The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-10 00:00:00

' create an incurable leak, we cannot rely on such
perfection in artillerymen ; and the anxiety about
the effect of one shot, shows how well all are aware
v that a swiftly steaming vessel might receive no
more in going close past a fort—not receive them
at least at the short distance at which all the mis-
chief is done. The floating battery, on the contrary,
could follow up its antagonist; and if only of equal
power could fight her on equal terms, while the
poor immovable fort could only look on ; but if of
superior power, of course the invading ship must go
to the bottom. Forts can do so little with any
certainty against screw steamers, that we do not yet
believe they are worth their enormous cost. Let
the sums voted for the naval estimates this year be
devoted to iron-sides, and we shall then continue,
as we now really are, ahead of all the world in the
power, both of offence and defence with iron-clad
ships.

The simplification of the Wine Duties is one
of the chief good points in the Budget. As the scale
of duties stood, during the past financial year, there
have been hitherto four several rates. The complexity
consequent upon having those four rates, the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer now proposes to get rid of.
The four are to be halved. The rates are to be
reduced to two. Hitherto—that is to say, since
the new system of Wine Duties (inaugurated by
Mr. GLADSTONE himself) came into operation—all
wines imported into this country under 18 degrees
have had to pay an impost of one shilling. Be-
tween 18 and 26 degrees, an impost of ls. 9d.
Between 26 and 40, one of 2s. 51 Finally, between
40 and 45, a crowning, or maximum impost of 23.11 d.
Instead of adhering with needless pertinacity to
the maintenance of this rather elaborate system of
rates, Mr. GLADSTONE—thereby paying due regftra
to the very reasonable complaints of the trade—at
once, with his usual sagacity and promptitude as
a reforming financier—hit upon the very simple
device of dropping the scale of rates without fur-
ther ado from four to two. Upon all wines im-
ported into this country up to 26 degrees, he
will levy the minnimum rate of one shilling.
And upon all wines ranging from 26 up to 42
degrees he will levy the maximum rate of half-a-
crown. That is the simple division now decided
upon by the Chancellor of the Exchequer for the
future regulation of business in the wine trade. It
may be remarked, however, by some with a little
momentary Entrprise, that the highest strength spe-
cified in this new arrangement of the wine duties
has been set down by Mr. GLADSTONE at 42 instead
of as formerly, according to the recent arrangement
(now proposed to be got rid of), at 45 degrees.
This, however, was on this very day se'nnight
readily enough accounted for by the Chancellor's
rather curious array of statistics, in regard to the
varying strength and weakness of our vinous
im-
portations. In explanation of which it is only
necessary indeed to glance at a very few of these
same official statistics.

Upon the strength of wines generally the Govern-
ment have contrived of late rather considerately,
and certainly upon very reliable authority, to in-
crease their already apparently ample stook of
knowledge. A cluster of intelligent officers,
selected from the Department of Customs, was
scattered not long ago, Mr. GLADSTONE tells us, far
and wide through the principal wine countries on
the European Continent. They traversed severally
France, Italy, Sicily, Spain, Portugal, Hungary,
Germany, Switzerland. Their object was to ascer-
tain, so far as might in this way be ascertained, the
" natural strength" of the different wines in the
particular localities in those countries where the
natural strength of the wines has the reputation
of being greatest. Natural wines, meaning of
course—as the Chancellor in other words took oc-
casion at once to explain en passant—wines only
mixed with so much alcohol as is absolutely requi-
site to render it in any way marketable!! So much
spirit, in fact, being added to the fermented juice
of the grape as would release it from mawkish-
ness or insipidity. As opposed to the Natural wine;
indeed, there is—in farther explanation of what has
here been written—its very antithesis, the highly
Brandied wines preferred in colder regions than
those in which- the melting vine is indigenous.
Between those two extremes—the mildest of the
Natural wines and the fireiest of the Brandied
wines, Mr. GLADSTONE'S travelling agents or com-
missioners, found—out of no less than 125 distinct
samples, which were very carefully tested—that 103
were below 26 degrees of alcoholic strength ! Leaving
consequently only 22 in all out of the whole 125
samples above 26 degrees of alcoholic strength !
And it is especially noticeable by the way that out
of these 22 as many as 15 were samples from
Spain. It becomes instantly comprehensible, there-
fore, how it is that Mr. GLADSTONE decides at last
upon drawing at 26 degrees, the one clearly-defined
line of demarcation between the two great classes
of stronger and weaker wines imported into this
country.

Next, it becomes, not unnaturally, a matter of
interest to note what the entries of wines into this
country have really been, according to the latest
evidence jotted down. It will be allowed to be a
very curious scale of entries indeed when it comes
to be looked at. It shows pretty plainly what are
Mr. BULL'S predilections and prejudices iu regard
to the wine that gouty old gentleman sips, quaffs,
eiwills in most portentous potations annually over
his dessert. Under 18 degrees of alcoholic strength
—the entries are for 918,000 gallons ! Under 19
degrees, 467,000 gallons ! About 24 degrees, merely
48,000 gallons ! About 25 ditto, no more than
30,000 gallons ! Then begins the increase, namely,
at the very point at Mr. GLADSTONE draws
his new and simple line of demarcation.
At twenty-six degrees, it is true, the entries
have only risen again to 48,000 gallons. At 27 de-
grees, oven, they have only advanced to 52,000
gallons. But from that moderate increase upon
the natural strength, by brandying more and
more, the entries rise with conspicuous rapidity.
At 28 degrees they are for 147,000 gallons ! At
29, for .171,000 gallons ! At 30 degrees for 344,000
gallons ! Until we come at last to those good,
strong wines especially beloved in England —in
regard to which the recorded increase in the an-
nual rate of entries becomes something astonish-
ing in its way. For instance, of wines up to and
under 35 degrees of alcoholic strength, it is no
longer a few thousand gallons that we import
yearly, it is not even 100,000, or 200,000, or
300,000 gallons. It is actually nothing less than
—by a sudden leap in advance as it were-
-2,225,000 gallons ! At 36 degrees, there is
another good round entry of 2,019,000
gallons ! And at 37 degrees, Another, the largest
entry of all, of 2,373,000 gallons. Consequently
upon all which, the Chancellor of the Exche-
t
quer argues, and with reason sufficient certainly
to convince any ordinarily intelligent observer,
at
thus the right honourable gentle-
man is in arguing
is at least not arguing very rashly, that by
at
admitting •
a shilling duty all wines at and under
26 degrees of alcoholic strength, we shall be admit-
ting every wine i
coming
Natural
at all within the category
of Pure or
'Wines While by admitting
all wines above 26 degree;
of alcoholic strength,
and up 42 degrees, incinei
velY, at a duty of half-a-
crown, all the Brandiea-wkles
Ordinarily consumed