§ MR. DENTasked the Vice President of the Committee of Council, Whether it is true that a case of cattle plague has occurred in a cargo of Russian cattle imported into Newcastle from Hamburg; and, whether he has taken any steps to prevent the importation of Russian cattle into this country through German ports, in addition to forbidding the direct import from Russia?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERwas sorry to say that, in addition to the case of cattle plague in a steamer from Russia to Deptford, the Hamburg steamer arrived at Newcastle on Monday with 78 head of cattle, 70 of German and eight of Russian breeds. In a few hours afterwards one of the latter was taken very ill, and soon died, as was believed, from the cattle plague. The captain acknowledged having thrown overboard on the passage an animal which had died six hours after leaving port. The same evening or the next morning he learnt that a cargo had come direct from Cronstradt to Leith with the cattle plague on board. He had reason to fear that this was also the case with a cargo arriving at Hull from Cronstradt a day or two ago. In every case the utmost precautions had been taken, and Professor Simonds, who had kindly offered his services, was going down that night to examine those ports and see that everything was done to prevent the introduction of the disease. The importation of cattle direct from Russia had been prohibited; but the cargoes now arriving at Leith left before that Order of Council was published. The Privy Council, however, had known of their arrival, and had been ready to watch them when they arrived. To prohibit the importation of all German cattle in consequence of the Hamburg case would be a serious step, only justifiable by absolute necessity; but he had unofficially communicated with the North German Embassy, which had telegraphed to Germany to inquire into the matter, and he trusted that effectual steps would be taken in that country to prevent any Russian cattle coming to us from Hamburg. He trusted that would be sufficient; but if it were not, it would have to be considered whether we ought not to prohibit the import of German cattle. It would be absolutely necessary to com- 1756 pel the slaughter of all German cattle at the port of landing unless we obtained official proof that they did not come from Russia. If the Order referred to had not been in force, he did not see what could possibly have prevented the cattle plague from now been spread over the North of England in consequence of the cargo which went into Newcastle.
§ COLONEL WILSON-PATTENasked the right hon. Gentleman whether he had received information that the cattle plague had broken out in any of the countries on the Mediterranean?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERsaid, they had no information; but those ports were included in the schedule, and cattle coming from them would be slaughtered at the port of landing. They had information that the cattle plague was very bad on the Polish frontier.
§ MR. DENTasked whether the cattle slaughtered at Hull and Newcastle were landed or kept on shipboard?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERsaid, the proceedings were rather different in each case. At Leith and Hull he believed the cattle were slaughtered on board, while at Newcastle they were landed, great care being taken with regard to their slaughter. Of course, it was not a very safe thing to send them to sea and then throw them overboard.