COMPRESSED CARGOES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3118, 23 June 1917, Page 10

COMPRESSED CARGOES

CONSERVING SHIPPING SPACE. ' Melbourne, Juno 7. In view of tlio increasing scarcity of shipping tonnage with which to carry the Australian exportable surplus of primary products to the markers of the Allies, merchants and shipping officials have lately taken counsel together in order to devise ways and means of utilising the space available in oversea steamers to its utmost capacity in dead-weight and measurement. Experiments have been attended with marked success in so far as the compression of wool and tho scientific pneking of frozen mutton and lamb aro concerned. Tho representatives of the overseas shipping companies in ilelbourno and woolbrokers throughput Victoria have been directiajj their attention towards the "double-dumping" of wool bales in tho hydraulic press, and tho tcBiilt is that two bales aro now being compressed into about 25' cubic feet, as compared with 17 cubic feet, formerly occupied by a singlo bale. This'represents si saving on the wool shipment alone of 30 per cent, of 6pace.

There are large quantities of beef, mutton, lamb, and rabbits awaiting export in all tho pt-inuipal porta of the Commonwealth, for which adequate shipping spaco cauont at the present time bo obtained. Although every effort is being made to get the tonnago rotinircd, steamers with capacity for frozen cargoes aro not likely to be diverted to the Australian roiite. A considerable saving, amounting to about 20 per cent, of refrigerated space, is likely to bo effected, however, as"the result of cutting off the hindqnarters and the "chump" of frozen beef and mutton, and pnekinqr them inside the carcasses. Satisfactory tests have been made in Melbourne and Sydney on frozen mutton and lamb. Tim new method of packing frozen beef is as yet in the exnerimental stage in Sydney and Brisbane, and the result should soon be available. A. conference will shortly be held in Sydney, when exporters of" frozen meat will place the result of their tests in conserving spues before Mr. 13. Owen Cox. representing the Imperial shipping authorities.