448 
IMPORTATION OF DISEASED SHEEP. 
tages, and advocated its cause. He thus became intellectually 
exalted far above his predecessors ; and, to the eternal credit of 
The Royal Agricultural Society, that intelligence increases, as 
years roll on, wherever they assemble and exercise their renovat- 
ing influence. To the members of that useful and prosperous 
society we would, therefore, respectfully urge increasing efforts 
to aid the cause of British agriculture. The success of the past 
prompts to an onward course — a course of usefulness to the whole 
population, and which will secure to them the grateful acknowledg- 
ments of millions of the human race yet unborn ; and confer ho- 
nours upon them, far more pure and lasting than all the empty 
distinctions of proud potentates, and the boasted titles of blood- 
stained conquerors. 
We have thus traced the origin, progress, and great improve- 
ment of agriculture to the present time ; and we are authorised, by 
Scripture, to look forward to a period, when the latter days shall 
be so far influenced by religious principle, that the people “ shall 
beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning- 
hooks.” War shall then give place to the peaceful arts, and agri- 
culture, with all its improvements, will become even of greater 
importance than it has ever been in departed ages. 
Importation of Diseased Sheep. 
Mr. BAGGE (in his place in the House of Commons) inquired 
whether Government was aware of the rapid increase of small-pox 
among sheep in this country, and whether orders had been issued 
to prevent the importation of diseased sheep and the sale of such 
stock. 
Mr. LABOUCHERE, in reply, stated that, about the end of 
September last, the Government received information that a dis- 
ease had appeared among the sheep, being a species of small-pox 
of a fatal and contagious description ; and that there were strong 
grounds for supposing that it had been produced by the diseased 
sheep imported from abroad, principally from the north of Germany. 
A system of close inspection of all sheep imported from Germany 
was immediately instituted, and such other measures adopted as 
were thought necessary. The Government had also obtained a 
report on the subject from Mr. Simonds, a veterinary surgeon, 
which stated that he had examined six ships, containing 2300 
sheep, and that he had not found a single case of disease among 
them. Thus the case stood until quite recently. He had since 
