Lords Sitting of 6 March 1866

MINUTES.
Several Lords took the Oath.
PUBLIC BILLS—Committee —Divorce and Matrimonial Causes [H.L.]*(17); Savings Banks and Post Office Savings Banks* (31).
Report —Savings Banks and Post Office Savings Banks* (31).
Royal Assent —Telegraph Act Amendment; Cattle Diseases (Ireland).

BRITISH WHITE HERRING FISHERY ACT.—PETITION.
THE DUKE OF ARGYLL presented a Petition of Proprietors of Land, &c, and Fishermen of Lochfine, praying for partial Repeal of the British White Herring Fishery Act. The noble Duke said, that although the matter was one of local interest, it was of considerable importance. Some years ago an Act was passed to regulate Scotch fisheries, and among other things, to prevent trawling herrings. Herrings had been ordinarily caught by the gills in the meshes of drift nets attached to boats. About twenty years ago the inhabitants of Stonefield discovered that trawling was being extensively practised, and they complained of its interference with their sea fishing; the Scotch Fishery

1589
Board found it necessary to interfere, and trawling was prohibited; and since then two Royal Commissions had inquired into the subject generally. Both Commissions had reported against the continuance of the prohibition of trawling, and in favour of a return to the former state of the law, under which trawling was at least not illegal. He did not agree with the recommendation of the Commissioners, as trawling could hardly be carried on in conjunction with the usual mode of fishing. The herring net was used as a sea net. The trawling net dragged along the sea bottom, caught all fish that came in its way, and if trawling were to be permitted it would be perfectly useless to attempt to protect salmon. Alarmed at the Report of the Commission recommending the repeal of the statute by which trawling was prohibited, the petitioners prayed that the prohibition might be continued within certain arms of the sea.
Petition read, and ordered to lie on the Table.

THE CATTLE PLAGUE.
EARL GRANVILLEsaid, their Lordships would be interested to hear the following Report by Professor Simonds:—
"Veterinary Department of the Privy Council Office, Princes Street, March 3, 1866.
"Sir,—I have the honour to report that, acting on your instructions, I have to-day visited Mentmore for the fourth time, for the purpose of ascertaining the progress of the cattle plague in Baron Rothschild's herd, and the result of the treatment adopted by Mr. Worms. Since my last visit. February 22, the disease has made rapid progress, and I regret to add that the fatality has kept pace with its advance. It appears that, in consequence of the deaths which had occurred up to the 22nd of February, and the number of animals which were then sinking more or less rapidly from the disease, it was determined to give a trial to Mr. Worms' remedy as a prophylactic as well as a curative agent, and, accordingly, all the remaining animals of the original 119 were dosed on succeeding days with the mixture. With a view also to limit the number of cases, the unaffected animals were taken out of the straw yards and placed in small lots in nine different yards, distant from each other, and temporarily fitted up on the south side of one of the plantations. The location of these yards, and the manner of their construction, were well suited for the required purpose. Before describing the state of things as now existing, it will be necessary shortly to refer to my former reports of the 15th, 19th, and 22nd of February, in which the particulars were given of the first twenty-five animals which had been removed from the herd and put under Mr. Worms' treatment. In the first of these reports it was stated that ten animals, which, at the time of my examination, gave no evidence of
1590
disease, were being treated by Mr. Worms, and that one—the original animal attacked—had succumbed to the malady. In my second report I stated that four other unaffected animals had also been taken out of the yards for treatment, with five more which were the subjects of the cattle plague. In my third report I stated that in the interim three of the animals which were unaffected at my first and second visits had been attacked with the plague, and in addition to these other cases had also occurred. A summary was attached to this last-named report, which is here repeated:—February 22, 1866—Unaffected 11; affected, but not severely, 5; died, 5; dying, 4–25. On my visit to-day I found that the whole of the 11 animals referred to in the summary, and which had been regarded by Mr. Worms as having been cured, had been attacked, and that nine of them had died. Under the peculiar circumstances of the case, it may be as well to add the result of the treatment of these 25 animals as distinct from the rest of the herd. Numbers 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 are dead, and numbers 2, 8, 9, 11, and 19 are convalescent. Passing from these eases I have now to describe the general state of the remaining portion of the herd, the disease, as previously stated, having made fearful havoc among the animals since the 22nd of February. In the sheds were five heifers rapidly sinking from the disease. In contiguous yards were lying thirteen cows and heifers which had been shot, some on the previous evening, and the remainder on this morning, all having been so severely affected as to be beyond all hope of recovery. A bull and a heifer were about to share the same fate just as I arrived on the premises, but were allowed to live until my inspection was completed I may here remark that none of these animals were destroyed by the orders of the local authority. In No. 1 extemporized yard were twenty-four cows, ten of which were dying, and the remaining fourteen were all more or less affected. In the eight other yards were thirty-five heifers, all of which were affected. Several were dying, and three were dead. The general state of these animals was such that in a few days scarcely one of them may be expected to be alive; and so great has been the mortality, and so rapid the progress of the disease, that I was informed by the bailiff that all treatment had been abandoned for some few days, and the animals left to their fate. Graves were being prepared as quickly as possible, and all the requirements of the law were being properly carried out. The almost total destruction of this herd will, it is to be feared, be followed by a serious loss among the dairy cows on the estate. On the 24th of February the malady unfortunately made its appearance among them, and on my inspection to-day, I found that two had died, six been slaughtered, and two others were dying. Two bulls and seven calves were also rapidly sinking. The entire stock on the dairy farm consists of twenty-nine cows, twenty-four calves, and four bulls, all of them being animals of great value. In concluding this report I cannot refrain from expressing my sincere regret that another supposed means of arresting cattle plague by medical treatment should have proved abortive.—I have the honour to be Sir, your obedient servant,
"JAS. B. SIMONDS.
"The Clerk of the Council."

RAILWAY REFORM (IRELAND).

  MOTION FOR A PAPER.
  THE EARL OF BELMORE THE EARL OF BELMORE moved for
  "Copy of a Memorial to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, signed by the Lord Mayor of Dublin on behalf of a Public Meeting held in that City on the 2nd of February on the Subject of Railway Reform."
  EARL GRANVILLEsaid, the Memorial in question had not been received at the Treasury; but he had no objection to produce it as soon as possible after it should be received
  THE MARQUESS OF CLANRICARDEsaid, that next to Fenianism, there was no question of more importance to Ireland than that of railway communication. If it were wisely and liberally treated by the Government, the most beneficial effects might be expected to follow. He hoped, therefore, that the Government would not make a reply to the Memorial without having fully considered the matter, and that there would be no discussion in that House on the subject until the Government had come to some definite decision.
  Motion agreed to: —Return ordered.

HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT—THE APPROACHES.—QUESTION.
THE EARL OF SHREWSBURYasked Her Majesty's Government, If, in completing the Approaches of the Two Houses of Parliament, it proposed to make any Provision for the Shelter of the Horses and Carriages of the Members of each House?
EARL GRANVILLEreplied, that no doubt considerable inconvenience was caused by the present state of things; but the fact was that at the present time there was no space available for the accommodation of horses and carriages. When the law courts were removed there would be a space available for the purpose on the west side of Westminster Hall. It would, however, be five years or more before the law courts were removed.
House adjourned at half past Five o'clock, to Thursday next, half past Ten o'clock.