Report on the Trade in Animals. 
239 
The condition of animals on landing must bo regarded as an 
index of the state of the place they have left ; therefore, the 
question of the proper cleansing of the liolds of cattle-ships 
appears one of paramount importance. It seems impossible to 
conceive any circumstances more favourable to the develop- 
ment of germs of disease than those existing in the hold of a 
steamboat, just as seeds of plants will germinate more quickly 
in a greenhouse than under ordinary atmospheric infla- 
•ences. It is, therefore, most essential that such places should 
be thoroughly cleansed and disinfected, under the superin- 
tendence of the Government Inspector, before the vessels are 
allowed to take a return cargo. It is useless to trust to such a 
process of cleansing as will enable a return cargo to be taken, for 
the germs of disease have a vitality sufficient to outlive several 
short passages, if not destroyed by direct means. I should, 
therefore, recommend that no steamboat or other vessel shall be 
allowed by the Veterinary Inspector at the port of embarkation 
to receive animals until after the master or owner has delivered 
a certificate, signed by the Veterinary Inspector at the last port 
of debarkation, certifying that such steamboat or other vessel has 
been properly cleansed and disinfected since the last landing of 
animals therefrom. 
I am aware that some of the steamboats engaged in the Con- 
tinental trade return in ballast, and that their cleansing and 
disinfection is said to be done during the return voyage. In 
these cases it will be urged that such a rule as that just recom- 
mended would involve the loss of a tide, and that this would 
add such a price to the cost of transit of the cattle as to amount 
to a prohibitive duty. To meet such objections it would be 
easy to make an alternative rule that animals imported in vessels 
not complying with the foregoing stipulation should be treated 
as coming from a scheduled country, that is to say, that such 
animals should be slaughtered at the port of landing. 
Before concluding this part of the subject I must mention 
what may, perhaps, be considered a trivial matter. But the mode 
of disposal of the mixture of manure and sand, or manure and 
sawdust, from steamboats, and that of the manure from receiv- 
ing yards, is really by no means unimportant. Generally it is 
sold at intervals, either more or less disinfected by mixture with 
■quicklime or otherwise ; but the London and North-Western 
Railway Company prefer to avoid all risk by placing it on the 
" spondons " (the projecting ridges of the paddle-boxes) of their 
steamboats, and shovelling it overboard when they get into the 
"Race" or most rapid part of St. George's Channel. Whatever 
system is adopted the disposal of these refuse substances should 
