4. It has a period of incubation of from nine to sixty days, usually not exceeding forty; and its symptoms, when developed, are easily distinguishable by experts from those of other diseases.

5. The only proper method of suppressing the disease in the United States is by the destruction of all diseased or exposed cattle, and a thorough purification of buildings where they have been kept.

6. No contagious pleuro-pneumonia now exists or has ever existed in any State west of the Alleghany Mountains.

7. It does not now exist in the United States, on or near the boundary of the Dominion of Canada, and that it does not now exist in that dominion.

8. The disease now exists only in the eastern part of New York, in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and perhaps in parts of Maryland, Virginia. and the District of Columbia.

9. The general course of traffic in cattle is from the West to the East." Only a few, and those of blood stock of great value, pass westward, or into Canada from the East.

10. At the present time, with ordinary care, cattle may pass from the Western States, which almost exclusively furnish cattle for exportation into Canada, and through Canada, Portland, and Boston to foreign ports. without danger of infection.

11. With proper restrictions against contact with other cattle near the seaboard, cattle may pass from the Western States to the ports of New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore for exportation, without danger of infection.

12. State and municipal regulations are not to be relied upon to prevent the importation and spread of the disease, or to effect its extirpation.

13. Stringent quarantine regulations are essential to the protection of this country against its introduction.

14. A veterinary sanitary commission, whose duty it shall be to investigate all reports of the existence of the disease, to collect information respecting it, and report to some department for publication, is essential to efficient action on the subject.

15. Authority in such commission to co-operate with State and municipal authorities in preventing and eradicating the disease by supplying money out of appropriations by Congress for the purpose would be effective, and is in accordance with the acts of Congress in reference to the National Board of Health.

16. The authority in such board to promptly isolate and slaughter infected and diseased cattle, wherever found, and to award compensation to the owners, would be an effective agency to extirpate the disease. It is for Congress to consider the policy and legality of conferring such power.

The following dispatch has been received by cable, through the Department of State, from Liverpool:

"Unless cattle shipped from United States have government health certificates when

embarked, slaughter probably compulsory on landing, paralyzing trade. able Welsh assurance appointment veterinary officers at sea-ports?"

Can you

You are authorized to cause an inspection to be made of all neat cattle proposed to be shipped from your port to Great Britain, and to issue your certificate that such eattle as shall be shipped are free from all disease, and that there is no known disease in cattle at your port, or in its neighborhood.

In States in which there are officers authorized by law to examine into the diseases of eattle, the collector may avail himself of their services, as the basis of his action, at the expense of the shippers.

Very respectfully,

By order.

By department's circular of December 18, 1878, it was directed that live cattle shipped from the portsvarious of the United States might be examined with reference to the question whether they were free from contagious diseases, and that if found to be free from such diseases, a certificate to that effect should be given.

By that circular such inspection was not made compulsory, but the certificate was to be issued only upon the application of parties interested.

As the export trade in live cattle from the United States is of vital importance to large interests, every precaution should be taken to guard against the shipment of diseased animals abroad, and such a guarantee given as will satisfy foreign countries, especially Great Britain, that no risk will ensue from such shipments of communicating contagious or infections diseases to the animals in foreign countries by shipments from the United States.

Collectors of customs are, therefore, instructed that in no case will live animals be permitted to be shipped from their respective ports until after an inspection of the animals with reference to their freedom from disease, and the issuance of a certificate showing that they are free from the class of diseases mentioned.

Notice of rejected cattle should be promptly given to this department.

In order that this department may be fully informed in regard to such diseases in any part of the United States, collectors of customs are requested to promptly forward to this department any information which they may be able to obtain of the presence of contagious or infectious diseases prevailing among live animals in their vicinity.

It is probable that if the disease prevails to any considerable extent it will be noticed in the local press, and collectors are requested to send copies of any such notices to this department for its information.

JOHN SHERMAN,

EXHIBIT C.

Secretary.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT,

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, Washington, D. C., February 26, 1879.

SIR: The department learns that the disease called pleuro-pneumonia has recently broken out or been found to exist among neat cattle at Hull, England, and you are hereby instructed not to permit the landing of neat cattle at your port from England, until otherwise instructed, this order being based upon section 2493 of the Revised Statutes.

Very respectfully,

COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS,

H. F. FRENCH,
Assistant Secretary.

New York.

The order of the 26th of February last, prohibiting the importation of neat cattle from England, is revoked.

By authority of section 2493 of the Revised Statutes, it is ordered: That the operation of the first clause of that section, which prohibits the importation of neat cattle from any foreign country into the United States, be suspended as to all ports of Europe, the Secretary having officially determined that such importation will not tend to the introduction or spread of contagious or infectious diseases among the cattle of the United States: Provided, That all neat cattle from any port of Europe arriving at any port of the United States shall be kept in quarantine for not less than ninety days, under the direction of the customs officers, and at the expense of the parties interested, except when State or municipal laws provide for the quarantine of such cattle, and in such cases collectors will permit the proper officers to quarantine them in such manner as the State or municipal authorities require.

The department will, upon application, consider special cases where it may be claimed, during such quarantine, that the cattle came from entirely healthy localities direct to the United States, and will decide in such cases whether they may be delivered at a period shorter than the ninety days before mentioned.

In any case where, during quarantine not under control of State or municipal authorities, the animals shall exhibit evidence of infectious or contagious disease, the facts will be reported to the department for instructions.

CIRCULAR.—Prohibiting importation of neat cattle from Canada.

1879. Department No. 160.

Secretary's Office.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY,
Washington, D. C., November 3, 1879.

To Collectors and other Officers of the Customs:

To aid in preventing the introduction into the United States of contagious diseases among cattle, it is hereby ordered that, in pursuance of the authority contained in section 2493 of the Revised Statutes, the importation of neat cattle from the Dominion of Canada is prohibited until otherwise directed.

This order will take effect on the 1st of December next.
By order of the Secretary.

H. F. FRENCH.

The circular published in Decision No. 4104, of July 19, 1879, provided as follows: That all neat cattle from any port of Europe, arriving at any port of the United States, shall be kept in quarantine for not less than ninety days, under the direction of the customs officers, and at the expense of the parties interested, except when State or municipal laws provide for the quarantine of such cattle, and in such cases collectors will permit the proper officers to quarantine them in such manner as the State or municipal authorities require."

Collectors of customs are hereby instructed that in all cases a quarantine of not less han ninety days shall be enforced, including any term during which such cattle shall be quarantined under State or municipal authority.

Cattle from Australia and New Zealand will be regarded as embraced within Order No. 4104, as hereby amended.

H. F. FRENCH,
Assistant Secretary.

Report of survey of Vermillion River and other waters in Louisiana.

MARCH 8, 1830.-Referred to the Committee on Commerce and ordered to be printed

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, March 8, 1880.

The Secretary of War has the honor to transmit to the House of Representatives copies of reports of Maj. C. W. Howell, Corps of Engineers, of examinations and surveys, made in compliance with the provisions of the river and harbor act of June 3, 1879, of Vermillion River, of Bayous Courtableau, De Glaise, Terrebonne, and Teche, and of Tchefuncte, Tickfaw, and Amite rivers, Louisiana; and, also, in compliance with the requirements of joint resolution No. 19, of June 28, 1879, of the Charenton Canal, in Saint Mary's Parish, Louisiana.

The SPEAKER

of the House of Representatives.

ALEX. RAMSEY,
Secretary of War.

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS,

UNITED STATES ARMY, Washington, D. C., March 8, 1880.

SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith, to comply with provisions of the river and harbor act of March 3, 1879, copies of reports to this office from Maj. C. W. Howell, Corps of Engineers, of the results of examinations and surveys made under his direction of Vermillion River, of Bayous Courtableau, De Glaise, Terrebonne, and Teche, and of Tchefuncte, Tickfaw, and Amite rivers, Louisiana; and, also, in compliance with the requirements of joint resolution No. 19, of June 28, 1879, of the Charenton Canal, in Saint Mary's Parish, Louisiana.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. G. WRIGHT,

Chief of Engineers, Brig. and Bvt. Maj. Gen.

Hon. ALEXANDER RAMSEY,

Secretary of War.

EXAMINATION OF VERMILLION RIVER, LOUISIANA.

UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE,

New Orleans, February 27, 1880. GENERAL: I have the honor to submit herewith report of Assistant Engineer W. H. Hoffman of an examination of Vermillion River, Louisi

ana.

The act of Congress approved March 3, 1879, provides for a survey or examination of Bayou Vermillion, but as the stream is called Vermillion River on the maps of this State it is so termed by Mr. Hoffman in his report.

Tracings of a chart drawn to a scale of will be forwarded in a separate package.

The recommendations of Mr. Hoffman as to plan of improvement are set forth in his report, and are concurred in. His estimates are also approved, the total amount of which, viz, $9,900, could be expended to advantage on the work during the ensuing fiscal year.

The work is not susceptible of permanent completion.

I am unable to furnish valuable information concerning the commercial importance of this work.

It is located in the collection-district of New Orleans.

The nearest light-house is at the entrance to Atchafalaya Bay.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

servants. W. HOWELL,

Major of Engineers.

REPORT OF MR. W. H. HOFFMAN, ASSISTANT ENGINEER.

NEW ORLEANS, LA., January 31, 1880.

MAJOR: I have the honor to submit the following report on the examination of the Vermillion River:

A transit and stadia line was carried from Pin Hook bridge, which is the present head of navigation, to the mouth of the river, a distance of 49 miles; soundings were taken, and topography and all obstructions noted. Vermillion River starts from the junction of Bayou Barbeaux and Bayou Fusilier, and by the Fusilier it is connected with the Teche. The river flows through what is known as the Attakapas region, a high, slightly-rolling prairie country. The banks, for 42 miles below Pin Hook bridge, are of red clayey soil, above all overflow, except strips of marsh occasionally found from 50 to 100 feet in width. Trees grow upon both banks for the first 42 miles to an average width of 100 feet, and are the only timber near. The remaining 7 miles to the mouth is sea-marsh, covered at high tides. Pin Hook bridge has no draw, but one could easily be made in it. Only at great freshets would there be water sufficient for navigation were the obstructions in the channel above, connecting it with the Teche, removed; but the supply of water is fully sufficient for slack-water navigation, with locks to retain the water at the height necessary for it to pass the Fusilier. The Vermillion, at Pin Hook bridge, is wide and deep enough for small steamboats. The tide in the Gulf determines the height here entirely, except during freshets. There is a slight current at low tide. The right bank is about 20 feet high at the bridge, and the left 5 to 7 feet. The first 4 miles is now so filled by snags, logs, and trees blown in during the September gale as to be impassable. There are also many overhanging trees on the banks. A shoal at the end of the second mile is caused by a prairie coulée, and has but 2 feet water at low tide. At Four-mile Point the steamers now stop and transfer freight for Vermillionville to flat-boats, which are poled up to the bridge. The river below, to the ninth mile, is narrow and much obstructed by overhanging and fallen trees and snags. There are also four shoals, the first of which is but 10 feet long, and appears to be of logs across the bayou, having but 2 feet over them at low-water and 4 feet on either side. The next is caused by a ditch from the high