Mr. Sherman to Mr.
Storer.
Department of State,
Washington, January 14,
1898.
No. 88.]
Sir: I inclose for your information copy of a
letter from the Secretary of Agriculture asking whether the Department
has knowledge of any proposed regulations respecting the importation of
salted meats into Belgium.
You are requested to make inquiries in regard to the subject in the
proper quarter and to report the result to the Department.
Respectfully, yours,
[Page 163]
[Inclosure in No. 88.]
Mr. Wilson to Mr.
Day.
United States Department of Agriculture,
Washington, D. C., January 11, 1898.
Sir: I have the honor to inclose for your
information copy of a translation from a Belgian paper, which is
forwarded to us by Messrs. Swift & Co., of Chicago. Will you
kindly inform me if your Department has any information of the
proposed regulations respecting the importation of salted meats into
Belgium, and if you have not received such information, will you
please make inquiry of the American minister to that country as to
whether such regulations have been made or are contemplated.
Very respectfully,
[Translation from Belgian
newspaper.]
The inspection of fresh, packed, prepared, or salted meats imported
into Belgium is to be the object (as officially announced) of a
decree making regulations, to appear soon, to be applicable from
January 1.
Henceforth a careful inspection of the boxes will be made on the
frontiers, in the ports, and in certain offices of the custom-house
officers in the interior of the country, such as Brussels, Liege,
etc., to be designated by the Government.
This regulation is aiming especially at hams, boxed meats, etc.,
arriving in large quantities from America, principally at the port
of Antwerp.
A tax of 15 centimes per 100 kilos of meats examined will be
collected for expenses of the inspection.
