The Express.
London, England, 1860-02-02 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY, FEB. 2.

Ai present the condition of the Wine Trade mews
favourable to the proposed repeal or abolition of the
duties on wine. The price of wine is lower in oar
market than it bas been for a considerable period.
Claret in bond is now reported at IL to 831. the
hogshead ; at the end of January, 1858, the price
was 131. to 701. The price of port le sew frost 261.
to 661. the pipe; in January, 1868, it was hem 424
to 751. We have not yet received any akin' ao-
manta of the ♦intage of 1868; the market
reports describe it as very good, and in
some places as very great, and generally lb*
wine is said to be of excellent quality. The
price in France is lower than last year. In 1868,
sooording to the tables supplied by Lord Clittuux,
in his report on the present state of the wino trade
in France, the vintage was greater than in
any year since 1848. In consume., the pries in
France of red wines of an average quality and
colour, which in 1864 was 48 francs the Aectolitre,
and in 18.57 28f., fell in 1838 to I.of. From the tables
supplied by the noble lord, it appears that through-
oat the tenth of France the price was lower in 1868
than in sny year since 1831. At the commeneement

of 1838 the stock of wise on hand in France was
upwards of 8,000,000 gallons more than at the com.
mencement of 1867, and thin stock was no doubt in-
mused by the large vintage of 1838.
Similar facts are observed in Spain, where the
stock on hand in 1838 was large. In Spain there
was a great demand for wine in 1867, partly for
export to France, and in 1838, as that demand **seed,
the price fell nearly one-half. In concurrences with
thee* statements of wine being cheap and abundant,
the quantity imported into our country to the end of
November, 1859, the latest date of the racial
scones* was 2,000,000 galls. more than was im-
ported in the same period of 1838. At the same
date last year the quantity of wine in bond was
9,396,180 galls., or more than the average eonenmp-
tion in a year. There is no reason, therefore,
to expect a great rise in the price of wine from now
repealing or abolishing our duties.
Are each favourable

likely to oon.

films? Shall we not find hereafter a great riare in
the price, giving all the advantages of a change in
our duties to the wine grower and the wine mer-
chant, and none to the oonsumer ? In consider-
ing this question let it be remembered that unfavour-
able and favourable seasons generally occur in cycles,
that we have just got through an unfavourable cycle
and are in the midst of a favourable cycle. We may
in consequence reasonably expect abundant vintages
for the next two or three years. Moreover, the very
high prices of the four years ended 1867 have indeed
an extended cultivation of the vine in almost all
wine-growing countries. Between 1863 and 1868
the land cultivated in vines fell off in France 18,000
hectares : in 1857, however, 10,000 hectares wen re-
planted and it is highly probable, says Lord
Clittste„ though there are no official returns, that
there has been a further increase in 1868, as the
quantity of wine produced wee 10,400,000 hectolitres
more than in 1857. In Spain there was, in 1868
and 1867, an increase in the exportation of win, a
great part of which went to France, to the extent of
183 per sent., oompared to tbe period before the
wine disease made its apparent?. There ensued a
greet increase " to the member of vineyards planted
" in every part of Spain," so " that the market,'
says Mr. LUMLEY, writing to the Foreign-office
from Madrid, in February, 1869, " is likely to be
" overstocked with wine for some time to come."

We learn, moreover, from tbe official report that
in Frazee new and improved methods of waltivatitm
hays increased the quantity of wise made from the
sum surface. The wine grower is at puma chiefly
intent on obtaining • lugs quantity, to supply the
middle and labouring °lames, and the return has
been increased in some please by ans-asath. by
one-Efth in others. Winepreperty has risen is var.