§ MR. R. H. PAGETasked the President of the Board of Trade, If his attention has been called to a letter from the British Consul at Philadelphia, dated 21st December, 1880, published in a Paper recently presented to this House [C. 2787], referring to the immense mortality among swine in Illinois, the immense quantity of pork annually shipped to the United Kingdom, and the terrible nature of the disease called "trichina spiralis;" and, if he will state to the House if any, and what, powers are vested in the Board of Trade to order inspection, at the port of arrival, of any pork, butter, or cheese, imported into this Country, with a view of preventing the introduction of a disease of so appalling a nature as that described in the letter of the British Consul?
§ MR. CHAMBERLAINSir, it is not a Paper presented by the Board of Trade; but my attention has been called to the letter mentioned in the Question; but the Board of Trade has no authority to order the inspection which is desired by the hon. Member.