Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1903-09-10
SHIPPING CATTLE TO AFRICA.
Large Numbers of Animals Leave
Texas Ports for That
Country.

Washington, Sept Tin letter
from w. Stanley HALLS, United States
consul at Lourenco MARQUEE, he en-
closes clipping from the Gold Field
News, on the cattle trade, which is as
follows:
From the coast plains of Texas to
Delagoa Bay is a far cry, but applied
science has in these days obliterated
distance and enables the astute' man
of commerce to draw his supplies from
the ends of the earth, the mere dues-
tion OF mileage being one Of the mis
nor conditions in the problem OF trans
port Texas, as the State which
ranks first in the Union in the breed
ing of cattle, naturally suggested IT.
self as the source of supply, and the
success of the first two shipments has
been so conspicuously encouraging
that the company are following up
their recent arrivals, numbering 4,058'
head of cattle, with seven more con-
signments, which wifi bring to these
shores $500 more. With view to
indicating what is really the birth OF
a new branch of the trade, the writer
paid visit to Port Matolla, where the
steamship Cranley, British vessel, is
now discharging a cargo of 1900 hei-
fers and few well bred bulls.
Owing to an accident to her ma
chinery in the Gulf of Mexico, the ship
was delayed at Barbados, but not
withstanding the somewhat long voy-
age of forty days she arrived at Lou
renco Marquee with a record OF only
13 deaths among the cattle. There
were, however, 16 new arrival" to re-
port en- route, so that the result may
be described as eminently satisfac-
tory. The first shipment by the At
lantian, which brought the record car
60 for South Africa, consisted of $500.
with % casualties, SO that it would
seem that the company has in a meas
ure solved the question of cattle trans
port and put to shame those who were
responsible for the disgraceful results
attending many of the attempts to
bring live stock from Argentina ana
elsewhere during the war.
THE Cranley's cargo consisted en-
tirely of breeding stock, all from the
hinterland of the port of Galveston,
Texas, and made up of Shorthorns,
Shorthorn- -Herefords, Jerseys, Hol-
SlGlDS anu pulc leu l(CNOhS- <Ao W SOA~
ditions, it may be said that the vast
majority wer in far better condition
than most veldt-fed Africander cattle
after a moderate winter season. 10
the hundreds of cattle seen in the Ma
tolla yards, the writer did not see one
showing signs of damage or hard treat
ment, and the manner in which the
newly released heifers skipped about
the kraals suggested anything but
seven weeks confinement in ships
hold. to say nothing of the long dis
tances travelled ere they reached the
port of embarkation. Most OF the hell
ers are two-year-olds, and many are IN
young. The bulk of the cargo is TO
order of the repatriation department.
"All the animals go first to Machad-
odorp. where they undergo the dip
ping process preparatory to being dis
PATCHED to other distributing centers,
The importing company have depots
af Pretoria, at Yokeskey river, and
elsewhere, and it is to these places
where other than government stock
goes before reaching the ultimate pur'
chaser. 1t may safely be SAID that
| apart from the commercial aspect OF
the case the company is doing useful
and beneficent work, and that the I'M
| portation of such useful strains OF
| breeding stock will eventually tend to
an all-round improvement in South
African herds. The promoters are to
| be congratulated on their presclence
in selecting Delagoa as their port OF
| discharge, and the cooperation OF the
| Lingham Company is valuable fac'
| tor in the undertaking.