The daily gazette., 1880-06-02
London Letter.
SOCIETY AND BEEF.
LONDON, Eng, May 10th, 1880.

LoNDoN, Eng, May lJtn, looV'
We are treading close upon the heels
of the London season. What, then,
are the prospects for trade and pleas
ure during the coming months, when
the metropolis will be turned into one
huge fair, the streets crowded, the
roadways blocked with carriages, the
daytime almost too brief for the fulfil
ment of innumerable engagements,
night literally turned into day, and So
ciety hurrying to and fro between din
ner patty and ball, cricket match and
flower show, park and opera, after
noon reception, and French 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 encouragement and promise. The
youthful are cheerfully determined to
face the fatigues of society, and the
middle-aged follow their lead The
Prince and Princes of Wales with their
popular boys safe and sound from their
sea trip, are prepared as ever to devote
themselves to the service of the public
and will be found wherever there is
good work to be inaugurated or de-
serving charity to be encouraged.
Philanthropy, science, art, literature,
music, and the drama-none of these
things will be neglected by the Heir to
the Throne Of England, whose genial
countenance will most certainly be seen
wherever his presence can promote
what is useful, and wherever his assist
ance is requisite for the better develop
ment of manly sports and exercises.
Meanwhile, political antagonism and
doubt are at an end. The new Par
lament will soon have settled down,
and the business of the session got in
to good working order. New brooms
will do their utmost to sweep clean ;
work and play will be cheerfully alter
mated and, as there is a vast amount
| of labor TO be accomplished, in order
that promises may be duly fulfilled
there is every prospect of a busy ses-
sion, which means a season protracted
far into the sultry days of Summer.
Notwithstanding the severe prohibi-
tory regulations that resist the traffic,
the importation of cattle from foreign
countries has of late gone on increas-
ing. In 1878 the number of foreign
animals landed at the six privileged
ports was ], 200, 1898. In 1879 it was
1881, 847 I; 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 cattle are killed every
week at Deptford landing place ought
to indicate that not only is the foreign
cattle trade a large one, but that the
regulations enforcing slaughter at the
port of debarkatlOn must seriously
raise the price of beef. 1t may thu
come to be a grave question whether i
would not be possible 10 relax the re
strictions now placed upon the impor
of cattle from the United States. Their
is no virulent type of disease raging il
that country. No case of plague cal
ka di@sa.o~ad within its frontiers ant
although sometimes cattle from Amer
can ports show symptoms of pleuro
pneumonia when they are landed, ye
it must be borne in mind that whel
brought over alive they are exposed tt
weather of the worst sort and deprived
of exercise in captivity. The strong
est and healthiest animals, in such cir
cumstances, may contract pulmonar.
disease but, for all that, it may yer.
well be that no pleuro pneumonia wa
among them when they were put ol
board ship If this be the case-anC
there is good scientific authority fo
saying that it is so-Mr. Mundelli
should set about making the foreigl
cattle trade as free as is compatible
with general safety. He should pu
America on the same footing as Spai
and Portugal.