Mr. Hanotaux disclaims that the French Government was moved in this
matter by any unfriendly feeling toward the United States. He asserts
that cases of contagious disease affecting American cattle were found in
Germany, in Belgium, and also in France; that in Canada and in some
parts of our own States measures of exclusion against Texan cattle are
taken, and that the circumstances rendered the action of the French
Government necessary. He refers to the exclusion of French animals at
the time of the Chicago Exhibition, which was quite legitimate, he says,
and against which France did not protest, and hopes that after reading
his explanations you will be satisfied that the action of France has not
the character you attributed to it, according to Mr. Vignaud’s
dispatch.
I am informed that some of the butchers of Paris have asked the
Government to permit the landing of the cattle at some designated place,
where they would be slaughtered and the meat inspected before being sent
into the interior.
[Inclosure in No.
285.—Translation.]
Mr. Hanotaux to
Mr. Vignaud.
Mr. Chargé d’affaires: In informing me by
your letter of the 4th instant of the impression made in the United
States by the publication of the minister’s order of February 24
forbidding the importation into France of animals of the bovine
species, coming from the territory of the Union, you stated that
your Government considered this order as unjustifiable because
“cattle in the United States are entirely free from contagious
infection or malady of a communicative character, which has been the
case for more than a year, and, besides, because the regulations in
force in the United States are such that no unhealthy animal can be
exported.”
I did not fail to acquaint the minister of agriculture with the
letter you did me the honor of writing me, and I had most
particularly called his attention to it.
My colleague has just sent me his reply, and the explanations it
contains, which are stated hereafter, will satisfy you that if the
French Administration has temporarily prohibited the importation of
American cattle, it is because it was compelled to do so by an
imperative reason—the necessity of protecting French cattle from
contagious diseases propagated by contaminated American animals.
According to the letter of my colleague, the facts which have led the
French sanitary department to adopt the measures of precaution
prescribed February 24 are the following:
Cases of epizooty, known under the name of Texas fever, were detected
in two instances at Hamburg during the month of October last in a
shipment of cattle arriving from the United States, in consequence
of which the German authorities felt that it was their duty to
forbid the importation into their territory not only of animals of
the bovine species, but of fresh meat of the same origin as
well.
On its part, the Belgian Government, which had, in August, 1892,
subjected to a quarantine of forty-five days cattle arriving at
Antwerp from the United States, for the reason that its sanitary
agents had detected cases of contagious peripneumonia among these
animals, also resorted to prohibition by an order issued December 29
last in consequence of other cases of the same disease among oxen
landed at Antwerp.
Finally, according to information furnished to the Government of the
Republic, the Canadian authorities do not allow any herds (convois)
of American cattle unless the animals are found to be healthy after
having been subjected to a quarantine of ninety days.
On the other hand, with reference to France particularly, a case of
peri-pneumonia was detected December 9, 1894, at the abattoirs of
Villejuif in an ox landed at Havre November 30, which was imported
from the United States by the firm of Goldsmith, on board the
steamer Prussian.
[Page 408]
Besides, on the 10th of January, 1895, at the abattoirs of
Mouronclois le Grand (Marne), a bull imported by Messrs. Nelson,
Morris & Co., of Chicago, was found having general tuberculosis
(tuberculose généralisée); and on January 23, 1895, a case appearing
to be one of contagious peripneumonia was found at the abattoir of
Rheims on a bull imported by Messrs. Morris & Co., of Chicago,
on the transport Prussian, arriving at Havre
January 19, which case, however, was found to be one of that
peculiar disease of cattle called in the United States the
“cornstalk disease.”
In pointing out the cases of disease mentioned above, the minister of
agriculture remarks that it is upon the advice, duly considered, of
the consulting committee of epizootics, that cattle from the United
States were excluded by the order of February 24 last. That
committee, which has, by the way in which it is composed, the
highest authority in matters of this kind, declared that in
admitting that the case of contagious peripneumonia detected at the
abattoir of Villejuif is one of “cornstalk disease,” it is
nevertheless true that contagious maladies existed among the cattle
in the United States, and that cases of this kind having been found
upon their arrival in Europe among animals shipped from the United
States, the French Administration would assume a grave
responsibility if it did not prevent by prohibitory measures the
importation into France of cases of disease.
Measures of this kind seem to be the more justifiable, as certain
States of the Union have resorted to prohibition against Texas
cattle. The authorities of South Dakota have particularly forbidden
the introduction of these cattle in consequence of a case of
peripneumonia found among animals coming from that region, and the
State of Illinois subjects to a long quarantine cattle of the same
origin
Under these circumstances, I am pleased to think, sir, that the
Administration of the Union will realize that it was impossible for
the minister of agriculture not to share the opinion given by the
consulting committee of epizootics. It will not be surprising, on
the other hand, to see the Government of the Republic take for the
sanitary protection of its national production measures which
correspond to those which were legitimately enacted in the United
States at the time of the Chicago Exhibition, and against which
France did not protest.
In concluding, I will add that in forbidding the importation of live
animals and in continuing to admit fresh beef, the sanitary
department has given an evident proof of its desire to reduce to its
minimum the measure of exclusion it was obliged to resort to. That
administration has shown in that way that its intention was not at
all to close to American farmers the market they could find among
French consumers for their products. Its decision, therefore, can
not be considered as having the character attributed to it,
according to your communication, by the Federal Administration.
I believe it my duty, Mr. Chargé d’Affaires, to call your attention
to the foregoing explanations, and I would be much obliged to you if
you would bring them to the knowledge of the Government of the
Union.
Please accept, etc.,
