The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-20 00:00:00

PRESERVATION OF FOOD BY MEANS

OF ICE.

That a sufficient reduction of temperature in con-
nexion with proper receptacles would enable all
sorts of food manufacturers, such as graziers and
butchers, poulterers, dairymen, horticulturists, and
many others, to store and keep fresh immense
quantities of food—killing animal food and pluck-
ing or other wise reapin,, vegetable food at conve-
nience, or when ready for use, one cannot doubt.
And as to the question how long such articles,
especially flesh or animal food of all sorts, could
thus be kt pt, we may reply that really there
appears to be scarcely any limit as to time ;
but, on a moderate calculation, say perhaps-
-10,000 years I Indeed, we need not say perhaps;
for this has actually been proved to be a fact;
it is no mere supposition. Every one has
heard of the extraordinary discovery, some years
ago, of the carcass of an elephant encased in an ice-
berg off the northern coast of Siberia. This ele-
phant was one of a peculiar and extinct breed, and
covered with a thick coat of hair, as if fitted for
precisely such a state of things as that of which
we lately spoke, with reference to the era of ice and
drift. By geologists and others this elephant is
believed to have lived in that very era ; and we
would suggest that it was provided with a coat of
hair in order to adapt this tropical animal to a state
of matters in which, as we have shown, winters of
arctic intensity must have alternated with summers
of tropical heat. Be that as it may, however, and
seriously speaking, the flesh of this huge animal
must have been preserved for thousands of years;
and that it was preserved in at least an eatable
state was evidenced by the fact that Russian dogs
did not object to partake cf it. Again, in coming
down a few years in our estimation of time, a para-
graph has quite recently been going the round of
the papers in respect to certain food stores which
were deposited in the arctic regions many years ago,
and which were lately found in quite a fresh and
good edible condition. If, however, animal and
vegetable food could only be preserved for a few
months, it must be a most important manufacturing
and commercial object in many cases to realise such
a possibility. When those immense shoals of her-
rings, inackarel, pilchards, and other fish come to
hand, which are strewn upon our coast occasion-
ally in such profuse abundance that they cannot be
sold for human food ere they rot, and are therefore
carted off to the land for manure; municipal autho-
rities and others being sometimes obliged to pay for
the riddance; how easily could such windfalls be
preserved for deliberate sale to the poor at a cheap
rate in large receptacles properly adjusted as to
temperature. In a similar way graziers and poul-
terers might kill their flocks by wholesale when-
ever they become fit for the table; so saving their
feed while otherwise waiting alive for market.—
Builder.

DISASTROUS NEWS FROM DAVIS' STRAITS.—
On Wednesday the barque Emma, Capt. William Wells,
belonging to Messrs. T. Ward and Co., arrived at Hull
from Cumberland Inlet. We are sorry to state that the
crew of the Emma have not seen a single whale during the
whole of their stay on the fishing grounds. Captain Wells
brings very unfavourable news. He states that from the
time he left Hull, on the loth of March last, up to his arri-
val at the Orkneys on his return voyage, there has been a
succession of violent storms. Nearly all the sailing vessels
have returned clean, and many have been lost, the ice
having closed in upon them almost without warning. Their
crews have been compelled in many instances to travel
over many hundred miles of ice to get to other vessels, or to
some settlement. Capt. Wells states that during the whole
of his experience he has never met with such dreadful
weather. At one time the crews of 12 vessels, numbering
in all 600 men, were standing on the ice during a severe
storm, every moment excepting to see their vessels crushed
to pieces. The Abram, of Kirkcaldy, was crushed with
such suddenness that, although provisions, boats, clothes,
&c., wore on deck in readiness for an emergency, every-
thing went down with the vessel, and the crew was with
difficulty saved. On Thursday morning Alessrs. Brown,
Atkinson, and Co., managers of the Hull Whale and Seal
Fishing Company, were advised of the arrival of the True-
love, Capt. R. Wells, at Lerwick, With about 30 tuns of
oil. The Truelove is the only sailing ship belonging to
this port that has had any success whatever this year.
Captain Wells reports the Lady Seale, steamer, with 11 fish
(70 tuns), and the Diana, steamer. Neither of these
steamers has arrived. All the above vessels belong to the
Hull Whale and Seal Fishing Company.
Messrs. J. Belton
and Co., High-street, have heard from Captain Couldrey,
announcing his arrival at Copenhagen with the remainder
of the Lord Gambier's crew, also with 28 of the Chieftain's
and some belonging to the Abram, Resolution, and Alex-
ander. Thus in one season, the Chieftain having been lost,
although her crew were saved, the liiirkealdy fleet of three
vessels has been totally destroyed.