230 
Report on the Trade in Animals. 
quarantine station, and the arrangements there are very much 
like those at Holyhead and New Milford. There is, however, a 
remarkable difference in the manner in which the cattle are 
landed ; for the Harwich boats are discharged by gangs of sailors 
(I believe the crews of the vessels), each man leading a beast 
by its head-rope, and in due time returning for another. The 
cattle-trade of Harwich is confined to that with unscheduled 
countries, and is practically restricted to Holland and Belgium, 
whenever the trade with those countries is unfettered. There 
is, therefore, no defined part of the port, and the whole of the 
animals landed may pass into the country if, after at least 
twelve hours' quarantine, they are certified by the Government 
inspector to be free from any contagious or infectious disease. 
In 1871 the importations into Harwich amounted to 2880 
oxen and bulls, 11,635 cows, 10,936 calves, 141,354 sheep and 
lambs, and 19,827 swine, making a total of 186,632 animals. 
.Out of this large number, only 11 pigs from Antwerp and 4 sheep 
from Rotterdam were found affected with disease, namely, foot- 
and-mouth. This fact, so far from being universally regarded as 
satisfactory, is by some considered evidence that the diseased 
condition of many other animals has been passed undetected. It 
may, therefore, be useful to quote the following official state- 
ment from the Report of the Veterinary Department for 1871 
(pp. 8 and 9) :— 
" During tlie year 1871 no case of foot-and-mouth disease or pleuro- 
j)neumouia occurred in the parishes of either Harwich or Dovercourt. These 
parishes contain an area of upwards of 3000 acres, within whicli area are 
manj' farms and dairies. At Harwicli more Dutch cattle have been hmded 
since the restrictions were removed than at any other port in Great Britain, 
except London. Tlie cow'-keepers at Harwich and Dovercourt are in tlic 
habit of fillinc; up any vacancies in their dairies with Dutch cows, and there 
is scarcely a farmer in Dovercourt parish who has not taken Dutch cattle in 
to keep. Notwithstanding this, these parishes enjoy an exceptional freedom 
from contagious or infectious diseases amongst their stock." 
This statement is corroborated by the following extract from a 
letter written by a resident in the neighbourhood, well qualified 
to form an opinion on the subject, were it necessary. The 
following, however, is merely a statement of fact : — 
" There has been a market held at Harwich every Friday since last May 
(1871) for the sale of foreign store cattle and milch cows; these arrive on the 
Sundaj', Tuesday, and Thursday ; after undergoing the twelve hours' quarantine, 
if free from disease, they arc delivered to their owners, who turn them out to 
graze on the pastures in Plarwich and Dovercourt till the market day. I 
have seen them grazing with nothing but a fence separating them from the 
home-bred cattle ; and it W'ill surprise you when I tell you that neither of 
these two parishes has had a case of pleuro-pneumonia or foot-and-moutli 
disease within them. If foot-and-mouth disease is all imported, will any one tell 
