In an advertisement prefixed to the pamphlet, of which the following
sheets are a translation, the author publishes his address: “_Quai
Napoléon, au coin de la rue de la Colombe, No. 4, dans la Cité, à
Paris_;” and offers for sale there, an assortment of provisions,
preserved by the process, of which an account is here communicated
to the public. As the book itself is a recommendation of the author’s
own goods, it has been thought proper to add to his account of his
process, a translation of the authorities and testimonies by which his
own statements are authenticated; notwithstanding the repetitions which
are in consequence admitted. The recommendation of the process by the
French Minister immediately follows. The more elaborate Report of the
Paris Society for the Encouragement of National Industry, will be
found at the end of the work.
It is needless to anticipate the author’s display of the advantages
which must flow from a simple and unexpensive process of keeping
fresh articles of animal and vegetable food. If this can be effected
for only _one year_, that is, from the season of produce through the
seasons of scarcity; if no other articles, for instance, than eggs,
cream, and vegetables, can be preserved in their full flavour and
excellence during a long winter, there is not a mistress of a family in
the kingdom, rich enough to lay by a stock of those articles, and not
too rich to despise the economy of a family, who will not find herself
benefitted by the perusal of the small work here put within her reach;
and there is no reason to suspect the correctness of this part of the
author’s statements. This, however, is but one of the more obvious
benefits of his process; and if thus much be ascertained, then an
interminable prospect of resources is opened, which the State, still
more than the individual, will be called upon to employ.
The author, in his enumeration of the advantages to be derived from
his process, places at the head, the saving it will occasion in the
consumption of sugar. This process, added to recent improvement in
the art of preparing grape syrup, holds forth, in his opinion, a
prospect of relief to the suffering proprietors of French vineyards.
This statement will have been listened to with great complacency by the
French government, which so ostentatiously avows the determination to
compel the whole Continent to subsist on its own produce, and dispense
with the more luxurious of transatlantic commodities. Our country,
however, from its soil and climate, can take little or no share in
this branch of the application of the author’s process.
On the other hand it offers us incalculable benefits in the equipment
and victualling of our fleets, and in providing for the health and
comfort of the floating defence of the country, as well as of that
numerous and meritorious class of men, to which the nation owes so much
of its prosperity. Whatever promises an improvement in the condition
of every order of men who subsist on the Ocean, must be considered
as an object of national concern. The French government, at least
on the part of some of its members in the subordinate branches of
its administration, has taken the lead in recommending the author’s
process to the attention of public functionaries. From the superior
activity, as well as more enlightened discernment of the people of this
country, we may expect that our author’s process will excite equally
the notice of the government and country at large; and we trust that
government-contractors and commissioners, as well as the pursers of
men of war, and the stewards of merchantmen, will not be the last to
examine for themselves the promising statements of our author.
From the public papers we learn that a patent has been taken out for
preserving provisions according to the process described in this book.
We do not pretend to determine how far this patent may interfere with
the adoption by other persons of this same process as a manufactory
and trade; but, it is certain, that on the small scale on which
provisions would be preserved for single families, every person will
be at liberty to avail himself of the instructions he may meet with in
this volume.
It was thought less objectionable to insert unnecessary matter, than
to omit what to some readers might be useful or interesting. Every
thing, therefore, has been translated, and we have even copied the
author’s plate of the machinery used in corking bottles, though from
our improved state of mechanics, the greater part of our readers will
stand in no need of its assistance, similar machines being in common
use by the wine-coopers, &c.
THE MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR, COUNT OF THE EMPIRE, TO M. APPERT, &c.
_Paris, 30th January 1810._
Second Division.
BOARD OF ARTS AND MANUFACTURES.
My Board of Arts and Manufactures[A] has reported to me, Sir, the
examination it has made of your process for the preservation of fruits,
vegetables, meat, soup, milk, &c. and from that report no doubt can
be entertained of the success of such process. As the preservation
of animal and vegetable substances may be of the utmost utility in
Sea-voyages, in hospitals and domestic economy, I deem your discovery
worthy an especial mark of the good will of the government. I have in
consequence acceded to the recommendation made me by my council to
grant you a recompence of 12,000 francs.[B] In so doing I had in view
the assigning you the reward due to the inventors of useful processes,
and also the indemnifying you for the expences you have been obliged to
incur, either in the forming your establishment or in the experiments
necessary to establish the success of your process. You shall be
immediately informed when you may repair to the public treasury and
receive the 12,000 francs.
It appears to me of importance, Sir, that you should spread the
knowledge of your preserving process. I desire, therefore, that
agreeably to your own proposal, you will digest a detailed and exact
description of your process. This description, which you will remit to
my Board of Arts and Manufactures, shall be printed at your expence,
after it shall have been examined. You will then transmit me 200
copies. The transmission of these copies being the only condition I
impose on you for the payment of the 12,000 francs, I doubt not you
will hasten to fulfil it. I desire, Sir, you will acknowledge the
receipt of my letter.
Accept assurances, &c.
(Signed) MONTALIVET.
[A] _Mon Bureau consultatif des Arts et Manufactures._
[B] About £500 sterling.
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