WELLINGTON PRESERVED MEAT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 13, 22 April 1871, Page 6

WELLINGTON PRESERVED MEAT.

H,M.S. Challenger, Portsmouth, Feb. 20,1871. My Deae Sie,—l hasten to redeem the promise I made to you before leaving Wellington, that I would let you know how the mutton hams and sides turned out that you sent on board for trial. I may premise my remarks by telling you that for a considerable portion of the voyage from Wellington to the Cape of Good Hope the weather was very* trying for all sorts of preserved provisions, being vert/ hot, and with a peculiar moist feeling ; in fact, a large quantity of ealted meat had to be thrown away, having become putrid. This will account for the dates following each other pretty quickly on the appended list, as we were anxious to save as much as we could in case of putrefaction commencing. * Oct. 10—Commenced side of mutton. ii 13— " « « 20 — " Ist ham. « 22 — " 2nd do. Nov. 1— " 3rd do. Dec. 12— " 4th do. From first to last, the meat proved exceedingly good, and I express the opinion of my messmates when I tell you that the mutton hams, both in quality and flavor, were the best we ever tasted in the Australian colonies. We ibied the meat in every way, hot, cold, grilled, &c, and found it excellent. At first we were rather fearful about keeping it, because "(during the hot weather) the middle of the rolled sides, and the part of the hams close to the bone, were quite soft, but from the absence of any bad odour, and the flavor being unimpaired, we concluded that it must have been something in the preserving process which affected the fibre of the meat, although it did no harm apparently. The last ham, you will see, was kept nearly three months; it was exposed to the changes of temperature on the main deck during the whole of that time, and when the weather became good we ate it. It was equally good with the others. I have no hesitation in saying that the sides and hams preserved by you would be well worth the attention of shipmasters and others who desire that kind of food. * * * * I am, &c, Richd. A. Fowleb. F. Sidey, Esq. ~ [We understand that the sheep were of the Southdown breed, bred by Mr George Hunter, and preserved by Mr F. Sidey'a new process. —Ed-. N. Z. M.] ;