SHIPMENT OF HORSES. 93 



their general markets for the average product? How caa 

 they so produce horses on their farms as to encourage them- 

 selves to go into it as a branch of business ? I have a very 

 interesting letter here, which illustrates, not only the English- 

 man's keen eye for trade, but the Englishman's knowledge of 

 how trade is to be conducted, and that wonderful grasp of 

 the English mind which in all matters of commerce never 

 loses sight of the best opportunity. This letter will indicate 

 what ought to be the idea of the cultivation of the horse in 

 the great horse-producing sections of our country : — 



" London, 13 November, 1875. 



"Sir: — ... I have taken the liberty of forwarding 

 to you a printed programme of a scheme (the importation of 

 horses into England) I have been elaborating, together with 

 my friends here, who are old established and well-known 

 steamship agents of the highest respectability. My object in 

 writing is to procure the candid opinion of yourself on this 

 matter. The scheme has already been attempted on a small 

 scale, and utterly failed. A company was formed and started 

 with slender capital. They chartered and sent a six-hundred- 

 ton steamer, ill-adapted for carrying stock, to Galveston, where 

 their manager bought the first animals that came to hand, 

 some of them proving to be mares in foal. Such as reached 

 Liverpool, however, though in a wretched condition, realized 

 very good prices. At Galveston, the vessel could not cross 

 the bar, and the stock had to be brought oft' in a schooner, 

 many of the animals first on board having been ten days with 

 only a very little water, and a starvation allowance of hay. 

 The vessel then went round to Norfolk to coal, — a voyage which 

 occupied some twenty-two days. On being coaled, and having 

 sent ashore the worst of the stock, she started for Liverpool, 

 which, after continuous rough weather, she reached in six 

 weeks. The vessel is essentially a wet one, and I am informed 

 that some of the animals, though between decks, had to have 

 their heads tied up to prevent drowning. The owners of the 

 vessel made a forced sale at Liverpool, and many of the sadly- 

 abused animals, bought originally for £5 to £7 per head, real- 

 ized over £20, and one £30. We, you will observe, propose 

 starting very differently. With the experience of the Crimean, 



