fathers, used to say "Do what yon believe to be right and trust to Providence for the issue. -p---