Mr. Le Ghait to Mr. Gresham .

[Translation.]

Mr. Secretary of State: As your excellency has no doubt been already informed, the Government of Belgium has found itself under the necessity of taking measures, by a decree dated the 29th of December last, for protection against the importation of cattle from the United States.

The reason for taking these measures is the discovery on the 25th December of contagious pleuro-pneumonia in two beeves arrived from the United States of America, and landed at Antwerp the 17th of the same month, per steamer Canadia.

Under these circumstances, my Government, notwithstanding its expressed desire to soon remove the quarantine measures prescribed by the decree of the 25th August last, is, on the contrary, constrained to insist upon them.

I am directed by my Government, in pointing out to your excellency the reasons which called for the decree of the 29th December, to assure [Page 28] you that it has every desire that the sanitary condition of the cattle of the United States may be such as to permit the removal of this measure as soon as possible.

I avail, etc.,

A. Le Ghait
.