“I have received, Sir, your letter of the 27th of last April. According to your desire, I have addressed to his Excellency, the Minister of the Marine and Colonies, a report of the examination of a variety of provisions prepared according to your process.
“I shall neglect no opportunity of making known a discovery which appears to be as useful to the State as it is interesting to seamen. I have the honour to salute you.
“The vice admiral, maritime-prefect,
(Signed) “Martin.”
“Rochefort, 22d May, 1807.”
It is apparent from these reports, which appear to be almost the same, though made in towns remote from each other, at different periods and by different persons, that the process of Mr. Appert is as certain as it is useful. It affords the means of enjoying throughout the empire, during the whole year, and with great convenience, the productions which belong alone to a part of it, without fearing that they may have undergone any change by their having been transported to a great distance, or from the remoteness of the season of their growth. Merely under this point of view, the advantage appears to be great: and it has not escaped the notice of the poets and amiable writers, who, to amuse themselves, sing the art of cookery. Mr. Appert has repeatedly received from them the most flattering and highly deserved praises.[T]
The process of this manufacturer is not less valuable in the sparing of sugar in the use of fruit; for without the aid of that article, it preserves the juice till the moment of its consumption, when only a small portion needs to be added to the juice; double the quantity would have been necessary to preserve the same fruit. It may be further added that the flavour and aroma of substances are better preserved by Mr. Appert’s process, than by the decoctions usually made use of in order to preserve them with sugar. This will be considered as a very great advantage, when we reflect how prodigious a quantity of this colonial produce is every year employed to preserve the different kinds of fruit and their juices. The establishment of Mr. Appert has not perhaps been duly appreciated by rich capitalists, who might have given it that desirable extension which it will only gradually receive, if the author is abandoned to his own resources.
The success he has already met with, increases his zeal and makes him carry his views further. He promises to transmit, unchanged, the most agreeable productions of our soil beyond the Line. He purposes to multiply the enjoyments of the Indian, the Mexican, and the African, as well as of the Laplander, and to transport into France from remote regions, an infinity of substances which we should desire to receive in their natural state.
The experiments already made on board several vessels, prove that the sick among a crew will be well satisfied with Mr. Appert’s preparations, which furnish them with the means of procuring, when necessary, meat and broth of a good quality, milk, acid fruits, and even anti-scorbutic juices; for Mr. Appert assures us he is able to preserve these also.
With respect to the embarkation of meat necessary for a whole crew on a long voyage, a slight difficulty seems to lie in the requisite multiplicity of bottles. But Mr. Appert will, without doubt, find means to obviate this inconvenience, by the choice of vessels less fragile and of a larger size.