PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE. 
CATTLE PLAGUE. 
House of Commons, Thursday, July ’ H ' oth . 
Mr. Bent asked the Vice-President of the Council whether it was 
true that a case of cattle plague had occurred in a cargo of Russian 
cattle imported into Newcastle from Hamburg: and whether he had 
taken any steps to prevent the importation of Russian cattle into the 
country through German ports, in addition to forbidding the direct 
import from Russia. 
Mr. Forster was sorry to say that in addition to the case referred 
to in the question of the lion, gentleman a Hamburg steamer had 
brought in on Monday morning seventy-eight cattle, seven of which 
were German and eight Russian breed. One of the Russian cattle 
was verv ill on the arrival of the steamer, and died a few hours after- 
wards, from what he believed to be undoubted cattle plague. The 
captain acknowledged that he had thrown a cow overboard which 
had died of the plague six hours after being taken on board. On 
Monday or Tuesday the Government was informed that a cargo of 
cattle from Cronstadt to London was attacked by the plague. They 
also had reason to believe that another cargo of cattle from the 
same place to Hull would arrive in the course of a few days. Every 
possible precaution had been taken, and. he was happy to say that 
Professor Simonds, Principal of the Veterinary College, had kindly 
consented to place his services to the Government. The Govern¬ 
ment had forbidden the importation of cattle from Russia, but the 
cargoes which were diseased had been shipped before the order in 
council could take effect. It being a serious thing to interfere with 
the importation of German cattle, he thought it his duty to com¬ 
municate officially to the Prussian Embassy. He had thought it 
his duty at once to communicate with the North German Embassy, 
which had sent a telegram to Germany to inquire into the matter, and 
he had no doubt whatever that effectual steps would be taken to pre¬ 
vent any of those Russian cattle from coming here in German ships. 
He trusted that that would be sufficient; but if it were not, the 
Government would be forced to consider whether they should pro¬ 
hibit importation or not. He thought what he had said would con¬ 
vince hon. members of the absolute necessity wjiich there was of 
providing for the slaughter of all German cattle at the port of land¬ 
ing, unless there were sufficient proof that they did not come from 
a Russian port. But for that order he did not see how they could 
possibly have prevented the cattle plague from being now in the 
northern counties. 
Colonel W. Fatten asked whether the cattle plague had broken 
out in any of the Mediterranean ports. 
