Mr. White to Mr. Hay.

[Telegram.—Paraphrase.]

(Mr. White reports that the embassy was furnished by the foreign office with advance copy of official text of meat-inspection bill, which passed Bundesrath on February 16, and probably goes to Reichstag Monday. Provision is made by bill for inspection of all meat, foreign or domestic. Foreign meat to be inspected but once. Domestic meat to be inspected before and after slaughtering. No inspection required for foreign inspected meat passing through Germany. Bundesrath to prescribe to what extent meat may only be imported in whole carcasses, in parts, or in pieces of specified size, and in natural connection with the inner organs, and also to decide at which custom-houses foreign meat may be imported. Pork is also to be inspected for trichinae. Sound meat is to be so certified. Meat considered unsound is to be temporarily seized, police and owner informed, and to be released, when feasible, after having been rendered unfit for human consumption, or its reexportation permitted. It is to be destroyed when this is not practicable. Bundesrath is to have power to prohibit the importation of meat when its wholsomeness can not, on its importation, be positively ascertained; to make less stringent or omit the the inspection when experience shows that, owing to the manner in which the meat was prepared, no real danger is present; to omit the inspection where imported meat is not to be used for human consumption after such meat has been rendered unfit for human food. The regulations in regard to horse meat, which must be sold as such, are similar to those in regard to margarine. Foreign meat must be sold as such, Bundesrath to prescribe the manner in which this is to be made known. Reinspection of meat once inspected may only be made with a view to ascertain if it has become spoiled since its inspection. Materials which might make meat dangerous may not be used in its preparation, and the importation of foreign meats so prepared is prohibited. Bundesrath is empowered to make regulations in regard to this and in regard to the use of materials calculated to give a wholesome appearance to unsound meat; and also to make regulations as to the character of the inspection. Only such additions may be made by local authorities as affect alike all meat, of whatever origin. Bundesrath is to prescribe when the law is to take effect, if passed by Reichstag.)