AMERICAN HORSE TRADE OP GREAT BRITAIN. 



45 



THE AMERICAN HORSE TRADE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



[Extract from the report of Mr. "Walter Wellman, dated London, October 15, 1897.] 



The import of American horses began to attract attention in Great 

 Britain about ten years ago. At that period the trade was largely 

 confined to carriage horses, which were not, however, imported in such 

 numbers as to excite any particular fear among British breeders. . The 

 decade ends with credit to the American breeder of having almost 

 paralyzed horse breeding among farmers in England and Scotland, and 

 having become so menacing to breeders across the Irish Sea as to 

 have attracted considerable attention from the recent Royal Commis- 

 sion on Horse Breeding in Ireland. 



In the majority report of that commission occur these passages: 



While the prices given high-class horses, whether suitable for the race course, 

 the hunting field, or for harness, have fully maintained themselves, it has been 

 clearly proved to us that the price of inferior horses has gone down very largely 

 of late years. This decrease, estimated at from 25 to 40 per cent, is attributed to 

 the large and increasing importation of horses from America, and in part to the 

 introduction of bicycles, tram cars, and other means of locomotion. 



******* 



"We would here call attention to the large and increasing importation from 

 America into the United Kingdom of general utility and middle-class harness 

 horses, and the great reduction in freight, which will obviously tend to produce a 

 further increase. 



* ****** 



A dealer informed us that whereas seven years ago he paid £12 a horse for car- 

 riage from New York to Liverpool, he paid last year only £3 10s. , " and in a better 

 ship." 



In view of such competition, independently of other considerations, we fail to 

 see how it is possible for the smaller farmers of the west of Ireland to rear and 

 sell horses of this description at a profit. 



Statistics furnished by the board of trade sharply outline the story. 

 The numbers and values of horses imported Irom all countries into 

 Great Britain during the period from January 1, 1891, to December 

 31, 1896, are as follows : 



Imports from all countries. 



[Year ending December 31.] 



Year. 



Number of 

 animals. 



Value. 



1891 



1893 



1893 



1894 



1895 



1896 



Total 



21,672 

 20,994 

 13,719 

 22,866 

 34,092 

 40,677 



174,020 



£432,268 

 425,401 

 376,954 

 548,058 

 921,490 



1,027,736 



3,731,907 



