HL Deb 19 April 1842 vol 62 cc718-20

A petition having been presented from the Rutland Agricultural Society, for protection to the agricultural interest,

The Earl of Hardwicke

said, he would take that opportunity of making a few observations, and of referring to certain returns, for the purpose of showing, that the fears of the petitioners and others who concurred with them as to the danger of any extensive importation of live stock from the Continent were unfounded. He held in his hand a return which would show the great increase in the importation of cattle, sheep, &c, from Ireland to England, by Liverpool, and coastwise, between the years 1826 and 1839. In the former year the—

Black cattle were 57,395
Sheep 62,819
Pigs 73,912
Bacon and hams (cwts.) 338,218
Beef and pork (barrels) 143,725

In the year 1839 the importations were—

Black cattle 169,892
Calves 1,566
Sheep 252,057
Lambs 28,351
Pigs 390,561
Horses 5,674
Mules 434

The total value of these amounted to 3,330,857l. The number of oxen and sheep sold in Smithfield, from 1833 to 1839, both inclusive, were as follows:—

Years. Oxen. Sheep.
1833 152,093 1,167,820
1834 162,485 1,237,360
1835 170,375 1,381,540
1836 164,351 1,219,510
1837 172,435 1,329,010
1838 183,362 1,403,400
1839 180,780 1,360,250

This showed an average increase of 3 per cent, on oxen, and of 2¼ on sheep. He would now beg to call the attention of their Lordships to the imports and exports of live cattle in some of the continental states for given periods. From this it would appear that—

In 1837, France had of live cattle:—Imports, 587,554; exports, 422,136. In 1836 Denmark exported 28, 323 oxen, 5,009 cows, 6,903 calves, and 13,028 pigs.

From the years 1832 to 1836, both included, the imports and exports of the "Prussian Commercial Union" of sheep, pigs, calves, cows, oxen, and bulls, were as follows:—

Years. Imports. Exports.
1832 182,878 72,204
1833 207,528 79,208
1834 287,345 180,423
1835 279,200 135,678
1836 336,700 129,746

In Prussia generally the imports and exports of oxen, cows, and calves were as follows:—

Years. Imports. Exports.
1828 19,752 8,197
1829 20,342 7,971
1830 17,901 9,012
1831 13,556 8,062

Of sheep and swine in the same years there were—

Years. Imports. Exports.
1828 371,730 118,426
1829 324,116 107,712
1830 361,422 140,549
1831 197,625 93,598

In the years 1832 to 1836, both inclusive, the imports and exports were—

IMPORTS.
1832. 1833.
Oxen 17,606 18,387
Cows 6,437 7,179
Young cattle 3,067 3,240
Pigs (fat) 15,698 14,826
Pigs (lean) 102,278 117,516
Sheep 37,792 46,380
Total 182,878 207,528

In 1834 the total imports of all the above oxen, cows, &c, were 287,345. In 1835 the total imports were 279,200. In 1836 they were 336,700. The exports were in the same year as follows:—

EXPORTS.
Oxen, Cows, Young Cattle, &c.
1832 72,204
1833 79,218
1834 180,423
1835 135,678
1836 129,746

In the year 1837 Sweden imported 1,139 horned cattle from Finland, and 800 other, but she exported none in that year.

It would be seen from those returns, that the imports of all the countries he had named were much greater than the exports, and that from that circumstance, and the continued increasing consumption of the countries themselves, there was no ground for apprehending any influx of foreign cattle into England. Let it be remembered, that of all the exports of cattle from foreign countries none as yet could come to England, and that the exports which he had read were to supply other markets, in which the demand, there was no reason for believing, would be less henceforward than it had been heretofore. Under these circumstances he could by no means concur with those who apprehended any injury to the agricultural interests from an importation of foreign cattle.

The Earl of Yarborough

did not take the same view of the case as the noble Earl. He thought the tariff would be made use of for an extensive importation of foreign cattle and provisions.

Petition laid on the Table.

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