Embassy
of the United States,
Berlin, September 18,
1895. (Received Oct. 1.)
No. 368.]
[Inclosure in No. 368.]
Mr. Runyon to
the Imperial Foreign
Office.
Embassy of the United States,
Berlin, September 18, 1895.
F. O. No. 296.]
Referring to previous correspondence, in particular to his note of
October 28, 1894 (F. O. No. 153), the undersigned, ambassador, etc.,
of the United States of America, acting under instructions from his
Government, has the honor to again bring to the attention of the
Imperial German Government the subject of the importation of
American cattle and meat products, and to request that, in view of
the good sanitary condition of American live stock, the prohibition
of the importation into Germany of American beef cattle and fresh
beef be discontinued.
The United States Secretary of Agriculture reports that there have
been no cases of pleuro-pneumonia in the United States for several
years, and the American cattle are now equally free from Texas
fever; but even if it were admitted that cattle affected with Texas
fever had been found among those exported from the United States,
the American Government would still protest against the prohibition
of the trade on that account, as the disease is not disseminated by
affected cattle. Although from 100,000 to 400,000 head of cattle
have been imported annually to Europe from the United States during
the past fifteen years, there is no case on record of any disease
having been disseminated among European cattle by animals from the
United States.
American cattle are not, as a rule, shipped to be placed among
breeding herds, where they will mix with native stock, but are
generally shipped for immediate slaughter, and consequently they
may, it is thought, be surrounded by all precautions necessary to
prevent the spread of contagious diseases without a resort to
prohibitive measures.
The undersigned again has the honor to bring to the attention of the
Imperial foreign office the fact that his request, repeated in his
note of December 17, 1894 (F. O. No. 171), for the removal of the
interdict in regard to American fresh beef has not been favored with
a reply.
