.222 
The Outbreak of Cattle-Plague. 
parts of the country, with the danger of carrying the infection 
with them. He felt that there were other diseases of stock to 
be taken into account besides cattle-plague, and that with 
regard to pleuro-pneuinonia and foot-and-mouth disease, the 
slaughter of animals at the port of landing would cut off the 
great source of infection. The detention of twelve hours' 
duration was often insufficient to enable disease recently 
engendered to be detected at the port of landing, and there- 
fore both the farmers and the consuming public suffer im- 
mensely from the diseases thus imported into English flocks 
and herds. If his Resolution were carried, the officers of the 
veterinary department would have more time to attend to the 
home flocks and herds, and the diseases to which they are 
naturally subject. Mr. Bowen Jones then gave some calcula- 
tions as to the loss which had arisen during the great outbreak 
of cattle-plague in 1865 to 1867, as compared with that caused 
at each recurring outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. The 
estimates of the latter might, however, be greatly increased by 
taking into account the loss of calves by death and abortion, 
and the loss of health and physique throughout the cattle of 
the country. With regard to the second Resolution, he felt that 
quarantine involved a difficult question, but that as sometimes 
valuable animals were sent out of the country temporarily, and 
would be wanted back again, while a few are from time to time 
imported, it would be desirable that such quarantine grounds 
as those at Southampton should be established for such cattle 
at the several ports of import. He believed that the South- 
ampton quarantine grounds had worked well, and that any one 
likely to import a valuable animal and submit it to a month's 
quarantine, would take care that it was itself healthy previous 
to shipment, and that it was kept with healthy cattle on the 
journey to England. On the third Resolution, as to greater 
uniformity of internal measures, he stated that the great fault 
in the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act, 1869, was its per- 
missive character, which had caused, and always will cause, 
varying action by different local authorities. Stock owners 
would be willing to submit to restrictions if foreign diseases 
could be kept out of the country, but hitherto the Act had not 
been loyally carried out. The Privy Council already possessed 
under the Act enormous powers, but they will not exercise 
them, except when great alarm has been produced. As a rule 
he did not believe in centralisation, but the question of cattle- 
disease is of such enormous importance, that uniformity is 
necessary, and no uniformity can be obtained without com- 
pulsion. After the passing of compulsory measures, the uni- 
formity required could be secured by the appointment of a 
