The Express.
London, England, 1866-02-20 00:00:00

THA CATTLE PLAGUE.

Now that the government bill is certain to become law,
the Times would direct the atteotios of the government
and the mariateatea to the care which it will be necessary
to observe in not destroying cattle which may possibly
escape infectioe. It is satisfactory in this matter to re-
member that those who have the inspection and the
shangliterieg In their bands will have to pay the rates, and
therefore have the best roams for moderation is what
they do. The infeoted besets ought of course to be
alacehtered and buried or destroyed at once, and the same
course may, perhaps, be the safest and most economical
where the number of theoattle that have been in communica-
tion with the sick beasts is 8 ) (Mill that ►heir value is of
little Recount in comparison with the expected benefit to
the district. Bat the local authorities mast guard against
seeding an army of wanton and indiscriminate destroyers
where►er the dimes appears. Lord Airlie's amendment
touching the very principle of the bill, the Times cannot
regret it wan rejected, but it is still certainly desirable that
all attempts to deal with the disease should not be aban-
doned- With regard to the iodation of the cattle, some
relaxation has bees made is the Commons by Mr. Bovill's
amendment allowing cattle to be removed a distaste* of
two miles along a highw►y, and the scope of the regul►-
tions which will be shortly in force cm hardly be judged
till the passing of the bill which is now before the House
of Commons. But it Is to be hoped that, whatever may
be decided upon, the stoppage of the traffic will be
thoroughly observed, for to isolation even more than to
distraction must we trust for the extermination of the
disease.

Dr. Fur, the eminent statistician, has published a letter
In the Daily News, which that journal observes has com-
pletely (teemed the crude fallacies of Mr. Lowe as to ill. man-
ner in which what the hoe. gentleman called the " terrible
law of increase" affects the program of the cattle plague—
demonstrating that the law which has hitherto prevailed
implies just the reverse of Mr. Lowe's proposition, and that
that law would lead to the conclusion that the disease wall
soon show signs of subsidence. The Daily News fears that
the House of Commons will not gain in credit when the
fruits of legislating in • panic come to be seen, and a re..
action takes piece in favour of reason and common sense.
This panic Mr. Lowe has need his beet powers to intensify.
Dr. Farr points out that all epidemic poising lose part of
their infective power in every person whom they attack,
and the observed facts to the latest date indicate that the
cattle disuse. will probably follow the same rule, the only
link wanting to make the chain of Dr. Farr'. messing
conclusive being to show how his doctrine will apply to the
murrain of 1745-57, whentheepisootis destroyed upwards of
200,002 beasts in the twelve years of its existence in Eng-
land. If it can be demonstrated that the same law of rapid
Increase and more rapid decline, whish appears to be the
result of present (aperients", ruled 100 years ago, we shall
be encouraged thereby to take heart of grace for the future.
The Daily News ventures to say that the bill as it leaves
the House of Commons will create general surprise and
indignation amongst all excepting the class in whose
I favour it will operate. The only legitimate means by
which such • calamity can be met is insurance ; and the
Daily News holds that a national cattle iesnrance would be
attended with far less difficulty than will arise in putting
Ithe government bill into force. Hitherto the mortality by
rinderpest has not exceeded 2 per cent. per annum on the
estimated insurable stook of Great Britain ; and at that
rate a rough calculation shows that leas than 4s. a year
; a
per head would pay 101. on ovary 100,000 deaths.
I The Poet hue three leaders destine, directly or Jodi-

redly, with the cattle p'ague. In the form in which the
fint bill went to the House of Lords the diseretiooary
power entrusted to loci' authorities of determining the
exact limits within which the transportation of cattle
should be allowed was specially excluded, but the
Pod thinks there as be little doubt that the Hews of
Commons will take owe that the supplementery IMAMS
now before them shall confer such powers on the local au
thoritios is will enshle them to provide for the pecessities
of partieular else..

The Telegraph thiaka Mx. Haat must by this time have
learned to feel pity for the rivernment which be defeated.
After having seorifiesi thirteen Awns oat of seventeen
before getting to the central topic of his own eneenare,
doubt.. felt that be would prefer to drive short-bortte
through Logsdon lather than preamble end &ewes through