LONDON MEAT TRADE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1639, 4 January 1913, Page 3

LONDON MEAT TRADE.

j STORAGE FACILITIES AT THE DOCK. ; With' tho continued increase in tho importation of iro:ceh and chilled meat into tho Thames,' say's' tho London .correspondent or tho "Vastoi-alisls' Review," the problems, connected with its skilful handling and. its expeditious and, convenient storage have' for some- timo past received the attention of the Port of ,London Authority.. Ti'io Authority., have becn;;in communication,>ith producers and' shippers abroad,.as welt as with importers and merchants in London, with a view to providing additional and improved accommodation for tho trade. As a result, arrangements have ' now . been approved whereby cold storage facilities . will bo available in tho ' near future for tho enormous quantity of approximately 1,100,000 carcasses., The recent decision to erect an additional cold .store at West Smithfleld has been followed by tho adoption of a scheme which will admit of a further 250,000 carcasses, being stored at the Albert Dock, under conditions unsurpassed.in any port of the kingdom. On tho completion of tho works tho total capacity of •'. the Authority's . cold stores, stated in terms of carcasses.of mutton/ will be as follows:— / : Carcasses.. ~ Albert Dock 430,000 Victoria Dock .1 325,000 . ' West Smithlield 171,000 West India Dock ....;..... 90,000 Surrey Commercial Dock ..;,... 67,000

. '"■' / '•'■' . "1,086,000' ' . Tho additional accommodation at 'tho Albert Dock, which wjll involve an outlay of about iC275,000 will mark a new, departure, as it will'include provision for tho discharge by conveyors direct from ships' holds into threo commodious sorting sheds. This method will, avoid ' undue handling in the ship, which tends to, damage tho meat, and will further pro-' vide for the rapid transit;-of-the. meat from tho refrigerated chambers of tho vessel into the acpacious insulated sorting sheds. In this way tho exposure of tho meat to' liighor temperature during the process of discharge - will bo reduced to an absolute minimum, and the discharge of tho vessel carrying tho meat will bo considerably accelerated. The construction of the huge cold storo for , 250,000 carcasses connected with tho sorting sheds •will provide thebest accommodation for such jueat as it is- not desired to 'transfer at ones'from! tho shed to insulated railway trucks, road vans or barges. These facilities for avoiding unnecessary handling and exposure may with con- 1 fidence bo expected to havo some influence upon insurauco rates, to tho advantage of .consignee and consumer alike! ' For this further largo addition to tho cold storage facilities offered by tho Port '■of London Authority, tho Albert Dock is considered by tho trade to offer'tho most advantageous site, as this dock is within tho London cartago area, and in direct railway communication with tho provinces, and tho largest clas3 of vessel entering the port , can. bo accommodated there. Should, however, frozen meat imports continue to increase at their present rate, still further accommodation may bo necessary, and if tho Albert Dock continues tt> ba the favourite dock for tho colonial trade tho extension of the scheme along the north sido of tho dock is practicable. ' I The Authority havo decided as tho next step in tho, development ; of facilities for handling frozen meat to concentrate as far as possible the landing of such meat at special .berths to be provided in tho Royal Albert Dock. At these berths it is intended to erect specially-equipped 6heds and cold stores for tho reception of—. (a). Frozen • meat which consignees- dcsiro to land merely for. the purpose of sorting and delivery to van, craft, or ro.il- ■ way truck. (b) Cold store chambers for tho storage of consignments to bo loft in tho custody of tho Authority. • „ . - (c) Accommodation for general cargo which may bb discharged trora tho suino steamers as tho frozen moat. • ' The sito which has boon 6elootcd has tho advantage of full railway facilities W tho dispatch of frozen meat and other goods throughout tho United Kingdom, and is also within the.cartage area of the Coutrnl Meat Market at West Smithficld. . • In addition to authorising this special provision at tho Royal Victoria and Albert Docks, tho Authority havo also spent a considerable sum jn tfio further equip-ment-of cold stores for .frozen meat at tho West India Dock,-where chambers cap: nblo of accommodating 90,000 carcasses have been approved by tho underwriters. As a further addition to tliesc extensions and improvements, tho Authority havo approved a proposal for tho 'erection of a cold storo at West Smithficld.adjacent to their existing ptemiws • there. This new storo will be capable of accommodating from 00,000 to 80,000 carcasses, and will enjoy .the same facilities as the existing cold storo at West Smithfield of' direct communication with the docks whci-o' tho produce is discharged as well as of cartago and opwly transfer into store or into .tnoniatkot, ....'.■ , j