§ SIR HARRY VERNEYsaid, he would beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether, considering that the present large exportation of horses will raise the price of horses to ourselves beyond the usual amount, and that it may cause embarrassment to us in case it should become desirable to increase our Cavalry, Artillery, and Transport Corps, Her Majesty's Government will take into their consideration the propriety of stopping that exportation?
MR. GLADSTONESir, Her Majesty's Government have no intention of 1580 interfering with the exportation of horses. ["Oh!"] I do not think that any state of circumstances, except a very grave state indeed, would justify it. I think my hon. and gallant Friend has been misleading himself by rumours abroad. ["No, no!"] Well, I think so. I do not know what the total number of horses in this country may be; but I should think they must be counted by millions. There is no doubt about it. Well, now, what has been the extent of this trade since the 1st of July, 1870? Great alarm has taken possession of the mind of my hon. and gallant Friend and others, and almost incessant questions have been asked on the subject of the exportation of horses. Well, the total exportation of horses to the Continent of Europe during that time has amounted to 1,288. The particulars may be regarded as somewhat curious, and I may just read them. The exportation of horses since the 1st of July down to the very latest date, the 5th of August, has been as follows:—Eussia, northern ports, 2; Hamburg, 23; Holland, 14; Belgium, 569; Channel Islands, 1; France, ports without the Mediterranean, 679; total, 1,288.