The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-06-04
LONDON LETTER.
LONDON, England, May 10, 1880,
SOCIETY AND BEEF.

We are treadng close upon the heels of
the London season. What, then, are the
prospects for trade aud pleasure during the
coming months, when the metropolis will be
turned into one huge fair, the streets crowd
ed, the rosdwsys blocked with carriages,
the daytime almost too brief for the fulfill
ment of innumerable engagements, night
literall pturned into day, and society hurry
ing to and fro between dinner party and
ball, cricket match and flower show, park
and opera afternoon reception and Freu ch
play? The most confirmed grumbler can
scarcely look with jaundiced eyes on the
summer programme that is already issuing.
On all sides there are signs of encourage
ment and promise. The youthful are cheer
fully determined to face the fatigues of So
ciety, and the middle aged follow their lead,
The Prince and Princess of Wales with their
popular boys, safe and sound from their sea
trip, are prepared as ever, to devote them.
selves to the service of the public, and will
be found wherever there is good work to
be inaugurated or deserving charity to be
encouraged. Philanthrophy, science and
literature, music and the drama-none of
these things will be neglected by the Heir
to the Throne of England, whose most ge-
nial countenance will certainly be seen
| wherever his presence can promote what is
useful, and wherever his assistance is requi-
site for the better development of manly
| and axarnioa, Moan,yb;la ,al;t;,a al
antagonism and doubt are at an end. The
| new Parliament will soon have settled down,
and the business of the Session got into
good working order New brooms will do
their utmost to sweep clean; work and play
will be cheerfully alternated; and, as there
is vast amount of labor to be accomplish
ed, in order that promises may be duly full
filed, there is every prospect of busy Ses.
sion, which means season protracted far
into the sultry days of summer.
Notwithstanding the severe prohibitory
regulations that restrict the traffic, the i'm
portation of cattle from foreign countries
has of late gone on increasing. In 1878 the
number of foreign animals landed at the six
privileged ports was 1,20O,423 In 1879 it
was 1,24l ,S47 and if, as most people ex-
pect, trade continues to improve and wages
rise, the import will, of course, grow rather
than fall off The fact that some $4,000 cat
tie are killed every week at the Debtford
landing-place ought to indicate that not only
is the foreign cattle trade large one but
that the regulations enforcing slaughter at
the port of debarkation must seriously raise
the price of beef. 1t may thus lcome to a
grave question whether it would not be pos
sible to relax the restrictions now placed
upon importation of cattle from the Unit
ed States. There is no vruent type of dis
ease ranging in that country. No case OF
plague can be discovered within its from.
tiers; and, although sometimes cattle from
American ports show symptoms of pleuro
pneumonia when they are landed, yet il
must be borne in mind that when brought
over alive they are exposed to weather OF
the worst sort and deprived of exercise in
captivity. The strongest and healthiest al =
imals, in such cases, may contract pulmo-
nary diseases, but, for all that, it may very
well be that no pleuro pneumonia was
among them when they were put on board
ship. If this is the case-and there is good
scientific authority for saying that it is So
Mr.. Mundella should set about making the
foreign cattle trade as free as is compatible
with general safety. He should put Ameri-
ca on the same footing as Spain and Por-
tugal. G. "A. S.