THE PROTOS EXPERIMENT.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3061, 19 April 1881, Page 3

THE PROTOS EXPERIMENT.

The London correspondent of a Victorian paper sends the following account of the Protos' arrival in England : —

The steamer Protos, with a shipment of Australian meat, arrived on the afternoon of January 20th, and a number of Australians immediately went on board. When the meat salesmen inspected the meat it was found to he in excellent condition. Five hundred carcases of sheep were at once sent to Smithfield and all were sold before 8 a.m. on the 21st, and more sent for. The price was nearly 7d per lb, being but less than the primest Scotch and Id more than American. Amongst the reasons given for ttese high prices are—First, the good quality of the meat, it being dry, clean, and free from stain ; secondly, the snowstorms throughout England preventing tho receipt of the usual supplies from the provinces, and causing a scarcity in the meat in London ; and thirdly, that tho meat in the market being frozen, it prevented unfavourable comparisons between the appearance of the Australian and the British meat. All tho meat has been sold since, at an average price of 5-_-d per lb. All was disposed of previous to the break up of frost, and therefore under favorable circumstances. Since the thaw the meat has been perfectly good, hut its good quality caused the gravy to work into the fat, already porous through frost and to discolour it. The experiment is voted on all sides a great success. There is no complaint from butchers who were purchasers. A carcase was sent as a present to the Lord Mayor of London. The engine on board the Protos worked well throughout the voyage, keeping the temperature easily eight degrees below freezing point. The price realised for the meat would be even higher had not the carcase of some sheep been placed in the cold chamber of the Protos before they had been frozen stiffly, and become pressed by others into unsightly shapes. The engineer suggests many improvements in future shipments. He recommends many smaller chambers hermetically sealed. The Protos was nearly wrecked off the j Isle of Wight in a great storm. The few quarters of beef sent Home were highly praised, and voted the best-grown meat in the market. They realised 7d per lb. The butter placed on the market was pronounced rank, but some few tons are already sold at Is per lb. We have since heard by cable that the butter was in splendid condition and was disposed of to great advantage.