§ MR. M'LAGANasked the Vice President of the Committee of Council, Whether, considering the prevalence of the rinderpest in France, he is prepared to take any extraordinary steps to prevent its introduction into this Country?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTER, in reply, said, the matter had received the constant and anxious attention of the Privy Council, because we certainly had been in very considerable danger from the introduction of the cattle plague. France 1677 and Prussia, in which, from good administration, the cattle plague had before scarcely existed, had, in consequence of the fearful war, become exposed to its ravages. Up to a year or two ago Prussia, by its excellent administration, had kept out the cattle plague almost entirely; France had done so altogether; and, consequently, France was not included among the countries from which animals coming would have to be killed. Germany was included not on account of danger from Germany itself, but because it was the country from which the Steppe cattle might possibly arrive in England. But upon the cattle plague breaking out, and evidently following in the track of the German Army in the autumn, the Privy Council found it necessary to issue three Orders one after the other. The first was on the 9th of September, which put France among the scheduled countries, the cattle from which were liable to be killed at the port of landing. The second was issued on the 20th of September, which extended the provisions with regard to cattle, to sheep and goats, from both Germany and France, because it was possible, and even probable, that the infection might be conveyed by these animals. At the same time, a very strong restriction was put on—which was done with the greatest possible reluctance by the Government, because it might have considerably interfered with the food supplies of London—that cattle landing in London should be killed at the place of landing, and not be taken to Islington Market. On the 28th of November the same Order was applied to animals from Belgium, which appeared to suffer from proximity to France and Germany. The House would understand that the Government felt a great difficulty in the matter. On the one hand, it was necessary to take every step to prevent the introduction of the plague; on the other, it was a very serious matter to interfere with any trade, especially the trade of food for the people. But the accounts the Department had received, both from public sources and also from private inquiry, made them come to the conclusion that they should now take the strong step of prohibiting altogether for the present the importation of cattle from France, and also, he was sorry to say, from Belgium. However, there would be no real inter- 1678 ference with the trade, because there had been scarcely any importation of cattle from France, and not much from Belgium of late. The French Government, within the last few days, had repealed their prohibition to export, which was another reason why it was thought necessary on our part to prohibit the import.