Mr. Uhl to Mr.
Bayard.
Department of State,
Washington, April 29,
1895.
No. 681.]
Sir: I inclose herewith copy of a letter of the
10th instant from the representative in Manchester of the Texas and
Northwest Produce Company, and copy of a communication addressed to this
Department by the Secretary of Agriculture on the 22d instant in
response to a request for an expression of his views thereon, in
relation to the desirability of an arrangement whereby American cattle
arriving at ports of England may be carried by rail to markets having
abattoirs for slaughtering.
The matter is again brought to your attention in the hope that you may be
able to secure some modification of the restrictions which unjustly and
unnecessarily weigh upon this important American trade.
I am, etc.,
Edwin F. Uhl,
Acting Secretary.
[Inclosure 1 to No.
681.]
The Secretary of
Agriculture to Secretary of
State.
U.
S. Department of Agriculture,
Office of the
Secretary,
Washington, D.
C., April 22,
1895.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge
receipt of your note of the 20th instant, inclosing copy of a letter
from the representative of the Texas and Northwest Produce Company,
at Manchester, England, in relation to the desirability of an
arrangement whereby American cattle arriving at ports in England may
be carried by rail to markets having abattoirs for slaughtering.
There can be no question of the desirability and of the advantage to
the American export cattle trade of modifications in the British
regulations which would allow American cattle to be shipped to the
various markets of England.
This Department has frequently set forth these advantages in its
communications to the Department of State, but it appears that the
American ambassador to Great Britain has not been able to secure any
favorable modifications. I can only repeat what has previously been
said to the effect that American cattle are free from any diseases
which would be dangerous to British live stock, and that the
restrictions now enforced by Great Britain are unnecessary from a
sanitary point of view.
Very respectfully,
[Inclosure 2 to No.
681.]
The
Texas and Northwestern Produce Company,
Prince’s Chambers, 26 Pall Mall,
Manchester, April 10,
1895.
Dear Sir: As an American citizen, and
representing cattle interests in the State of Texas, I beg
respectfully to call your attention to the unnecessary and arbitrary
embargo placed upon cattle landing in this country from the United
States by Her Majesty’s board of agriculture. It has been suggested
that there can be no possible harm or detriment whatever to similar
interests in this country if cattle were permitted to be hauled in
trucks direct off the steamer at the port of landing and carried by
railroad to the different cattle markets to which are attached
abattoirs for slaughtering the same. If these trucks were specially
adapted and used only in the transfer of American cattle and the
cattle slaughtered at their destination without coming in contact
with other cattle, as is done at Birkenhead, it would appear
reasonable to expect that the board of agriculture should consent to
such an arrangement. I need not remind you that confining the
arrival and slaughtering of American cattle to Birkenhead gives rise
to an undue discrimination as against American cattle interests.
Will you kindly give this your attention and inform me if it is not a
question
[Page 359]
which should be
brought before the Government here by our ambassador, Mr. Bayard?
Your attention to this question will very much oblige not only me,
but others who are interested in shipping cattle from the States to
this country.
I am, very respectfully, yours,
- H. S. Grimshaw.
- R. Hope Brown, Jr., Secretary.
