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the case, whereas the contents should be in the form of a jelly, and were of
a dirty yellow colour instead of being clear and amber coloured. They contained
variable quantities of tin in solution.
Consignments of beef essences, such as the above, had been shipped to
South Africa for the use of the troops at different dates between October,
1899, and June, 1902. These tins might, therefore, be taken to be between
four and seven years old. I was informed that the tins were sold in South
Africa by representatives of the War Office with all faults, and without guarantee
as to their condition. There seems to be no reason to suppose that, at the
time of sale, the articles were unfit for human consumption.
All the tins were carefully examined on the Wharf in our district, and
2,554 were found to be unsound, and were destroyed.
The extracts of beef and mutton, though quite as old, and had been
exposed to the same conditions of temperature, were perfectly good and wholesome.
The War Office was informed, and a communication was received in reply,
stating that with the exception of meat essences, none of the other tinned
goods were articles of Army supply, and that such supplies were not purchased
by the War Office for the use of the troops during the late South African
war. With the exception of a sale early in 190G, it was stated, that no sale
of War Department supplies had taken place in South Africa since 1903-1904,
and that there were no tinned supplies in the possession of the War Department
in South Africa except those in a good and sound condition. There was
no intention of selling the latter.
With all due respect to the War Office Department, the goods above
referred to were shipped into this country as Government stores, and the
cases were marked "Army Rations." On this account, the owners had at first
objected to the goods being examined. The foods were not tinned in South
Africa, and from their age, marks and labels thereon, could only have been
sent there as food for the soldiers. The owners persisted in their statement
that the goods were bought from the War Office officials in South Africa.