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progress of the epidemic was being successfully checked, as may be seen from the following weekly figures taken from the official reports:

Table showing number of localities affected and number of animals died, slaughtered, and inoculated weekly, from July 5 to September 6.

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At this stage the situation was considered so hopeful that it was proposed very shortly to reopen the cattle markets.

There are no reports on hand after the one dated September 6-the last one in the table-until the first week in December, a lapse of three months. It appears from the latter report that the outbreak in Lower Egypt had been fully controlled, had in fact practically subsided, out that the endeavor to prevent its spread into Upper Egypt had signally failed, as it was then raging with great virulence in that locality. The report in question states that while there were 80 deaths from the plague in Lower Egypt (indicating a slight reappearance in that part of the country), it was strongly in evidence in Upper Egypt, upward of 800 head having succumbed in the first week of December.

It was explained that the greater severity of the outbreak in Upper Egypt was due to the fact that the disease is more deadly in winter than in summer, the warmth of the sun having power to reduce the virility of the microbe.

IMPORTS OF MEAT, MEAT PRODUCTS, EGGS, AND DAIRY PRODUCTS INTO THE UNITED KINGDOM.

By GEORGE FAYETTE THOMPSON, M. S.,

Editor, Bureau of Animal Industry.

The United Kingdom is recognized as the best market in the world for food products, and it is therefore natural that those countries which produce a surplus of such products should engage in keen competition for the trade of that country. The countries principally concerned in the meat, egg, and dairy-products supply are the United States, Australasia, Argentina, and Denmark.

IMPORTS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM.

In order that we may know the extent of the market for the products under consideration, at least so far as importations comprise the market, the following table is compiled from the official reports of the United Kingdom for the year of 1903. The statistics for the years 1901 and 1902, also from the same source, are also given for purposes of comparison:

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Cattle. The imports of cattle into the United Kingdom in 1903 amounted to 522,546 head, and their value was $44,816,192. The table above shows that the imports for this year exceeded those of 1902 by more than 100,000 head and six and three-fourths million .dollars. Of the cattle supply of 1903, the United States furnished 301,757 head, which was a decrease of 22,674 head from the number of the year before, and of 103,947 from 1901. The reason for this decline is not due to foreign competition, but to the shortage of supply for the home demands. Our chief competitor in this cattle trade is Canada, which sent 190,815 to the United Kingdom in 1903; this was an increase over 1902 of over 100 per cent. Argentina was shut out of that market during 1901 and 1902 and nine months of 1903. During the three months that cattle were admitted she sent 27,817 head. The absence of imports from Argentina during the two years named was because of the existence of foot-and-mouth disease in that country. The last full year of exports of cattle from Argentina to the United Kingdom was 1898, when the number was 89,369, valued at $6,575,926.

The value per head of the cattle sent from the United States in 1903 was $87; those from Canada for the same year were worth $84.40 per head, and those from Argentina $79.71.

The United States, Canada, and Argentina furnish nearly all the imports of cattle.

Sheep and lambs.-The total number of sheep and lambs received as imports into the United Kingdom in 1903 was 354,241, and they were valued at $2,657,416. This was an increase over 1902, but a decrease from 1901. For the year 1903 the United States furnished the United Kingdom with half of the sheep and lambs imported, but this was possible because Argentine sheep were shut out of that market for a long time, as explained above. In 1898 this country furnished 430,073 head, and 382,080 head in 1899. Argentina sent 82,941 head during the three months of 1903 that the markets were open to her. Canada sent 83,291 head in 1903. All other countries sent but 16,623 head.

The exports from the United States were fewer in 1903 than in 1902 by 61,841 head, and fewer than in 1901 by 128,766. This falling off is due to the high prices which have ruled in the home markets and not to any lack of demand in the United Kingdom for American

mutton.

The value per head of those sent from the United States in 1903 was $7.51; from Argentina, $7.85; from Canada, $7.54.

Fresh beef. The amount of fresh beef imported in 1903 was 465,875,872 pounds, and its value was $40,713,825. This quantity is less than the imports of 1900 and 1901, but 50,000,000 pounds greater than in 1902. The decrease was not because of the lack of demand, but because of the shortage of American and Australasian supply.

Of the total imports, the United States sent 301,719,040 pounds; Argentina sent 129,047,632 pounds, and Australasia sent 26,598,432 pounds.

In the matter of price the United States leads, receiving 1.5 cents more per pound than Argentina and 2 cents more than Australasia. The United States received 9.2 cents per pound for its sales, Argen- ' tina 7.7 cents, and Australasia 7.2 cents.

Over two-thirds of the Australasian supply (271,247 pounds) is from New Zealand.

Fresh mutton.-The imports of fresh mutton in 1903 amounted to 449,861,664 pounds and its value was $38,085,531. This was 40,000,000 pounds more than was imported in 1902 and 45,000,000 pounds more than the imports of 1901. Of this great quantity, New Zealand in 1903 sent 227,968,608 pounds, receiving for it $20,211,884-8.8 cents per pound. Argentina sent 166,406,240 pounds, receiving for it $12,672,030-7.6 cents per pound. Australia sent 20,302,128 pounds; and that from the United States was included under the head of "Other countries." The amount was no doubt quite small, being but 200;592 pounds in 1902. Our exports of mutton to all countries in 1903, according to the records of the Bureau of Statistics of the Department of Commerce and Labor, were only 2,780,265 pounds, with a value of $253,384-8.7 cents per pound. The price per pound of that sent to the United Kingdom in 1902 was only 7.5 cents.

Fresh pork.-The imports of fresh pork are not great when compared with the imports of fresh beef, fresh mutton, bacon, and hams. The amount for 1903 was 79,054,528 pounds. This was 6,000,000 pounds greater than the amount for 1902, but 9,500,000 pounds smaller than that for 1901. The value of the imports of 1903 was $7,569,607-9.8 cents per pound. The largest part of this supply came from Holland, the amount for 1903 being 59,054,128 pounds, with a value of $5,461,196. The United States is the second in rank, sending 14,861,840 pounds, having a value of $1,555,499. Belgium has a small trade with the United Kingdom in fresh pork.

The fresh pork from Holland brought 9.2 cents per pound, while that from the United States brought 10.6 cents.

Bacon.-With one exception, bacon is the article imported in largest quantity, and the countries competing for this trade are the United States, Denmark, and Canada. The total amount imported in 1903 was 577,582,656 pounds, worth $66,277,545. The United States contributed 324,072,784 pounds of this, and the value of it was $35,870,621-11 cents per pound. The amount furnished by Denmark was 167,563,312 pounds, worth $20,896,834-12.4 cents per pound. Canada sent 74,507,888 pounds, worth $8,232,595-11 cents per pound.

These figures prove that Canadian bacon is not worth more than ours in the English markets, but what of that from Denmark, which

brings 1.4 cents more than that from the United States? The reasons for this will be touched on elsewhere in this article. If our bacon had

sold for the same price as the Danish article in 1903, we would have received $4,537,019 more than was received. It is a fact also that our exports of bacon to that market have been decreasing all too rapidly in recent years, while those from Denmark have been increasing. A tabular statement is given here with for the purpose of comparing our losses and Denmark's gains.

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Hams. In 1903 the United Kingdom imported 127,829,184 pounds of hams. This was 38,186,960 pounds less than the imports of 1902 and 80,565,856 pounds less than those of 1901. The value of the hams taken in 1903 was $15,293,336. The United States has very little competition in this article. The amount she contributed in 1903 was 105,186,928 pounds, worth $12,665,817-12 cents per pound. The contribution of Canada was 22,119,664 pounds, receiving for it $2,552,684, or 11.1 cents per pound. All other countries furnished but 522,592 pounds. There is no plausible explanation as to why the imports of hams into the United Kingdom should be falling off nor why the exports from the United States should not be maintained at the highest point and increased annually, but this is not the case.

Rabbits. The people generally of the United States have no idea of the amount of rabbit meat that is consumed in the United Kingdom. There are no data available to show either the domestic production or consumption, which is no doubt considerable; but that which was imported in 1903 amounted to 53,272,240 pounds, and it was valued at $3,522,767, or 6.6 cents per pound. Of this Australia sent 27,312,768 pounds, worth $1,390,447-5.1 cents per pound; New Zealand sent 15,027,152 pounds, worth $777,457-5.7 cents per pound; Belgium sent 7,716,192 pounds, worth $963,324-12.5 cents per pound. The Belgium rabbits are the domestic sort, while those from Australasia are of the wild kind. This fact explains why Belgium gets for her rabbits more than twice the amount received by the other countries. If the United States sends any rabbits to the United Kingdom, the amount is so small as not to be mentioned separately; it is not probable that we export any whatever.

H. Doc. 743, 58-2—30

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