ply of food was to be seriously dimin- tion of the Act, until the contrary was ished. shown. How was the contrary to be shown, and to whose satisfaction? MR. HUNT said that if it was the wish of the House he would introduce into the clause any insertions that the House wished for in order to enable the calves to be brought from the farms where they were dropped to farms where they would be reared. Amendments made. On Question, That the clause as amended stand part of the Bill, MR. LOCKE KING said, he thought the clause an objectionable one; a great danger would arise from the intervention of the dealers in calves. He was disposed to divide the Committee on it. SIR GEORGE GREY observed, that the various opinions entertained on the subject of this 21st clause afforded another illus tration of the difficulty of dealing with this subject by statutory regulations, and convinced him that it would be better to leave it to the local authorities to make regulations suitable to the requirements of their respective counties. MR. HUNT said, that if each county must have exactly what would suit itself, there would be no possibility of making such regulations as would be likely to stamp out the plague. MR. HUNT said, the act was to be proved, not to the satisfaction of the policeman who might stop the cattle, but of the magistrate before whom the person in charge was brought. THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHE. QUER said, that he foresaw grave incon veniences arising from the plan. There was a manifest inconsistency between the two clauses. VISCOUNT CRANBOURNE suggested that the difficulty might be removed by giving a permanent licence to all persons requiring to move cattle upon their own grounds. THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER said, the suggestion was a wise and practical one, but words giving effect to it must be added to the clause. SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTE said, that within the very short distance which cattle could be moved under Clause 14, the owners and the cattle themselves would be very well known. MR. DENT thought this was precisely a case where a policeman owing a grudge to a farmer would have an opportunity of gratifying it by causing him petty annoy ance. MR. AYRTON foresaw this further diffi MR. W. DUNCOMBE said, the right hon. Baronet the Home Secretary had culty about the explanation. The driver, several times made observations that showed not the cow, was to be taken before a mahe was still in favour of permissive legis-gistrate for the purpose; and what was to lation, and of leaving matters to the local become of the cow in the meantime. Everyauthorities. He could state, however, from body would be placed in a most embarrasshis own experience of courts of quarter ing position. sessions, that they objected to matters being left to them. They objected to the Government shifting the responsibility from their own shoulders and placing it upon those of country Gentlemen. Clause, as amended, agreed to. Clause 23 amended, and agreed to. Clause 28 (Presumption against person moving). THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER said, he thought it could hardly stand in its present form. Clause 14 had authorized the movement of cattle to a certain limited extent without any licence. But this clause presumed from the mere fact of cattle being found upon the highway that they were being moved in contraven Sir George Grey MR. SCLATER-BOOTH, with a view of rendering the clause more intelligible, moved the insertion of the following words :-"Except for the space of 200 yards, as herein before provided in Clause 14 of this Act." MR. HENLEY said, that the 25th and 26th clauses must be considered together. The 28th clause threw the burden of proof upon the person having charge or possession of the cattle. A boy might be driving two or three cows and might be met by a policeman. Unless the boy could give a Batisfactory account of the matter the policeman would carry off the boy and the cows to the station-house. Within fortyeight hours he must take him before the justice; but no provision was made by the clause for taking the owner of the cattle before the justice. How was this wretched boy, who probably knew nothing of arith Clause, as amended, agreed to. [cl. 12.] Clause 29 (Power for Constables to stop Beasts on highways). metic, to substantiate his story that the distance was not more than 200 yards? If, however, he could not prove the fact the cattle were to be killed, forfeited, and sold. But that was not all the mischief. Suppose the cattle were diseased. The station-house, or the pound, which was the station-house for cattle, might be six or seven miles off, and the cattle would have to be driven all the distance. The clauses certainly required more consideration. VISCOUNT CRANBOURNE said, that the case of the boy might be pitiful, but the case of the policeman was more pitiful still, because he would have to drive the cattle, and being the driver of the cattle under the law he might be taken up by another policeman. The second policeman would then in his turn become the driver of the cattle according to the Act, and so it might go on until all the police of the county would be found arresting one another. THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER said, there was another important person the common informer. If he found the boy and the cattle he might assume that the cattle were being removed without authority. By the Act the common informer was to receive half the penalty. MR. HUNT suggested that the difficulty might be met by inserting, after the word "presume," the words on any inquiry before a justice.' SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTE would remind the Chancellor of the Exchequer that, although a common informer might obtain a portion of the penalty, he could neither stop the animals nor arrest the driver. MR. OWEN STANLEY suggested the desirability of reporting Progress, that the Bill might be re-printed. THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER said, he was afraid, notwithstanding his desire to go on with the Bill, that it would be impossible to finish it during the present sitting. Perhaps the hon. Member would be kind enough to say where he would stop, and what he proposed for consideration during the next sitting. MR. HUNT said, he had hoped they would have been able to finish that portion of the Bill under discussion. With regard to the printing, he would assist in that respect as much as he was able; but the Amendments made in the Bill necessitated the framing of new clauses; and he did not think he could give notice of them then. The question of moving of hides was very important, so also was the cleansing of cattle grounds. He supposed it would be best to proceed with the consideration of the Bill after the "Notices" to-morrowor rather he should say to-day, as it was past midnight. SIR GEORGE GREY remarked that with a certifi as the clause stood a person cate authorizing him to move a beast would be liable to be apprehended. He therefore proposed to insert after the word "beast the words "unless such person or persons can produce a licence authorizing him to remove such beast.” MR. HUNT said, it was desirable in ad dition to this to add a sentence protecting those moving cattle on their farms. Clause, as amended, agreed to. [cl. 13.] beast to be killed, &c). Clause 30 (Power to Justices to order SIR EDWARD BULLER remarked, that it was impossible to pass it as it stood. The justices would have a direct personal interest in seizing a beast driven on the road. They were authorized to dispose of it as they thought fit. They might even eat it. CATTLE PLAGUE ACT.-QUESTION. THE EARL OF ELLENBOROUGH asked the noble Earl the President of the Coun to the local authorities, and it had been already suggested that instructions should be issued by the Government as to the best modes of disinfection. CATTLE PLAGUE RETURNS. EARL STANHOPE wished to call the attention of his noble Friend the President of the Council to the unsatisfactory nature of the information supplied by the Cattle Plague Returns issued by the Veterinary Department of the Privy Council; for, while these Returns seemed to announce a diminution at present in the number of cases, in one week 200 inspectors and in another 250 had failed to send in their Returns. The publication of imperfect Returns was calculated to give rise to erroneous impressions, and to hopes that might not be realized. Under these circum cil, Whether it is the intention of the stances, it would be well either to make rules under the Cattle Diseases Act? He feared that without some suggestions from a general authority uniformity could scarcely be expected. He understood that the local authorities would probably be called upon to frame these rules by Saturday, or not later than Monday. THE EARL OF DALHOUSIE also desired to inquire of his noble Friend (Earl Granville) whether the inspectors who had been already appointed would continue to hold office until the local authorities made new appointments, or whether the Act which had received the Royal Assent that day did not put an end to their appointment. EARL GRANVILLE said, he was sorry his noble Friend (the Earl of Dalhousie) had not given him notice of his Question, for he was not prepared to give a positive answer to it offhand; but he did not apprchend that the Bill which was now an Act would stop the operation of the Orders in Council till the local authorities gave effect to the provisions of the new Act. With regard to the Question of the noble Earl opposite (the Earl of Ellenborough), it was to be remembered that Parliament had taken this matter to a certain extent out of the hands of the Government. Whatever was now done must be done in accordance with the provisions of the Act. At the same time, he was sure his right hon. Friend the Home Secretary would be glad to give any assistance in his power Mr. Hunt pone the publication of the reports for a longer interval than a week. which were wanting were those from the EARL GRANVILLE said, the Returns infected districts in Yorkshire and Cheshire, where the amount of work devolving upon the inspectors was at times so overwhelming as to prevent them, with all the will in the world, from forwarding the Returns in time. He feared that the course suggested by the noble Earl would hardly prove in practice any improvement upon Returns, he hoped, would be in their Lordthe present system. But the completed ships' hands before the end of the week. SMALLPOX AMONG SHEEP. THE EARL OF DERBY: I am afraid my noble Friend must be nearly tired of answering Questions, but I hope he will excuse my putting another to him-more particularly as I have not given any notice of it. But it was not until this morning that I saw a notification, which appeared last night in the Gazette, to the effect that smallpox had broken out among the sheep in Northamptonshire. I trust that measures either have been or will be promptly taken to prevent any sheep from being allowed to leave the district where the disease has shown itself, and also that provision will be made for burying the carcass of any infected animal. I will only further say that we shall have reason to feel indebted to the noble Earl if he can lay | tle plague-by which they meant the inbefore us any information in addition to discriminate slaughter of every animalthat which has appeared in the morning and the indemnification of the owners. papers; because, if we have the cattle plague supplemented and aggravated by smallpox among the sheep, there is no knowing to what extent the mischief may prevail. EARL GRANVILLE: I am sorry to say that, according to the information which has reached me, smallpox appears to have broken out among the sheep in a district of Northamptonshire. Of course, we did not lose a single moment in issuing an Order suitable to the circumstances that have arisen. I am encouraged to hope that the mischief may not prove extensive, because a similar case occurred a few months ago, and by prompt and timely measures the disease was entirely stamped out. THE EARL OF DERBY: Can the noble Earl state that any information has been received as to the means by which the disease was imported into the district? Has he been able to trace its origin? EARL GRANVILLE: The origin of the disease is exceedingly doubtful. I am speaking merely from memory, but the sheep were bought, I think, on the 4th of December, and it was on the 28th of January that the disease showed itself. The disease may possibly have escaped attention during that interval; one of the sheep may have had the disease mildly at first, and it may then have spread from animal to animal during those eight weeks. On that point it is impossible for me to pronounce any opinion; but we have desired the inspector to inquire very closely, and also to ascertain, if possible, whether the sheep came from Holland, or whether they were bought in this country. THE DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH said, he had not been aware that it was intended to pass the Bill through all its stages so hurriedly, or he should have been present the night before. The House having resolved upon the indiscriminate slaughter of cattle throughout the country, it was of vital importance that the Government should ascertain at the earliest possible moment the amount of stock actually in the country. The Department specially intrusted with that duty was doing its best to procure information upon the point; but the Returns which it was empowered to collect were only voluntary. The Government, therefore, ought to take the first opportunity of obtaining Parliamentary powers compelling Returns to be made of the amount of live stock in the country. He perceived that power had been given to the Privy Council of continuing the slaughter of cattle beyond the period fixed by the Act in the first instance. As there was no saying what advice the Government might receive, or what they might think fit to do, it became of double importance that they should not be acting in the dark. Foreign importation could not be relied upon as a source of supply; and it might turn out, after an enormous number of beasts had been killed, that indiscriminate slaughter would not prove successful. When last this country was visited by the cattle plague 100,000 head of cattle were annihilated without stopping or alleviating the infliction. With the information, however, in their possession as to the actual quantity of stock at present in the country, the Government would know how far it was wise to go; and he therefore suggested that clauses on this subject should be introduced into the Bill at present before the other House of Parliament. THE CATTLE PLAGUE.-QUESTIONS. THE DUKE OF BUCCLEUCH said, it was rather late to present petitions in re- LORD LYTTELTON asked whether it ference to a Bill that had received the was the fact that all the cattle affected Royal Assent; two petitions, however, had with the disease, and now under treatbeen intrusted to him having reference to ment, whether by Mr. Worms or any other what was called the Cattle Diseases Pre-person, even though they might exhibit vention Bill, but which should properly be promising symptoms, were to be destroyed, called the Cattle Extirpation Bill. The or whether power existed anywhere to first was from the justices of the peace of avert this doom, under a special representhe county of Ross, the other from the tation of circumstances. landed proprietors, tenant-farmers, manufacturers, merchants, and others of Easter Ross, praying that vigorous measures might be taken for stamping out the cat LORD TAUNTON fully agreed with the noble Duke opposite as to the importance of taking powers to render compulsory the collection of information; and hoped that MESSAGE FROM THE QUEEN. MARRIAGE OF THE PRINCESS HELENA. agriculturists would now be reconciled to | object of which is to enable holders of this proceeding annually, for, if once valuable pictures and works of art under adopted, they would find it to be attended trust deeds to lend them if they were so with the greatest benefit. disposed, notwithstanding the restrictions of the trust deeds, to the proposed National Portrait Exhibitions in London and the International Exhibition of Paris to be held next year. The works of art were to be intrusted to the President_of the Council for the National Portrait Exhibition, and would be returned, as far as possible, without damage; but the Lord President was not to be personally liable for any loss or any damage any work of art might sustain. Message from The QUEEN-Delivered by The Earl Russell; and read by The Lord Chancellor as follows: "VICTORIA R. "Her Majesty relies upon the cordial Interest which the House of Lords has expressed in the approaching Marriage between The Princess Helena and Prince Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a." Christian of Schleswig-Holstein Sonder--(Lord Stanley of Alderley.) bourg-Augustenburg: "The numerous Proofs which the Queen has received of their Loyalty to Her Throne, and of their Attachment to Her Person and Family, assure Her of their Willingness to concur in making such a Provision for The Princess Helena, with a view to the proposed Marriage, as may be suitable to the Dignity of the Crown. V. R." Ordered, That the said Message be taken into Consideration on Thursday next. MESSAGE FROM THE QUEEN. PROVISION FOR PRINCE ALFRED. Message from The QUEEN-Delivered by The Earl Russell; and read by The Lord Chancellor as follows: "VICTORIA R. THE MARQUESS OF BATH said, he did not intend to oppose the second reading of the Bill, but thought the third clause would require some modification in Committee. The President of the Council was not to be in any way responsible for any damage that might occur to the objects indeed, it would appear by the Bill that lent for the purposes of exhibition; and, no one was answerable. By the third clause trustees or guardians would be permitted to lend any of the works of art in being liable for any damage; and the contheir charge to an exhibition, without sequence might be the guardian himself, perhaps, having little interest in the work, that, through careless packing or rough carriage, a valuable picture might be injured or destroyed. LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEY reminded the noble Marquess that the Bill was entirely permissive. It compelled no them to do so; and of course none would one to lend their pictures-it only enabled lend a work of art without being fully aware of the conditions upon which it left their hands. He thought the noble Mar "Her Majesty being desirous of making competent Provision for the honourable Support and Maintenance of Her Second Son, Prince Alfred Ernest Albert, on his coming of Age, relies upon the Attach-quess would agree with him that it was ment of the House of Lords to concur in the Adoption of such Measures as may be suitable to the Occasion. V. R." Ordered, That the said Message be taken into Consideration on Thursday next. for damage done to their pictures. Holders impossible to make any one responsible could lend or not, as they felt disposed. THE MARQUESS OF BATH said, it appeared that the Bill was really for the purpose of enabling the British Museum to lend some of the articles which were in the custody of the Trustees. If the power to lend applied only to the owner he would have no objection; but here they were Order of the Day for the Second Read- proposing to lend by the authority of ing read. ART BILL-[BILL 15.] SECOND READING. LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEY moved the second reading of this Bill, the Lord Taunton trustees and guardians. LORD OVERSTONE thought that the Bill if it passed into law would place |