Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-07-10
AMERICAN BEEF FOR ENGLAND.

Until within few years past, scarce a
pound of fresh beef or single fat bullock
was exported from America to Great Brit
ain, as it had been thought, up to that pc
Rod, these products could not be placed
there in a fit condition for the consumption
of the fastidious islanders. Moreover, for
some time the value of meats of all kinds
had been so near alike on both sides of the
Atlantic aSto preclude the idea of exporta-
ton at profit. But prices then began to
advance rapidly in Great Britain and the
neigh boring countries of Europe, from
which she had long drawn ample supplies
for her wants over and above her own pro-
auctions, while depression took place to
some extent in America. This prompted
few of our enterprising dealers in fresh
beef and fat bullocks to make the expert
ment of expectation thither. These, at
first, owing to the imperfect refrigeration
of the compartments OH board ship for the
preservation of fresh meat, and lack of
comfortable accommodation for live cattle,
together with some other causes, more
often resulted in loss than profit. But
the pioneers in this business persevered
with the accustomed American pluck, rap
idly introducing one Improvement after an
OSiOi, Jill SnC ca Pun tettiOLo AiOlCooCu dul
ing the past fiscal year, ending June 80,
1879, to 54,025, S32 pounds of fresh beef,
valued at 81, $50 080 and 1856 100 bullocks
valued at S. 379, 200-the whole product
being So, 262, $50. Had it not been for the
British Orders in Council, prohibiting con-
siderable importations of live cattle, on
account of supposed disease, American ex-
portations would have been much larger,
and we have every reason to believe they
will be soon doubled, if not trebled. They
certainly will, If nothing untoward occurs
in this new business. In fact, it promises
so largely and profitably in the future, that
ships are now lifting up expressly Tor the
transportation of fresh meats and live ami
mails of all domestic kinds, not only to the
United Kingdom, but also to France, Bel
GUM, Holland and Denmark, and in due
time the expectation will probably be ex-
tended to other parts of Europe. The in
PRODUCTION of fresh beef from America into
England met at first with great opposition
on the part of many there, and especially
OF the butchers who like the silversmiths
of Ephesus of old, saw their craft in
danger" Provoking accounts of this have
appeared in the English papers but the
following, from correspondent of the
London Times, being rather amusing, |
copy it to show the American reader how
he was treated by his butcher and grocer:
"Some time since large quantities of
American beef began to be imported, just
at time when English beef was reaching
almost famine prices. / know family In
this town, of good position, who, after
much anxious thought, and weighing all
the chances of being poisoned, etc, timor-
ously resolved one day to try this Ameri-
can beef Unfortunately the servants heard
Of the great experiment. The joint-a
fine one-was duly served the family ate
and liked it. They are still aliye.l But
would you believe, sir, not one of the four
servants would touch it Let us not be
too hard on the servants. | would not try
it myself for more than year after the
first importations. Everybody knows that
we can get as good a joint in New York as
in London, but | feared the voyage might
iniure it, A few weeks ago we had UNI
doubted evidence of our butcher sending us
American beef, charged at the price OF
English. | had paid him all winter eleven
pence per pound all round after which
went to American stores, and got similar
Joints at eightpence- halfpenny per pound.
| had been charged fourteenpence per
pound for best Wiltshire hams, when, in
| fact, the same were subsequently found at
sevenpence per pound at American stores. !"
/ In addition 70 the above paltry trick OF
selling good American beef at the exorbi-
tant price then ruling of English, the
butchers resorted to the still more repre-
henslble one of selecting any which hap
pened to be of an inferior quality, or
slightly damaged on the voyage across the
Atlantic, and offering such at lower prices,
| and as the best American. To put an end
to these nefarious transactions, the inn
porters decided on having public sales of
their meat. This brought it directly to
the knowledge of the people, who upon
trial finding it equal to their own. stead
| lily increasing market sprung up for it, and
now fresh American beef, mutton, pork
and poultry sell as freely abroad, and at as
high prices, as the choicest European. a..
| B. Allen.