The Outbreak of Cattle- Plague. 
223 
number of inspectors to see that these compulsory orders were 
carried out, and to recommend further measures in case of 
necessity. 
Mr. HEMSLEY having seconded Mr. Bowen Jones's resolutions, 
Mr. Jacob WILSON referred to what had taken place at the 
last Council meeting. He reminded the Council that the Resolu- 
tions then proposed by Mr. Bowcn Jones were withdrawn partly 
that the Council might be enabled to go to the Government 
with an undivided front, and partly in the hope that the regula- 
tions made by the Privy Council would prevent any further 
outbreak of cattle-plague. This hope had not been fulfilled ; 
and the general opinion in the country now was that nothing 
short of total prohibition would meet the case. Special atten- 
tion was being directed in every district to the outbreak of 
cattle-plague which was now threatening us, and it appeared 
that a cargo consisting of diseased cattle, and various mer- 
chandise, together with passengers and crew, might carry 
contagion all over the country, owing to the laxity of inspection 
in foreign countries. But even good inspection was not always 
sufficient to stop the importation of disease, and stronger 
measures than those now in existence were necessary for the 
protection of English herds. He would draw the line at the 
European ports, as at present they were quite helpless with no 
stronger protection than slaughter at the ports of debarkation 
in England. He regarded the "following" policy of the 
Government, instead of the " leading " policy which they 
should adopt, as a mistake ; but he recognised the prompt 
action of the Privy Council at the first-outbreak of the disease, 
although it had not been successful. This matter was beyond 
the range of politics, and affected the consumer as much as the 
producer, the rinderpest having been the chief cause of the 
high price of meat in recent years. The Americans had now 
settled the problem of feeding the people by the extension of 
the dead-meat trade, but he would be prepared to exclude even 
dead meat, if it were likely to bring with it cattle-disease. 
The internal regulations which they had to submit to were 
harassing, and not always effective, besides being often evaded. 
Quarantine places he regarded as impracticable, because in 
the case of three or four cargoes of animals arriving within 
a short time, the healthy animals must of necessity walk 
over the same ground as the diseased cargoes. Therefore he 
would draw the line of prohibition a little further off than it is 
at present, and insist upon animals being slaughtered on the 
other side of the water. He had been told that no Govern- 
ment could possibly pass such an order ; but if not, then he 
hoped some independent member would rise in the House of 
