200 ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND. 
that it was thought advisable to make the proposed representa¬ 
tion to the Privy Council. He foresaw that if those recommen¬ 
dations were carried out it must end in all animals being slaugh¬ 
tered at the port of debarkation. But at the same time he would 
like to register his protest and throw out one word of warning. 
If trade revived, as he hoped and believed it would, the restric¬ 
tions on the trade in meat would be so great that he w r as afraid 
it would almost be at a famine price, and that an outcry would 
be raised throughout the country which would result in the Act 
being repealed. At this moment there was a decided revival of 
trade in America, and that revival was mainly owing to two suc¬ 
cessful seasons in agriculture. A revival of trade in America 
always signalised a similar revival of trade in England, and he 
thought they should very carefully guard against doing anything 
which would tend to check it. The agriculturists of America 
were very large consumers of manufactured articles, and the same 
remark applied to English agriculturists. He did not see how it 
was possible to draw any line between the United States and 
Canada, and he should have been glad if the Veterinary Com¬ 
mittee had seen it right to leave the matter entirely in the hands 
of the Privy Council. His own belief was that the restrictions 
imposed prior to the passing of the Animals Diseases Act were 
quite sufficient to keep disease out of the country. We were no 
more free from disease now than we were before the new regula¬ 
tions came in force. 
Mr. Jacob Wilson sincerely hoped that the report presented by 
the Veterinary Committee would be adopted in its entirety, 
especially as it included their recommendation with reference to 
the outbreak of disease at Liverpool. He could assure the 
Council that there was a very strong feeling of alarm throughout 
the country at this outbreak; and considering that the farmers 
of England were now subjected to very great restrictions, he 
thought it was the duty of the Council, as representing the agri¬ 
cultural interest of the country, to express their views to the 
Privy Council. It was quite possible that the Privy Council had 
already initiated the action suggested by the Committee, and in 
that case it would be gratifying to the Lord President to know 
that he was backed by the agricultural opinion of the country. 
If, on the other hand, the Privy Council were in a state of doubt 
as to what ought to be done under the circumstances, the opinion 
of the Royal Agricultural Society might be of value in aiding 
them to come to a decision. Therefore, on whatever grounds the 
matter was put, it was desirable that some expression of opinion 
should be made. It had been no secret whatever that pleuro¬ 
pneumonia had existed to a considerable extent throughout the 
United States of America for some years past, and the other 
countries of Europe were anxiously watching the action which 
the Government of this country would take in reference to this 
outbreak. As to the general trade of the country, he did not for 
a moment believe tl^at it would be interfered with by the propo ea 
