Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-10-16
FOOD FOR FIVE MILLIONS.
The Great Mass Daily Consumed
by the People of London.
Tons Upon Tons of Fresh Meats and Game
Required to FIJI the Hungry Stom-
achs of the Dwellers In the
Worlds Metropolis.

There are within the limits of the
metropolis no fewer than 5000, 900 hui
man beings each of whom has every
day to be provided with food. To set
forth fully the particulars on this
point would be impossible, and we
shall only glauce at one or two of the
staple supplies, respecting which we
have been able To secure something
like reliable information. In spite of
the growth OF yegetarianism in recent
years, the vast majority # the resi-
dents in these islands still believe in
the roast beef Of old England" In
London this is especially the case; and
when you come 70 think how many OF
the millions of this vast metropolis
eat meat AZ least once day, some idea
may be formed of the extraordinary
resources that must exist to meet the
demand. These resources are to n
large extent beyond the sea. Not only
does London itself not furnish any of
the cattle killed for consumption, but
those sent from the provinces and from
Scotland and Ireland only go to form n
fraction of the meat consumed in Lon
don. The larger proportion comes
from the United States Canada, the
River Platte, New Zealand and AUS
tralia- either dead or as live cattle.
The latter are landed at Deptford and
at Birkenhead, at which places they
are killed.
Live cattle from abroad, intended for
the London meat market, are, as we
have said, landed at Nrkephead and
Deptford Practically, all the cattle
arriving at Deptford are from the
United States and Canada; none from
present time. There is splendid &C.
commodation for the largest steamers
at the Deptford jetties, and last year
4s6 of them discharged cattle there,
being an increase of 800 as compared
with the previous year. The total
number of animals landed at Dcptford
last year was 237, 45-l7I,S i3 being
beasts, and &C., s0a sheep. immediately
on arrival, the cattle are examined by
the government inspector to see that
they are free from disease, then they
are run into sheds, whore they remain
till their time of pole -axing comes. No
animal is allowed to leave Beptford
alive; slaughter houses exist here, not
in twos and threes, but in whole
streets-and all the meat is. of course,
sent to London.
Another of the feeders of Smithfeld
meat market is the Metropolitan cat
tie market at Holloway. The cattle
disposed of here come from all quar-
ters o. England, Scotland and ireland.
There are at present, and have been
for some time, orders of the board OF
agriculture in force prohibiting cattle
from Canada, the United States and
all continental countries, but last year
toll was received on 40. S22 Canadian
ana ~, 20S United States sheep. The
total number of animals entering
Hol .oway market last year was:
Beasts, lo4, 1893; sheep, o1o,436; calves,
5,2o7, and pigs, 597. The very small
number of pigs is accounted for by the
fact that the pig market was closed
for the greater portion OF the year
owing to the prevalence OF swine
fever.
II London had to depend for its meat
cattle that arrive, its wants would be
but inade9uately met. OF late years
there has sprung up an extraordinary
trade in frozen and chilled meats. So
far as beef is concerned, America, Of
course, leads the way, and some idea
of the steady growth of this trade, and
the proportion which the supplies Of
American refrigerated beef-which
is simply chilled. not frozen, as is gen.
orally supposed-bears to the total of
supplies of meat of all descriptions
which comes into the central meat
market may be CLEANED from state
ment made by the chairman of the
Hammond company In 1887 the pro,
portion was only per cent; ten years
later it was o per cent. and last year
the proportion was % per cent. This
this means that one joint of beef out
of every three consumed in London
and immediate district is American re,
frigeratcd beef. The quantity Of this
beef sold in the central meat market
for eight months to the end of August
last year, exceeded that sold during
the corresponding period of the pre-
vious year by 24,7l3, go pounds. But
beef is only one thing. The importA-
lions of frozen nation and lamb dur
ing 1894 show the highest aggregates
yet reported from New Zealand, Aus
tralia and the River Platte, and These
classes of meat seem to be steadily in
creasing in public favor. as they we'll
deserve to Go.
Then there is Lcadephall market.
No statistics as to the quantity dis.
posed of at this market arc available,
but OF meat alone it is very consider
able, and to this have to be added the
poultry and the game. or poultry, W.
j. Gordon, in his interesting book on
How London Lives" says the Great
Eastern company alone brings to the
metropolis over 1900 tons per annum,
Game also arrives in very large guam
titles and some years ago. according to
the same authority, q wcll-known
salesman estimated that there were
shipped from Leadenhall alone in
twelve months: