FREEZING APPARATUS ON THE. ORIENT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 369, 2 April 1881, Page 2

FREEZING APPARATUS ON THE. ORIENT.

Thes.s. Orient completed her fourth, voyage to Melbourne on Saturday. From Plymouth the Orient look nearly 300 passengers, of whom 60 were in the. saloon, 57 in the second saloon, and 180; in the third; class, and steerage. In the. list were several for Capetown, and four were booked there for Sydney. Amongst tfie 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 previous voyage, was (says the A.rgus) fitted with a Bell-Coleman’B freezing, apparatus for the preservation of fresh meat, fish, poultry, fruit, etc. The experiment was found, to, answer admirably, and it resulted in such,success that it was resolved to enlarge the. area of the freezing chamber, and fi|l it with- fresh, provisions for the use of the passengers-, during the voyage. The Orient con-, sequently left Home without a single head of Jive stock, and had ail her re-, quirements in these articles, including fish, fruit, etc., contained in this enlarged chamber, A great deal of extra trouble, and expense was thus saved in the feeding and caretaking and subsequent, slaughteringof the live stock, and there, was also a great economy of the space, taken up on deck by the bullocks, sheep, and poultry. The experiment of bringing out Home products by meuns of this coldair principle has also been tested on this voyage of the Orient, and on Saturday there were brought forth from her frigidarium hampers containing codfish, turbot, soles, capons, etc., all in excellen 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 sign of the j uices of the . lean portion running into the fat and, coloring it. The freezing chamber Has.been increased in size, and is now equal in capacity to 58 tons measurement, so , that it can hold a large quantity of pro- , visions. The engine continues to work satisfactorily; and is quite equal to the demand made upon it. Ice making is also carried on on board by means 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 10| hours over all, or 37 days 9 hours run, making allowance for detenr tions en route and for difference in time, in longitude.