THE WORLD'S MEAT TRADE 89 



period. The antagonism of the butchers has 

 thus been aroused against the Municipal meat 

 shops, adding another element of opposition to 

 the policy supported by the agrarian party. By 

 utilising every scrap of the less valuable parts of 

 the carcase for sausages, meat supplies of a kind 

 have been available. With the increasing popu- 

 lation and the growth of luxury, it can scarcely 

 be doubted that the policy of restricting meat 

 imports has reached the breaking point. Though 

 the veterinary regulations which require cer- 

 tain portions of the intestines to be kept for 

 inspection on landing of an ox carcase have so 

 far prevented beef imports, the regulations in 

 respect of mutton are not prohibitive. 



Two explanations of the small supplies both 

 of beef and mutton on the Continent as com- 

 pared to those grown in the United Kingdom may 

 be given. The most important is the periodical 

 outbreak of foot and mouth disease. An article by 

 Professor Bang, of Copenhagen, which appeared 

 in the Journal of the Board of Agriculture of 

 November, 1912, enables us to appreciate the 

 disastrous effects of this scourge. The losses 

 suffered in Germany in 1892 when : 



1,500,000 cattle, 



2,000,000 sheep, 

 400,000 pigs, 

 were affected are estimated to have cost that coun- 



