The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-01 00:00:00

The Cattle Disease.

The following letter, relating to the conveyance
of diseased cattle, has been addressed to the Traffic
Manager of the London and South-Western Rail-
way by the Clerk of the Council :--
"Privy Council-office, Whitehall, Aug. 30.
"Sir,—ln my letter to you of the 19th inst. I mentioned
that a case was being prepared, to be submitted to the Law
Officers of the Crown, asking this question,—' Whether
the knowingly bringing of cattle suffering under an infec-
tious disease on a railway, so as to bring them in contact
with other cattle, is an offence at common law ?'

" The Law Officers have given as their opinion,—' That
a person who knowingly puts cattle suffering from an in-
fectious disease upon a railway, so as to bring them into
contact with other cattle, and thus propagate tho disease,
is guilty of an offence at common law.'

" The Lords of the Council, however, thought it right,
in the general clause, No. 8, in their last Order (which has
been transmitted to your Board) respecting the conveyance
of any animal labouring under the disease commonly
known as the cattle plague, to declare that it shall not be
lawful to send or carry by any railway any such animal.
" The advantage of this clause in the Order is that a sum-
mary proceeding may for a breach of its provisions be
adopted without necessarily having recourse to the expen-
sive and often tedious process of an indictment. The more
severe punishment which the latter course might involve
may probably be reserved for those cases where the offence
is of an aggravated nature.

" I am, sir, your obedient servant,
"ARTHTJB, HE
"Mr. Archibald Scott, London and South Wes ern
LPS.
Railway, Waterloo Station."

ISLINGTON.
Yesterday a petty sessions was held at the Ves-
try-offices of St. Mary, Islington, before Sir James
Tyler and Mr. Arthur Ballantine, when inspectors
of cattle for the parish of Islington and the Metro-
politan Cattle-market, Islington, were appointed.

WEST RIDING.
At Skipton-in-Craven an influential meeting of
landowners and graziers was held on Monday. The
Duke of Devonshire presided, and the following re-
solutions were unanimously adopted :
"1. That as supplemental to, and in aid of, the society
formed by the Council of the Craven Agricultural Society,
on .the 21st inst., a mutual assurance society be immediately
organized, to comprise all persons, owners or owner of cattle
residing on and occupying land within the district of the.
Skipton Poor Law Union, or partly in any adjoining town-
ship.

"2. That each person desirous of entering the associa-
tion shall agree to pay such a rate in the pound on the
rateable value of the land in his occupation as may be fixed
by the committee.

" 3. That in the event of any of the cattle so insured, or
any animals which may have been substituted for any sold
off, being seized with the plague, or showing any symptoms
of it, the owner shall, with as little delay as possible, cause
the infected animal to be separated and kept apart from his
or her other cattle, and immediately give notice thereof to
the inspector, Mr. Anderton.

"4. That in the event of any cattle so seized or infected
dying, or being put to death in consequence thereof by di-
rection of the inspector, the owner or owners thereof
having paid all calls which may have been made upon him
or her by the committee shall receive two-thirds of the de-
clared value of any cattle so dying or being put away.
"5. That a voluntary subscription be now entered into,
as a guarantee fund in the event of the ordinary insurance
fund being found inadequate to cover the losses to the ex-
tent required, to be called up by the committee wholly or
rateably, according to the amount of each subscription, in
case it shall be found necessary."
In aid of the guarantee fund the sum of £370 was
subscribed at the meeting, the Duke of Devonshire
heading the subscription list with £lOO, and the
following sums also being put down :--Mr. Walter
Morrison, M.P., the Rev. D. R. Roundell, Mr. M.
Wilson, Messrs. Alcock, Berkbeck, and Co., and
Mr. J. R. Tennant, £5O each ; and Mr. J. W.
Tottie, £2O.