5.—A large meeting of agriculturists was held at the Swan Hotel, Norwich, for the purpose of considering what steps should be taken to combat “a disease known as the Russian murrain, which had broken out among the cattle of Norfolk.” Mr. Clare Sewell Read, M.P., presided, and, in the course of the proceedings, alarming reports were given of the spread of the contagion and of the immediate steps that were necessary to arrest its progress. A deputation, consisting of Mr. Read, Mr. Steeds, Mr. W. Smith, and Mr. R. Leamon, was appointed to wait upon the Home Office, and at a committee meeting on the 9th Mr. Read reported what had taken place. It was resolved, on the motion of Sir Thomas Beauchamp, who headed the list with a donation of £100, that a public subscription be opened at once, and Professor Simonds, in a long address, showed that the disease was of foreign importation, and was known in Russia, whence it came, as rinderpest. At this meeting it was reported that in the neighbourhood of North Walsham alone losses to the extent of £1,000 and upwards had been sustained. Isolation of the herds and the slaughter of diseased animals were the means advocated for stamping out the murrain. A Norfolk Cattle Plague Association was at once formed, and at a large and influential meeting, held at St. Andrew’s Hall on the 12th, under the presidency of Mr. Read, whose great services at this crisis were acknowledged by the Earl of Leicester, resolutions were adopted (1) recommending to the consideration of the public the means suggested by Professor Simonds for dealing with the disease, and urging that no farmer should purchase any store stock in any market for the period of six weeks; (2) that a subscription be entered into for the purpose of meeting the losses sustained by those who should conform to the resolutions drawn up by the committee, and for defraying the expenses incurred in carrying out the objects of the meeting; and (3) that no person who did not subscribe to the amount of twopence in the pound on his assessment should participate in the relief. At this meeting the Earl of Leicester contributed a donation of £500. Meetings of the Cattle Plague Association were then held weekly, reports were presented upon the state of the disease in various parts of the county, and matters of detail received attention. On October 21st a public meeting was held at St. Andrew’s Hall, under the presidency of the Earl of Leicester, “to consider the desirability of closing all markets in the county of Norfolk.” Sir Thomas Beauchamp moved, and the Earl of Albemarle seconded, a resolution in favour of the adoption of this course, which was agreed to. During this month Mr. Read was appointed a member of the Royal Commission to inquire into the causes of cattle plague and to suggest remedies. The Commission recommended the slaughter of animals and the stringent prohibition of the passage of cattle across public roads, &c.