26 CATTLE DISEASES 



1881. 



There were 4833 outbreaks of Foot and Mouth Disease this 

 year, compared with 1461 in 1880. The pressure of the 

 Chamber upon the Privy Council in earlier years had apparently 

 had some effect, for, in spite of this great increase of Foot and 

 Mouth Disease, the Chamber in December passed a resolution 

 expressing thanks to the Department for their action in closing 

 the Store Cattle Markets in the East of England. They also 

 made suggestions to the Department for lessening the risk of 

 contagion caused by holding the Islington and Deptford 

 Markets on the same day, as the same men daily attended 

 both Markets. In February the Council supported a motion 

 which Mr. Henry Chaplin was to move in the House of 

 Commons, asking the Privy Council effectually to prevent 

 the importation of disease by forbidding any imports of 

 animals from infected countries. When this motion was 

 discussed it was opposed by the Government and was defeated 

 by 58 votes. 



1883. 



The number of outbreaks of Foot and Mouth Disease 

 increased this year to 18,732, and it spread into 75 counties 

 in Great Britain. Towards the end of 1882 the Royal Com- 

 mission on Agriculture issued its final Report, and one of the 

 recommendations in that report was that foreign live animals 

 should not be allowed to be landed from any countries as to 

 which the Privy Council are not satisfied that they are per- 

 fectly free from contagious disease. At their meeting in 

 February the Council heartily endorsed this proposal, which 

 accorded with so many of their previous resolutions. Again, 

 in March this course of action was declared by the Chamber 

 to be " more than ever urgent." On 8th May a very influential 

 deputation waited upon the Prime Minister and the Lord 

 President of the Council, to urge the necessity of such action 

 being taken, but the Lord President (Lord Carlingford) gave 

 a decidedly unsatisfactory reply. In consequence of this 

 answer Mr. Chaplin, having secured a place for a motion in 

 the House of Commons, called the attention of the House 



