§ SIR RICHAED PAGETI wish to ask the Vice Chamberlain whether his attention has been called to the fact that, in the United States of America, the practice prevails of circulating gratuitously a large number of copies of the Scientific Reports presented from time to time by the Department of Agriculture; whether he has observed that the Annual Report of the Agricultural Department (Privy Council Office) on the Contagious Diseases of Animals for the year 1888, containing an unusual amount of scientific information, is priced at 7s. 9d.; and, whether, in view of the prohibitory price above mentioned, as well as of the evident advantages which would ensue from making this Annual Report generally known, he will be good enough to state to the House if arrangements can be made to ensure its gratuitous circulation to all the Veterinary Inspectors of the various Local Authorities in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland?
§ VISCOUNT LEWISHAMThe Privy Council already distribute a large number of copies of the Annual Report gratuitously—namely, to all the Local Authorities in the country, to all the Inspectors of the Privy Council, to several scientific institutions, and to some of the well-known scientists at home and abroad. To send copies to all the Veterinary Inspectors in Great Britain and Ireland would entail a considerable cost, which would require the special sanction of the Treasury.