The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-29

Tramp Steamers observation-disclosures .lous
Losses Sustained During the Year
Not Free from Disease.
MONTREAL, Dec. 2S.-The cattle trade Of
Canada is in peril. Under the present ar
rangement Canadian cattle are permitted
to be landed at English ports without any
restrictions. They are then grazed in Eng
lish pastures, and after they have recov-
cred the weight lost by the hardships of
the ocean voyage, and when the proper mo-
ment to suit the market arrives, they are
killed and offered for sale.
American cattle, on the other hand. have
to be slaughtered at the dock lairs immedi-
ately on arrival, because the United States
is a scheduled country, that is, one in
in which the cattle are not declared free
from contagious diseases. It is estimated
that this restriction upon their rivals gives
to the Canadian shippers an advantage of
from 81 to $40 head.
This trade originated in 1877, and has
systematically increased ever since, until
this year the shipments have reached 49,
1876 head, valued at over $8,75O,O0O.
The farmers of England look with alarm
upon this growing trade. which makes
competition almost impossible, and for a
long time they have been seeking for a
pretext to prohibit the trade entirely. The
American cattle do not interfere SO much,
because they arrive in a more or less bruised
condition, and, rs they have to be killed at
once. the meat does not embarrass them in
the markets, but they are brought into di-
rect competition with the Canadian ship
pers.
The agricultural interest large and pow
erful as it is, cannot demand the prohibl-
tion of the importation of Canadian cattle
into England on the ground of COMPETE
ton, as that is counter to EnRland's free
trade policy; but all through the islands
thre is a firmly established dread of cattle
diseases, a result of the cattle plague and
the attendant losses of few years ago. In
addition to this there is a large influence
which is joined with the agricultural inter
est to prohibit the trade on the ground Of
the cruelty the animals suffer in transpor-
tation. Both of these classes have had good
grounds to work on during the past sea-
son. F,st&f
The losses this year have been unusually
heavy. The Linda lost her whole cargo Of
564 head; other ships have lost large por-
ton of their cattle, amounting in all to
considerably over thousand head. For
these losses the tramp steamers. are
largely responsible esp ,ib'. o Their holds are
board and the commanders have no
knowledge of the trade. First the Linda
was prohibited from carrying cattle and
then seven other vessels of the same class
were forbidden to engage in the trade.
This was serions enough but there was
worse in store. The suspicion of the exist
ence of pleuro-pneumonia WAS strong, and
the Morse King was detained at Dundee until
the lungs of number of animals were sent
up to London tor examination. The Corean
of the Allen line. carrying 3l3 cattle
way and veterinary surgeons were sum-
moned. Some Of the animals were found
in feeble condition and exhibiting symp-
toms common to pneumonia and several
less serious diseases. The surgeons decided
that the disease was not contagious one,
but before this decision was arrived at those
opposed to the cattle trade made the most
Of it and did their best ~ publish the re-
port as an instance of tina eerilQts position
of English herds. They dltMrAd that the
system of cattle inspection az the Canadian
ports was very defective. and it is believed
the American inspectors encouraged the
idea that it was inferior to the system in
vogue at the United States ports
They declared that the animals in cues
ton would not have been allowed to leave
the American ports. nor would the inspec-
tors have permitted q vessel like the Linda
to proceed. The cargoes of succeeding
ships were rigidly quarantined. The cattle |
Of the dominion liner Oregon and of the |
Beaver liner Lake Huron were not permit |
ted to pass till an inquiry had been made. |
In the meantime the market had turned and |
serious losses wore caused to the Canadian
shippers.
The conditi ,ns that complicate the case
and make it critical for Canada are tho |
hostility of the farming classes Of England,
the suspicion, though unfounded. Of con-
taRious disease, the influence of the senti- |
be admitted, the desire of United States |
exporters to cripple . rivals trade. II
Canada is once scheduled. it will be q hope |
less task to convince the British public |
that it is safe to admit Canadian cattle into |
their ports. They will then be upon the
will be almost impossible to compete on
equal terms, SO that one of Canada's most |
profitable industries will be curtailed.
The imperial board of agriculture, urged
by the farming community and the hu |
name section headed BY Mr.. Plimsoll, APP
pointed committee Of inquiry to examine
into the whole question. This committee
10 now sitting. and the results of lts in |
Quiry are awaited here with much interest. |
1t 10 certain the report will advocate re- |
strictions, and it is probable that they |
villa Uo VI bUC4 q AAu0 AH SERIOUSLY 10 I'M |
pede the trade.
The shippers here complain that the COM
mittee is acting unfairly toward the trade, |
because the proceedings are kept secret, and
that those interested as shippers or ship
owners are not allowed to be represented by |
COUNSEL and it is also commended that |
nearly all the witnesses examined are men |
known to be ave.se to the trade.
The Dominion government is convinced |
that If something is not done, and done |
quickly, serious losses will occur to the |
trade of the country. They sent the dep
uty minister of marine to confer with the |
shippers in Montreal. He declared that |
the government was determined to act in |
the matter, and mad given instructions &C.
cordingly to the high commissioner in Lon
don.
The cattlemen assented to certain re-
strictions to insure the greater safety of
cattle on the passage, such as to prohibit |
tramp" ships from carrying cattle after |
Sept. l; to compel all carRoes to be carried
between decks, and that the trade be re-
stricted to ships having permanent decks.
They asked the government to send the do
minion inspector to England to aid the |
high commissioner in convincing the Brit I
ish public that there is no infectious dis
ease in Canada and no ground for their con-
tinued suspicion. They also asked the gov
eminent to obtain from the British board
of agriculture the permission of explaining |
the position of Canadian shippers through |