MR. STAFFORDsaid, he wished to ask whether the attention of the Government had been called to the epidemic disease among cattle in central Europe; and whether the Board of Trade had taken any measures to prevent the landing of diseased cattle in this country?
§ MR. LOWEreplied that the attention of the Board of Trade had been called to the subject, and the Board had put itself in communication with the Foreign Office, requesting that department to obtain from Consuls abroad all the information possible on the subject. The Board of Trade had likewise put itself in communication with the Customs, which department possessed an Act of Parliament under which it had powers sufficient to prevent the importation of infected animals. As an instance that the officers of that department were not wanting in diligence, he could inform the House that on a calf on board the Concordia, from Rotterdam, exhibiting symptoms of murrain, they had the animal killed. A post-mortem investigation confirmed the suspicion that the animal was infected, and the body was accordingly destroyed. The remainder of the cargo was examined and found free from disease.