FREEZING APPARATUS ON THE ORIENT.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2507, 2 April 1881, Page 2

FREEZING APPARATUS ON THE ORIENT.

The s.s. Orient completed her fourth voyage to Melbourne on Saturday. From Plymouth the Orient took nearly 300 passengers, of whom about 60 were in the saloon, 57 in the second saloon, and 180 in the third-class and steerage. In the list were several for Cape Town, and four were booked for Sydney. Amongst the dead-weight portion of the cargo for Melbourne'is some iron necessary for the carrying out of the repairs of the Sorata. The mails brought by the Orient are comprised in 31 bags, and her dates of English papers are to the sth ult. The Orient, on her pro. vious voyage,? was (says the “ Argus ”) fitted with a Bell-Coleman’s freezing apparatus for the preservation of fresh meat, fish, poultry fruit, &«. The experiment was found to answer admirably, and it resulted in such snscess that it was'resolved to enlarge the area of the freezing-chamber, and fill it with fresh provisions for the use of passengers during the voyage. The Orient consequently left Home without a single head of ltve stock, and_ had all her requirements, in these articles, in* eluding fish, fruit &c., contained in this enlarged chamber. A great deal of extra trouble and expense was thus saved in the feeding and caretaking and subsequently slaughtering of the lire stock, and there was also great economy of the space taken up on deck by the bullocks, sheep, and poultry. The experiment of bringing out Home products by means of this; cold air principle has also been tested on this voyage of the Orient, and on Saturday there were brought forth from her frigid arium hampers containing,codfish turbot,soles* capons, &c., all in .excellent preservation. A portion of this consignment was for the Melbourne Club, and also for Mr George Coppin, whose visions with regard to this long and devoutly wished-for consummation have at last been realised. The joints on view on Saturday had quite a natural appearance, and showed no signs of the juices of the lean portion running into the fat and coloring it. The freezingchamber has been increased in size, and is now equal in capacity to 58 tons measurement, so that it can hold a large quantity of provisions. The engine continues to work satisfactorily, and is quite equal to the demand made on it. Ice-making is #lso carried on on board by aid of the Bell-Coleman apparatus. No hitch of any sort occurred with the machinery during the voyage. The Orient left Plymouth at 1.45 p.m. on the sth ult. and reached Adelaide shortly after midnight on the 16th instant, after a passage of 39 days lOf hours over all, or 37 days 9 hours’ run, making allowance for detentions e» route and for difference in time in longtitude.