The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-09-25 00:00:00

•Ely ,itoutbribge Oberber.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25th, 1875.

THE SUPPLY OF MEAT.

The question how to simply a people with
good and wholeseeie foed ea-el:est.y one of
the moat import an;-, ;dal can occupy the at
ef the constituted authorities. It is a
met tee which has lately attracted considerable
notice, and the social controversy respecting the
price of meat has been surrounded by circum-
stances of much intereA. Whether the restric-
tions framed by the Privy Council should be re-
laxed so as to secure the more free importation
of foreign cattle, or whether such relaxation
would tend still further to increase the danger
of distemper which already exists has been a
matter for much controversy. There can be no
doubt that there are vast nurnbere of foreign
cattle which might be brought to this country
hut for the very stringent regulations for the
slaughter of the animals at the port of landing
if disease be detected in only one of them. An
association has been formed for bringing cattle
all the way from Texas if these regulations were
a little more elastic ; but a body of capitalists
would think once. twice, and even thrice before
importing a number of animals from that far dis-
tant State if on arriving here, the whole lot wore
to be sacrificed because one of the herd happened
to be infested. We could be supplied also from
many parts of Canada if importers were not sub•
ject to the risk to which we have already referred.
From time to time in the history of our people
the question has been raised as to how far the
importation of cattle should be subjected to res-
trictions, and 200 years ago the Government of
that time prohibited it altogether, so far as the
transport of animals from Ireland and Scotland
into England was concerned. By-and-by, how-
ever, a more liberal policy was adopted. Five-
and-thirty years ago all animals imported into
England from foreign countries were subject to
a moderate duty ; but in 1840, the year which
witnessed the repeal of the Corn Laws, this
itn-
post was abolished, and both beef and bread were
made duty free. Since that time the numbers
have enormously increased. In 1849 the horned
cattle imported into the United Kingdom were
53,480 ; four years later they had risen to 125,523
while in 1805 they had increased to 283,271. At
different periods a grievous murrain has broken
out. In 1745 a severe cattle plague raged in
England ; and so serious was its aspect that the
Privy Council ordered diseased beasts to be shot
and their skins destroyed, granting moderate
compensation. More than a century then elapsed
before another visitation. In April 1857 there
was such great disease amongst foreign cattle,
that they were excluded from this country by
prohibition. But the most disastrous outbreak
of the modern times was that which swept over
the land just ten years ago, and resulted in the
loss of at least 200,000 beasts. From that time
the price of meat has never gone back to its
former figures, and there is little doubt that we
shall feel the effects of that scourge for many
years to come.
For the advancing prices of animal food there
may be safely said to be threa causes. First we
have the prevalence of the foot-and-mouth dis-
ease at home. This has unfortunately become
a standing headline in the newspapers ; and the
official weekly returns hold out no hope of a dim-
inution in the mortality. Every one of such
deaths adds to the value of the survivors, and so
long:as this distemper remains unchecked, there
is, we fear, little hope of any reduction in the
value of beef and mutton constituting our home
supplies. The second cause is the enforcement
of the Privy Council regulations bearing upon
foreign importations. These are as stated
above, of a very stringent character, and many
are disposed to question the wisdom of continu-
ing them in the form which has provoked so
much criticism. To slay a whole cargo if only
one of the herd happens to be infected does ap-
pear to the minds of many a very severe measure
By the wholesale carrying out of such a process
as this, the importers see their profits very sen-
sibly diminished, for the sale of a carcase brings
in nothing like the sum realised by a live beast.
Therefore it is that the importers have threat-
ened to discontinue the supplies unless there is
a relaxation of the orders ii Council. These
had their orign during the rinderpest in the
autum of 1865, and the spring of 1866. Then
they answered their purpose ; the pest was
stamped out, and the orders were effectual in
preventing the introduction of infected beasts
into the kingdom. But at present there is no
disease worth speaking of upon the continent,
and it is argued with much force, that the pub-
lic interests cannot but suffer by the maintain-
ance of regulations which bear hardly in a con-
dition of affairs not contemplated at the time
when they were called into existence. The third
cause of the high price of meat is undoubtedly
the increased consumption of animal food by
he great body of the working classes. The vast
majority of these are getting much better wages
than they were ten years ago, and it is unfair
to them say, as is very often said, that the more
they earn the more they spend in drink. A con-
siderable proportion of the increased wages has
gone to the butcher's shop, and has not all foiled
its way over the publican's counter. It has
thus happened that while the supplies have
fallen off, the demand has become greater ' • and
a man does not require to be a very learned poli-
tical economist to see that the price under such
circumstances must inevitably rise. Nor is there
any prospect of change in this respect, at all
events just yet, Although trade may not be so
good as it was two years ago, the working classes
as a whole still get good money ; and a consid-
erable proportion of them require animal food in
their regimen to enable them to:discharge their
laborious and often exhaustingduties. The de-
mand for meat will not fall off; but the supply
might be increased, and if Parliament were sitting
now, the subject might well occupy the attention
of that high court, with a view to consider how
far, consistently with safety, the hard and fast
line drawn at our ports ten years ago could now
be modified.

THE IRON TRADE.
WOLFERHA3IPTON, Wednesday.

There was a good attendance on 'Change this
afternoon, but business was dull. Makers, as a
rule, are engaged completing contracts which were
entered into some time ago, and the fresh orders
coming to hand are of a limited character. Prices
having now reached the lowest figure, there is
every possibility of trade improving. Bars of the
best quality are quoted at £lO per ton, whilst
common qualities are being sold at £7 15s. per
ton. For sheet iron there is a somewhat better
demand as compared with other branches of the
trade, but the inquiry is chiefly confined to the
home consumption; this causes most of the works
engaged in the class of produce mentioned to be
going almost full time. Common sheets (singles)
are quoted at £ll per ton, and in sonic instances
they may be obtainel as low as £lO 15s. per ton.
The demand for pig iron is much about the same
as reported last week, prices remaining firm. No
alteration has taken place in the coal trade, and
although it was rumoured last week that the Earl
of Dudley was about to advance the price of his
coal, no official confirmation has yet been given to
the report.

Birmingham, Thursday.

There was a fuller attendance and rather more
animation than usual at the weekly meeting of the
iron trade to-day, but the business resulting was
not large. Buyers are still operating with ex-
treme caution, and the specifications placed are
gem:Tally for small quantities. On the whole, the
market may be reported a little firmer than it was
a fortnight ago, more especially as regards the
medium qualities of finished iron. The improve-
ment apparently is due not so much to increased
business as to the prospects of the coal and labour
markets. Rumours have been industriously cir-
culated during the past Week of an intention on
the part of the coalow-ners to raise the price of
coal; and in view of this contingency, and the
resumption of the old scale of wages necessitated
by the scarcity of skilled labour in the iron trade,
ironuiasti;r3 are asking, and in many cases obtain-
ing, a slight advance .upon recent quotations.
Bars of the very commonest description may
still be had as low as £7. 155., but the supply is
limited, and the general quotation for unmarked
bars is £3. Marked bars are nominally unchanged,
U). to tlO. 12s. fid. Sheets, which may be
ha.d. from .210. 15s. upwards, are still in leading
request; but the enquiries for plates of certain
brands are increasing. For galvanised iron the
orders continue satisfactory, and angles, tube
strip, rods, bars, hoops, and other descriptions
n ;..A in connection with the local hardware trades
a in improving request.: There is a little more
movement in the pig market in anticipation of
Quarter-d 7 requirements, and prices for the