Mr. Chaplin obtained a victory over the Government on Tuesday
which is much to be regretted, and a victory not only over the Government, but over the Act of 1878 on the importa- tion of cattle, which his resolution virtually requires the House of Commons to repeal. His allegation was that footand-mouth disease has not been kept out of England under that Act, as administered by the Government,—that foot-and-mouth disease is of foreign origin, and might be stamped out, if importation from countries which suffer under it were forbidden, and that such importations ought to be forbidden in the interest of the British farmer. His contention is that only four per cent. of the meat supply of England would be excluded by excluding all importations from countries which suffer under the foot-and-mouth disease, and that a considerable portion of that might be regained by the increase of the dead-meat import. Of the mischief done by footand.mouth disease in particular districts, Mr. Chaplin adduced plenty of evidence, though, in fact, none was needed, as that mischief is matter of notoriety.
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