, 1879-12-18
How London is Fed


Of no small dimensions, 1t interests
not only Londmers themselves, but is
an interesting topic for all.
ENGLAND AS AN IMPORTER OF FOOD.
All the world knows that the United
Kingdom, embracing England, Scotland
and Ireland, in the most productive sea
sons, never raises food enough of any
kind for the support of its population
and particularly is this true Of England
The statist could give the precise figures
to verify this statement, but the general
reader does not care about tables of
mere figures. 1t is enough to say that
England is very large importer of food
of all kinds, and this of sheer necessity.
Beef, pork, veal, mutton, poultry Of all
kinds, wheat, -four, ham, bacon, butter,
cheese, apples and many other fruits,
potatoes and minor vegetables, and
other eating necessaries too numerous to
mention, ale constantly imported and,
with little or no exception, perhaps in
regard to these articles none whatever,
they are imported "free." 1t is well
known, too, that the United States and
Canada furnish by far the larger portion
of these articles year by year. In pros
porous seasons imports OF some of them
come from several countries of the con-
tinent, as France, Belgium, Germany
and Russia. The Odessa region of
Russia, and districts bordering ON the
Black sea, send into England large
quantities OF wheat when the Russian
harvests are abundant. But this year
every one of these countries becomes an
importer Of many of these staples Of
food for internal supply.
Beyond the above named necessary
eatables, England is very large con-
sumer of wines and strong drinks.
These, too, almost wholly, are imported.
The major part Of all these wines and
liquors comes from France, Spain, Italy,
some from Belgium, Germany and Swift
erland, and some from various islands
of the seas. England is also an enor-
nous consumer of beer, porter, ale, ETC.,
but think, in large part, these drinks
are of home manufacture, except per-
haps whiskies of various kinds, which
come from Scotland and Ireland.
To come back to the question of Lon
don food supply-food being necessity,
while these drinks may be classed as
mere luxuries-it is truly wonderful to
see what an amount of food is packed
ia cans and pack ed away to every part
uf this great metropolis Walk through
any of the great thoroughfares in any
direction, and you will meet the same
thing, and in smaller streets and alleys
as well.
The single article of canned fish is
enormous. Salmon is most abundant
Herrings and some othe, kinds are met
with, packed in Scotland. Some'of the
salmon is from the Irish rivers, but near
ly all is from from rivers that run into
the Pacific ocean, as the Columbia, Fra
ser and other rivers. Of any one place,
San Francisco sends out much the larg-
est amount. The numerous brands
show that great many people are en-
barked in the business, and the quanti-
ty met with in the shops of London in
dicptes two things: that it enters large
ly into the iood supply, and must be, in
the catching and canning, good invest
ment of capital. ts
But it is when one looks at the great
variety and amount of canned meats,
everywhere found in London, that as
Constituent is excited. In this regard
Lordon seems to stand far above any
city / have visited on the Continent.
And what is quite natural, with compar-
atively little exception--and | have been
at pains to examine somewhat closely
nearly all this canned meat is put up in
the United States. OF the cities of our
country, and 1 looked at the labels to
detect this, Chicago takes the lead, while
nearly all parts of the country are re-
presented. But what has struck me os
remarkable, and | have searched dill
gently, | have not yet met with the first
specimen of canned meat in London
which was packed in Cincinnati. Let
Cncinnatians make note of this.
In those cans you may find baked
pork and beans from Boston, Philadel-
phia, and some town in Missouri, whose
name has escaped me; roast beef from
Texas (about the only thing, by the way,
from any Southern State), and many