March 1896.] 



FOREIGN OFFICE REPORTS. 



461 



The average market prices of the difFereat kinds of meat par 

 pound (live weight), were as follows daring the years 1889 to 

 1893 inclusive: — 





1893. 



1892. 



1891. 



1890. 



1889. 





Pence. 



Pence. 



Pence. 



Pence. 



Pence. 



l^ullocks 



3-49 



3-75 



3-88 



3-75 



3-62 



Bulls - - - 



3-09 



3 -IS 



3-32 



3-05 



2-&8 



Cows 



3-09 



3-18 



3-27 



2-96 



2-83 



Calves - - - 



4-19 



4-63 



4-36 



4-27 



4-19 



Pigs - - 



3-97 



4-10 



3-66 



3-88 



3-71 



The average price per cwt. (live weight) of bullocks in 1893 

 was 32s. Sd. 



The average price of mutton (slaughtered) was 5*4d per lb. 

 in 1893, and 6-ld. per lb. in 1892. Besides the tixed Customs 

 duty of '17 d. per lb. (live weight) on bullocks, bulls, and 

 steers ; of '22d. per lb. on calves that have not yet lost their 

 milk teeth ; of 'ISd. per lb. for cows and heifers ; of Is. 7d,. per 

 head for ewes, wethers, and rams ; and of 9^d. per head 

 for lambs, all animals imported from abroad, either by sea 

 or land, must undergo a sanitary inspection at the expense of 

 the importer. A regulation which came into force on tne 30th 

 October last fixes the charge for this inspection at Is. 7d. per 

 head for cattle showing symptoms which necessitate a special 

 examination for tuberculosis, and 9 Hi. per head for the same 

 animals if in a healthy condition, 4-8cZ. for calves of all descrip- 

 tions under four months of age, and ^d. per head for sheep. 



i<o exact information is obtainable respecting the amount of 

 fresh meat consumed in Belgium, but it is estimated that about 

 500,000 cattle of all kinds are slaughtered in Belgium annually 

 for home consumption. 



Importation of Live Stock, Pork, and other Animal 

 Products into Italy. 



The Board have received from the Foreign Office translations 

 of two decrees concerning the importation into Italy of ham, 

 bacon, and other preserved swine flesh, and of cattle, sheep, 

 and various animal products. It will be observed that Great 

 Britain is not included in the countries from which the importa- 

 tion of preserved swine-flesh is permitted. 



These Ordinances, which are dated 1st December 1895, were 

 issued from the Ministry of the Interior, and read as follows : — 



Sanitary Decree, No. 11, 1895. 



Art. 1. The prohibition of the importation into the kingdom 

 of salted, smoked, or otherwise preserved swine-flesh, remains in 



