§ MR. PICKARD (York, W.R., Normanton)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will inform the House what sum was realised by the sale of 51,219 lbs. of beef and pork sold to Messrs. Cowan and Sons, of Battersea, as "unfit for human food" during the years 1886–9; and what sum was realised for the 29,407 1bs. sold by auction during the same period, which were not so described?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Lord G. HAMILTON,) Middlesex, EalingThe sums realised by the sale of condemned salt beef and pork were respectively £54 12s. 1d. and £164 3s. 8d. The meat sold under the second category was considered fit for consumption, but on account of the length of time the meat had been kept in stock, it was decided not to send it out again to depôts on foreign stations: and as no salt meat is issued to the service at home, the only way of disposing of this meat was by sale. Owing, however, to the possibility of meat sold as "unfit for human food" being brought into the market for sale as suitable for human food, and in view of the smallness of the sum of money involved, the Admiralty decided last year that all salt meat and salt suet condemned as unfit for the Service should be in future sent to soap boilers, and not sold by public auction. Before being sent to the soap boilers, the meat will be chemically treated so as to make its use as food impossible.