38 



loss on all clctsses in these Colonies. No precautions should 

 therefore be omitted to prevent such a calamity, and it was 

 with this object in view that a prohibition against the im- 

 portation of stock from all places outside the Australian Colonies 

 was promvilgated. While this is both a simple and effective 

 safeguard, it is not one that can in all cases be always maintained, 

 as it is necessary for the improvement of our stock that fresh 

 blood should be periodically introduced. So far, however, as we 

 are concerned, the necessary importations of fresh blood need not 

 expose us to any danger, for all the importations we require for 

 improving our stock can be obtained either from or through Great 

 Britain. 



Thus, all descriptions of horses, except the Arab, — which 

 might be allowed to come from Arabia or India under special 

 regulations, — can be got in Great Britain. Of cattle, again, there 

 are no breeds which can benefit our own stock except those of 

 Great Britain. And as regards sheep, all the breeds which it 

 would be advantageous to import may also be obtained in England, 

 except, perhaps, the few German merinos which some owners 

 still continue to introduce, and these could come through England, 

 subject to inspection by the English Inspectors and a probationary 

 stay there of (say) fourteen days. 



By the law of England Foreign Countries are divided, by Orders 



in Council promulgated as the occasion requires, into two 



classes— " scheduled" and "unscheduled." The "scheduled" 



Countries are those from which the officers of Her Majesty's 



A^eterinary Department consider it dangerous, on account of 



the prevalence of disease, to admit live stock, and all animals 



coming from these Countries are slaughtered at the ports of 



debarkation. The " unscheduled " Countries, again, are those in 



*vhich neither cattle plague nor any other infectious or contagious 



disease is known to exist, and from which it is considered safe 



to admit stock, subject to inspection and to a quarantine of 



twelve hours. To enable these officers to make this classification, 



they are regularly supplied by the British Ambassadors and 



Consuls in all parts of the world with telegraphic information 



as to the prevalence of diseases in stock. Under such a system 



as this, therefore, there is now very little risk of cattle plague 



foot and mouth disease, or sheep-pox, being introduced into 



England. Besides, arrangements might be made by which all 



stock from the Continent, intended for shipment to these Colonies, 



could be examined on the termination of their probationary stay, 



and immediately previous to shipment, by some properly qualified 



veterinary surgeon employed by the Colonies, and only allowed 



to be put on board on being 'certified by him to be free from 



disease. In fact, this course should be followed with respect to 



all stock intended to be shipped from Great Britain to the 



