The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-21 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OP THE SUN.

Sint,—Your frequent and persistent advocacy of a more
general use of light and pure wine leads us to hope that
you will allow us to make a few remarks on this subject,
conceiving as we do that the measures we are about to
adopt will have an important influence not only upon the
prices, but upon the consumption of FRENcHWITEs in this
country.

Hitherto the consumption of the finest of these wines has
been almost prohibitory in consequence of the excessive
prices at. which they have been retailed, the difference
which always exists between the importers' price and the
price to the consumer is far too great, the extent and
variety of the profits so numerous, that by the time the
wine reaches the cellars of the consumer it becomes not
only fabulously dear, but, as it has been aptly expressed,
" a rare and expensive luxury."
In order to encourage the consumption of these wines,
and to bring within reasonable limits the prices of other
growths suited to this market, we have just concluded a
contract with one of the three houses announced at the
commencement of 1864, as the sole purchasers for 10 years
of the produce of the vineyards, for a minimum quantity
of 12,000 dozen of the first growth Chateau Margaux, of
world-wide reputation ; this contract will run over the
whole period of our friends' interest in this wine, and will
commence with the vintage of 1863, of which there is now
bottling at the Chateau about 1,900 dozen, and which we
are prepared to offer to the public at the unprecedentedly
low price of 635. per dozen, including duty and all charges
to this country ; the corks will, as is usual when bottled
at the Chateau, and as a guarantee of its genuineness, be
branded " CHATEAU MARGAUX, VISCOMTE AGUADO, pre-
mier Vin, 1863."
Our reasons for offering this fine Wine at so low a
price is that while it leaves us a fair profit as Merchants,
we are anxious to show the public that even the finest
Wines may, by judicious enterprise, be retailed at far
lower prices than for many years have been customary in
this country. . . .

French Wines, to be really popular in this country, must
not only be good in quality but reasonable in price, and
we venture to predict that with a little further concession
on the part of Mr. Gladstone— giving Wine imported in
Bottle the same advantage in point of Duty as that im-
ported in Wood—that the quantity of French Wine con-
sumed in this country will in the course of the next ten
ydars increase threefold, and will then still be far short of
what it might and no doubt will be.
We are, Sir,
Your obedient Servants,
H. R. WILLIAMS AND CO.
Crosby Hall, 32, Bishopsgate-street Within,
London, E.C., Dec. 19, 1865.

The Financial Troubles of the Ferocious

Fenians.

(From the New York Herald.)

Those terrible fellows, the Fonians, are in trouble about
their bonds. Instead of fighting England, or Canada, or
the Chevalier Raymond, they have begun to fight each
other. The old but pleasing story of the Kilkenny cats
and of the result of their quarrel is irresistibly called to
mind by this curious intestine conflict. The Senate of the
Fenian Brotherhood, now assembled in this city, has
passed resolutions declaring that the present issue of the
bonds of the Irish republic is "invalid and illegal," and
"a fraud on the organisation," which is equivalent to call-

ing President O'Mahony and his assistants a pack of
swindlers. O'Mahony replies by denouncing the members
of the Senate as "dishonest persons" and "enemies of the
Fenian Brotherhood," who ought to be kept "from its im-
mediate valuables," which is a Fenian method of calling
these gentlemen thieves. And so the matter stands at our
latest advices from the field of battle.

Now, to a disinterested and impartial observe; it is very
evident that President O'Mahony has his hands full. His
palatial headquarters and beautiful banking office are all
very fine, but the enemy has cut off his supplies. What
the Chevalier Raymond tried to do the gentlemen of the
Fenian Senate have done. The confidence of the Irish
people in the Fenian bonds is completely shattered. It will
not do for O'Mahony to come out in a poster and insinuate
that the Fenian senators are thieves, and that they are
" instigated by British gold." They were elected by the
same Fenian Congress which made him President, and it
is to be presumed, therefore, that their moral character
as good as his. Moreover, there are ten senators to one
O'Mahony, and consequently they are much more likely to
be right in this bond affair than he is. Besides, if British
gold can buy up ton Fenian senators, what is to prevent it
buying up one Fenian president ? And who under the
sun is going to invest in an organisation whose president
declares that its senators are "long-timed malcontents,"
and can be purchased by the British ?
We really cannot allow o.Mahony to bluster in this
absurd style without laughing at him. His big words are
as ridiculous as his small performances. Why does he
not come-out, like a fighting Fenian and challenge the
Fenian senators as he challenged the Chevalier Raymond?
They have said just what the Chevalier Raymond said,
but they have said it more pointedly, decisively, and effec-
tually. We do not believe that, in the face of their pro-
test, a single Fenian bond can be sold ; and, when the sale
of bonds is stopped, who will pay the rent of the hand-
some head-quarters in Union-square, and where will the
ferocious Fenians get their patentleather boots, rare wines,
fragrant Havanas, good dinners, and Turkish dressing-
gowns ? Clearly, if it were right to challenge the Che-
valier Raymond it is necessary to challenge the Senators.
O'Mahony may take Roberts on Monday, Gibbons on Tuee-
day, Scanlan on Wednesday, Fitzgerald on Thursday,
O'Rourke on Friday, Banson on Saturday, Sullivan for
Sunday's morning breakfast, Tiffin for Sunday's lunch,
Fleming and Meehan—another editor—for Sunday's
dinner, and Cary for dessert. This is the best possible
arrangement we can make for him, and yet it will take him
a week to dispose of these malcontents, even though he
fight all day Sunday, when he ought to be saying his
prayers. At this rata he could not conquer England in a
thousand years. Indeed, there is no telling but that one
of the senators may settle the bold O'Mahony. Were we
a betting man we would back any one of these against
him for one hundred dollars—in Fenian bonds. As it is,
we advise him to issue his challenges and order his coffin.
But, seriously, we are of opinion that this Fenian joke
has been carried quite far enough. The existence of an
Irish republic in the city of New York is not only an ab-
surdity, but, sooner or later, it may involve our Govern-
ment in annoying complications with England. It is true
that the British encouraged our rebels, violated their own
neutrality laws, and sent out pirates to prey upon our
commerce ; but that is no reason why we should
indulge in proceedings equally illegal. Neither are
we disposed to permit the Fenians to force us into a
war with England on their account. We have our own
grievances against the British Government and intend to
redress them in our own time and way ; but it is not at:all
likely that these will happen to be the Fenian time and
the Fenian way. If Mr. O'Mahony and his followers mean
anything practical let them take Canada, make that their
base of operations, and fit out their Alabamas and Shenan-
doahs there. Union-square will never be the starting-
point of any hostile expedition of the Fenian Brotherhood
while we aro at peace with Great Britain. Should a Fenian
army be collected there it will be handed over to the po-
lite ; and when O'Mahony and Killian made their hostile
demonstration against the Chevalier Raymond—the only
warlike movement they have ever made—the Chevalier
should have served them in the same way. Our Govern-
ment will show Great Britain that a republic can observe
its own laws and control its own citizens better than a
monarchy, and that the United States are powerful enough
to enforce their just claims upou foreign Powers without
any all with Mr. 0'116.11911y.