§ MR. J. G. TALBOTasked the Vice President of the Council, Whether representations have reached the Privy Council from Lloyd's and other quarters as to the cruelties to cattle in their transit across the Atlantic, especially from Boston; and, if so, what steps Her Majesty's Government have taken, or intend to take, to remedy the evil?
§ MR. MUNDELLASir, the Privy Council have received representations from time to time as to the sufferings and loss of animals during their passage across the Atlantic, and since the beginning of the year the Committee of Lloyd's have made several communications on the subject. I can assure the hon. Gentleman that these representations have received the careful and anxious consideration of the Privy 340 Council; and they have been for some time, and are still, in communication with the Board of Trade, with the view of devising measures to minimize, as far possible, the suffering and loss. I propose shortly to lay Papers on the Table relating to this question, and in continuation of the Return presented by the hon. Member (Mr. J. G. Talbot) in March last. I think it is right to state that the great majority of the animals landed in this country from America arrived in excellent condition; and I have seen it stated that one Steamship Company, in the course of 15 months, shipped 16,005 head of cattle, of which 15,852 wore landed alive, and 30,465 sheep, of which 29,740 were safely landed in this country.