§ MR. GREENEasked the Vice President of the Council, Whether it is true that English gentlemen have been willing to send their finest Cattle to the Paris Exhibition; and, if so, whether it is not now safe to take France out of the Schedule, and to admit her Cattle freely to the English consumer?
§ LORD GEORGE HAMILTONI do not quite understand why the hon. Member for Manchester (Mr. Jacob Bright), having put a Question on the Paper, has not asked it. It is true that English stockowners sent some valuable animals to the Paris Exhibition. Those animals, on their arrival, became ipso facto French stock, and could only be landed in this country for slaughter or at a quarantine station. A number of animals—58 cattle and 51 sheep—were brought back to England on Friday last, and landed at a quarantine station at Poplar, which was specially arranged for their reception, where they are now detained. It may be added that foot-and-mouth disease appeared among the animals in the Paris Exhibition, and shortly after the landing of the English animals at Poplar, two bulls were found to be affected with the disease. I should, therefore, draw precisely a contrary inference from the facts to that which the Question seems to indicate.
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERI wish to know, Whether the same steps have been taken with regard to this cargo as are taken with regard to other foreign animals; whether, one or two animals having the foot-and-mouth disease, the whole cargo has been sent to slaughter, as is generally the case? My reason for asking the Question is that the noble Lord stated they were left in quarantine, which I believe is not the usual course.
§ LORD GEORGE HAMILTONWill the right hon. Gentleman have the goodness to give Notice of his Question.