The Duke of Richmond brought in the Government Bill to
prevent epidemics among animals on Tuesday. The principle of the measure is, that all foreign animals used for food—of .which 1,317,000 were imported in 1876, against 37,000,000 in the coun- try—shall be slaughtered at once at the port of landingovhile local outbreaks of disease will be met by slaughter and by rigid restrictions upon movement. These latter can only be discussed by experts, but there will be a battle about the main proviaion of slaughter at the port of entry, many boroughs holding that it will decidedly increase the price of meat. The discussion would be more interesting but for the evidence recently obtained that American meat can be brought over in a perfectly fit state for consumption. Every rise of a penny a pound will bring more meat, and we confess we would rather see a logical Bill prohibit- ing the entry of live animals altogether. Scientific men would then set to work on new methods of transporting meat, the food.woujd not be partly spoiled by the deterioration caused by the voysge, and an immense amount of suffering to animals would be finally prevented.
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