214 
Report on the Trade in Animals. 
voluntary slaughter of all fat stock, both foreign and Irish, at the 
port either of shipment or landing, without enhancing the cost of 
meat to the consumer, the difficulties now connected with the proper 
regulation of the trade in animals will be very much diminished. 
The Western English Ports. — Bristol. — The city of Bristol — 
that ^^fons et origo mali " of the West of England newspapers — 
and the surrounding district have, probably, fairly earned almost 
every bad word that has been spoken or written against the great 
market of the West. So strongly, indeed, is it felt that Bristol 
Market is the plague-spot of the district, that the Somersetshire 
magistrates assembled in Quarter Sessiojis have endeavoured to 
obtain, from the Privy Council, authority to enact that all animals 
going into Somersetshire from Bristol Market, or through the city 
of Bristol, should be isolated by the farmer from the rest of his 
stock for a period of nine days, and that the purchaser of such 
stock should give notice to the nearest policeman of his having 
bought animals that had come from or through Bristol. 
Previous to the great autumn fair, I visited Bristol for the 
purpose of witnessing the arrival of the Irish cattle that were 
sent there for sale. They were landed from the Irish steamers 
on a broad quay at Cumberland Basin, provided with two or 
three large water-troughs, well whitewashed, and otherwise 
scrupulously clean. Watching the operation of unloading were 
the Government veterinary inspector and an officer of the 
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ; but 
it was, nevertheless, difficult to prevent cruelty and to keep 
matters going smoothly, owing chiefly to the absence of police- 
men, except at rare intervals, — the whole of one side of the 
Cumberland Basin being in charge of but two constables. As 
a consequence, the drovers took to fighting, and the cattle were 
landed without proper manual assistance. Out of one cargo, 
I saw one beast dislocate its shoulder, and others receive in- 
juries of a less serious nature. No fault could be found with 
the landing-place, and the cattle had plenty of time and oppor- 
tunity to assuage their thirst. Several animals, especially pigs, 
were apparently suffering from foot-and-mouth disease ; but the 
Government inspector assured me that he had no jurisdiction 
except over foreign aiiimals, while the inspector of the local 
authority was not on the quay. As soon as the cargoes were 
discharged, the process of cleansing the steamboats commenced, 
according to the regulations of the Privy Council, and under 
the superintendence of the Government inspector. In no other 
port did 1 observe that this important provision was so thoroughly 
complied with as at Bristol. 
The Irish stock arrived chiefly on Saturday, and the fair 
