§ SIR WILLIAM BAGGEsaid, he wished to ask the Vice President of the Council, Whether, in consequence of the recent outbreaks of Cattle Plague in the Metropolitan Dairies, the Government will revoke the licence for the removal of foreign cattle from the ports of Harwich, London, and Southampton, to the Metropolitan Market, and order all such cattle to be slaughtered at the place at which they are landed?
§ LORD ROBERT MONTAGUreplied that to revoke the licence would be a very extreme measure, and if suddenly resorted to would cause a great disturbance of trade. An Order in Council was, however, passed the day before yesterday which went more than half-way to such a measure. After the 18th of June all imported cattle must on landing be placed in quarantine for twelve hours, so that the officers should have full opportunity of ascertaining whether the animals had the cattle plague or not. If they were found to be healthy they might be sent to London by railway and immediately slaughtered there. Of course, after the 18th of June, cattle could not be landed except at ports where 1292 there was sufficient accommodation for the quarantine as well as convenient slaughter-houses.
§ COLONEL W. STUARTsaid, he wished to ask whether, considering the disease took eight days to develop itself, twelve hours was a sufficient quarantine?
§ LORD ROBERT MONTAGUsaid, he believed the disease took eight days to "incubate" as it was called. The inspectors, however, asserted that after a transit of some days and a voyage, if the cattle had twelve hours' rest, it could be ascertained with almost absolute certainty whether they were suffering from cattle plague or not.
§ MR. REBOWsaid, he wished to ask the noble Lord whether, at the ports of landing, places for quarantine were provided. He knew that it was not the case at Harwich?
§ LORD ROBERT MONTAGUsaid, he believed the Privy Council had no power to compel a port to find ground for quarantine or slaughter; but at all the ports, except London, Harwich and Southampton, cattle must be slaughtered upon their arrival.
COLONEL GILPINsaid, he wished to ask whether it was consistent that cattle imported from foreign countries should only perform a quarantine of twelve hours, while no man in the country could remove cattle without a twenty-eight days' licence, and without giving proof that there had been no disease in his place for two or three months.
§ LORD ROBERT MONTAGUsaid, that no cattle were allowed to be imported from infected ports, and pointed out that there was a great deal of difference between allowing English farmers to move cattle for store purposes and grazing, and allowing foreign cattle to be removed from a port to London by railway only, and for immediate slaughter.