Captain COOPERasked the Chief Secretary if he is in a position to state how many horses were purchased in Ireland by foreign Governments for military purposes during the year 1909?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe numbers of horses exported from Ireland—viâ Great Britain—to foreign countries in the year 1909 were as follows:—Through Belgian, Dutch, and German ports, 2,723; through French ports, 1,420; through Danish, Swedish, and Russian ports, 103; through American, 11; and for Switzerland, 160. Total, 4,417. The Department of Agriculture have no official information as to the number of these horses purchased by foreign Governments for military purposes, but it is assumed that the majority of them were bought for those purposes.
§ Viscount HELMSLEYCan the right hon. Gentleman say what age those horses that are exported usually are?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am afraid I must have notice of that.