SHORT-HORNS. 113 



son, and resided at Denton until he was thirty-two years old, and 

 knew Dobison personally. Mr. Bailey knew both Mr. Colling, Sen., 

 and Mr. Culley. Bailey began his investigations in 1795, and Cul- 

 ley wrote in 1*785. Mr. Bailey names Thomas Corner, who was 

 ninety years old at the time, as his authority for saying that " Mr. 

 Milbank, of Barningham, and Mr. Croft, of Barford, were the most 

 eminent breeders, and were considered as having the best and purest 

 breed, at that period ;" " and Mr. George Culley says that he has 

 repeatedly heard his father state the same particulars.^' Can there be 

 a doubt that Mr. Bailey and Mr. Culley, had ample means to know 

 every particular as to Mr. Dobison ? and they communicate nothing. 

 They record a tradition, and do no more. This Jloating tradition of an 

 importation, found a resting place in Holderness, with St. Quintin ; 

 and in Durham, with Dobison. 



It was about 1750 that Dobison lived at the Isle, and was breed- 

 ing. Bailey fixes this period. 



Now, at the period, at which it is said there were bulls and cows 

 imported from Holland by Dobison, Sir William St. Quintin, and 

 others, there existed a statute of Parliament, forbidding the importa- 

 tion of cattle into England. 



In the ] 8th year of the reign of Charles 11., which was the year 

 l&GO, the Parliament of England passed an act providing as follows : 



*' The Importation of all great Cattle shall be deemed a common 

 Nuisance. If any (except for the necessary provision of the Ship,) 

 shall be imported from beyond Sea, any Constable, Churchwarden, 

 &c., of the place, may seize the same, and if the owner shall not 

 within forty-eight hours, prove such Cattle were not imported, the 

 same to be forfeited." 



And to this were added penalties against the importer. From 

 that time until the year 1841, that act Was unrepealed, and was 

 always enforced, except from 1801 to 1814. 



By a statute of Parliament made in the 39th year of the reign of 

 George III., (which was the year 1799,) it was enacted that "a 

 discretionary power is hereby vested in His Majesty, to permit from 

 Time to Time, the Importation of all Articles of Provisions ; Bulls, 

 Cows, Calves, Oxen, Sheep, Lambs, and Swine." 



And by order in Council, made in 1801, it was directed that "A 

 free Importation of Articles of Provisions, Cattle, Sheep, and Swine, 

 be permitted for six months, from the date of this order ;" and like 

 orders from six months to six months were made in Council from 

 1801 to the latter part of the year 1814, when they ceased. Ex- 

 cepting this period, from 1801 to 1814, the importation of cattle 

 was prohibited altogether from 1666 to 1841. The king and his 

 council had no power to permit importation until the act of Parlia- 

 meot in 1799 was passed. 



Mr. JohB Hutchinson, the well-known banker of Stockton, county 



