Chap. VI.

FRANCE.

287

beasts are knocked down are formed of walls of wrought stone, and are 16 feet wide, anil32 feet in length: each has two entrances, one in the yard, by which the animal enters,the other on the outer side, to permit the removal of the meat, &c. Each stall is providedwith a supply of water for cleansing, with a drain, and a windlass and pulleys, by which thecarcase can be drawn up to be flayed.

Two pieces of timber are placed across the building at 7 feet of height, fixed intothe wall at one end, and carried or supported at the other by a stirrup iron : on these sevenor eight carcases may be suspended, exposed to the air previous to their being taken totheir several destinations. There are pegs and hooks around for the calves, sheep, andlambs.

The stalls, as well as the yard, are flagged with thick stones, the joints of which are filledwith cement, that nothing offensive may pass through them. The bottom of the doors arecut, so that the air passes under them freely, 'llic roofs project 3 feet beyond the ex-ternal walls, which has the double advantage of sheltering the stalls from the sun’s rays andforming a cover for the carts which remove the meat.

Sheds, for the oxen and sheep on their arrival, where they are housed previous to slaugh-tering : they are 9 feet in width in the interior; one side is occupied by oxen, the otherby sheep, calves, &c. Large stone arches support a floor above, over which are separatedivisions for the several butchers to stowaway the forage belonging to them. Water is laidon for the use of the cattle.

Melting-houses, where the fat is converted into tallow.

Reservoirs. An abundant supply of water and facilities for distributing it is most essen-tial in such establishments. In the five abattoirs in Paris 75,000 oxen are slaughtered ina year, anil the mean quantity of water for the service is from 240 to 300 cube metresper day, to provide which there are two reservoirs to each, each containing 180 cubemetres, formed in masonry, and lined with cement.

Keepers' Apartments. At the entrance of each abattoir are two small houses for thepersons who have the charge of the establishment.

Stables and Sheds, §*c. are provided for the carts and horses, commodiously arranged.

Sewers. These are most carefully constructed of a hard gritty sandstone: their dimen-sions are 3 feet in width and 6 feet in height; to prevent any smell from escaping, atrap is introduced, which answers admirably well: there are pits for the dung, which isremoved every day. No towns of any importance on the Continent are without theseestablishments as Mantua, Lyons, Blois , Rochefort, La Rochelle , Grenoble , Brussels,Orleans. Those at Strasburgh, Marseilles , Vicenza , See., arc of considerable extent.

Markets. The great points to be considered in these establishments are position, solidity,convenience, and health, and in Paris it was decided that their situation should be withinthe reach of the greater portion of the population of the district.

MAKKF.T.

The strength requisite for an edifice is particularly required in one intended for thepublic service, and where the slightest accident might be of great importance.

Convenience and salubrity require that all who attend should be sheltered from the