Mr. Adee to Mr.
Lincoln.
Department of State,
Washington, June 16,
1892.
No. 787.]
Sir: Referring to your dispatch No. 678, of the
19th ultimo, relative to the restrictions on the importation of cattle,
sheep, and swine into Great Britain from the United States, I inclose
for your information a copy of a letter of the 13th instant from the
Secretary of Agriculture in regard to the subject.
As it appears from the statements of the Secretary of Agriculture that
the cattle of this country are now absolutely free from
pleuro-pneumonia, you are authorized to make such temperate
representations to Her Majesty’s Government in regard to the subject as
in your judgment will be best calculated to cause the British
authorities to understand how deeply this Government feels the injustice
of their restrictive measures in regard to American cattle.
In accordance with the wish expressed by the Secretary of Agriculture in
his above-mentioned letter, you are instructed to take the necessary
measures to secure the removal of the prohibition of the importation of
sheep upon the conditions laid down in Lord Salisbury’s note to you of
the 14th ultimo.
I am, etc.,
Alvey A. Adee,
Acting Secretary.
[Inclosure to No. 787.]
Mr. Rusk to the
Secretary of State.
Department of Agriculture,
Washington, D. C., June 13, 1892.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your favor of the 2d instant, inclosing copy of dispatch
No. 678, of the 19th ultimo, from our minister at London, relative
to restrictions on the importation of cattle, sheep, and swine into
Great Britain from the United States.
I regret to learn that the Government of Great Britain maintains its
position that cattle landed from the United States affected with
lung disease since August, 1890, were suffering from contagious
pleuro-pneumonia. I feel very certain that these animals were simply
affected with ordinary pneumonia, contracted by exposure to the
inclement weather of winter and spring, the season when these cases
occurred. The history of the animals, as well as the appearance of
the lungs, bears me out in this view. If this conclusion is correct,
then the Government of Great Britain will, if it adheres to the
policy laid down in its correspondence, maintain its prohibition
against the introduction of American live cattle for all time, as
cases of pneumonia from exposure in severe weather must continue to
occur in spite of any precautions which can be taken.
The United States is now free from contagious pleuro-pneumonia, this
disease having been eradicated by the destruction of all diseased
and exposed animals. This Government can not, therefore, rest any
longer under the imputation of disseminating the contagion of that
plague with its export cattle. We are simply asking for justice in
this matter, and unless that is granted such measures should be
adopted as are likely to secure it.
As a willingness is shown to remove the prohibition against the
introduction of American sheep, I would request that Mr. Lincoln be
instructed to make such representations to the Marquis of Salisbury
as may be necessary to secure the removal of this prohibition as
soon as possible under the conditions laid down in the letter of the
Marquis of Salisbury to Mr. Lincoln.
I have, etc.,