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PETROLEUM COMPANY OF
WESTERN VIRGINIA, U.S. (Limited).
To be Incorporated under tho Companies Act, 1862.
Capital 4200,000, in 20,000 Shares of .£lO.
First issue 10,000 Shares.
£1 payable on application, and 44 on allotment.
.No Call to exceed 42, or to be made at intervals of less
than three months.
DIRECTORS.
John Grove, Esq., Wellington-street, London-bridge,
I. Broderick Hartwe
park. 11, Esq., Brunswick-terrace, Regent's-
Frederick Spencer,Esq., Liddard's-wharf, Shad Thames.
D. Fraser Luckie, Esq., Ashley-place, Westminster.
Joseph H. Tilston, Esq., Chepstow-place, Bayswater.
John. Horton, Esq., Managing Director in America.
BANKERS.
Bank of London, Threadneedle-street and Charing-cross.
BROKERS.
Messrs. Spencer and Norton, 22, Throgmorton-street.
SOLICITOR.
George Lawrence, Esq., 9, Fenchurch-street.
ADTORS.
Messrs. Chatteris and Nichols, Laurence-lane, Cheapside.
S. Lowell Price, Esq., Gresham-street.
SECRETARY,
Courtenay Clarke, Esq.
°PlicEs.-9, Great Winchester-street, Old Broad-street.

PROSPECTTJS.
f„,,11E.' large returns upon capital invested in Petroleum
-tslo. America, have induced the formation of the presentnhe
Co`-'napany, that English capitalists may participate. t
great advantages to be derived from these lucrative inyest-
lelats• The most competent judges affirm that the oil re-
tources of West Virginia are far superior to those of P
PavitßYlvattia ; the oil, being lubricating and of greater specificur_
y, is morel, valuable for commercial and ,
Itlf 1311rPoses. The Directors bearing in mind mathen.fufaet that
linerlto r.aora desirable to purchase property where oil is known
elst, and sink their own wells, rather than to purchase
g
bii,,,llPon which the existing wells may
--'Bled, have e into -provisional contract to pur-
oh,__
„,,__ existing
a
be partially ex-
-15"'" o acres in fee simple, together with _ _
acres,
sit e, at a royalty of one-fifth of the oil, of Ofl,o
.ituate in the counties of Calhoun, Putnam, Ritchie, for thoe.
Itlll4•D°f 451,000. The lands thus secured are in the heart of
e ... etrefeo d. .
v.. • ia, are surrounded.
by
oil lll 'strict of Western Virginia, i, , wells,
11 bb •
- Illig On s .
They are also well
moat as re
ll). con
prings abound onthem.
and all exhibit the best surface indications.
gards transit.
is found for the
sequence of the sale which
the ~v,„ ready
t* 11
pt the Amor' l
• - dividen- ,
d. • and
theref
°all sYstem of dec aring
s Moth, the Directors propo.se.to par la y 1 . ore, after the wells are sunk, they have taken
7 Oil
is of .A.ssociation to divide the profits
',tree nionths
Oil is • everycompara-
pa_. almost invariably struck in this region at depths
tiv7iing from 150 to 250 feet. The rock being
th Y easy of excavation, wells are sunk at less than half
ZS,oest 9f the oil wells of Pennsylvania.
ii.,'•h Directoropose to commence operations by sinking
•••"een well
t at the low
strike
op, 8, suerg that tea only out of the fifteen
be 4 and taking this Company's interes
150 barrpi
on
be eof 15 barrels per day for each well, the yield will
BPot of -8 Per day, which at the selling price,s
di,0,,, 10 dollars per barrel, will be 1,500 dollar ,
ling-
or, de-
Ra._'lng for exchange one-third, 1,000 dollars in
thfspoo Per day, or £6,000 per month.' If we deducf
de-
tins ' Per cent. for labour, wear and tear of machinery,nam,
'''ageraent, afc , it leaves a margin of £54,000
or abo stert
rom
perhalis the
mile ut.7B Per Cent. per annum on £70,000, which prit intended to be called up at present.
stalejliate the
ActorsDirec have not indulged in exaggerated.
Unit dents tray seen by the fact that many wolfs
barrelst In"
of
c'il per tea ftre. now yielding froni 500. to I,tuu
Itecora_
~Y, and it Will be seen by
in" Petroleum
in.„ _
Hillyer
America 342 Com-
pailiee7 that there are at present
catal of
$2513-?rwerking Petroleum, with a noratial
0 lividends
of fr'o °4OO, and that many -cil them are Palm- sub-
eeib4ll 4000 t 20 per cent per month upon tne capital
~_ The D•
40,1, 'rectors have secured the services of Mr. John
Yeah :1" of 111rmingham, as Managing
four
yeal; eXperience of Mr. Horton, extending.
sower . .
ilany zel.ninrY Director in Am
nifllt thethis and other oil districts, renders Ppoll3-
v
Ali erYjaluable to the Company' '
, Th;.eriguaranteed to be defrayed for £2,000.
other
expenses incidental to forming the Com-
'arlds - I°llll3any will, from time to time, acquire
thoro. or leases as they may be
P
can be obtained
at tit;°esteactuses and Forms of Application
advantageously offered to
be seen.
bye ere broker; Solicitors, and Offices of the Corn-
kiheno-'ere the Articles of Association can
will
re_
tatne,,,st.he silo Articles
be made, the deposits be
to trYkent ontowards
tat 'ln full. Should a less number of Shares be allotted
th aPPlied for, the deposits will be made available _
e ..,.
ge pplicant, allotment, and the balance, if any, returned
•
11A3:TTIPTIL FOR EV
li h. pACREL'S liquid Arab Bloom, Circassian Goladmene
E R.-Madame
Aache„ewder, and costly Arabian preparath-ps. d
u iit.,4,lllneW Work on female grace and lovehness,Menatitled
l`lely tonudi-at4eP-er''' a, Book of Beauty, is pow readYA,
(Yrilla\TC-4- INIPOSSIBLE.--The greatest and
At,segilost Inlet al invention of the day, AGUA AMARELL A.
Lerabm• JOHN GOSNELL and CO., 12, Three King.court,
Clatter
tally
oapi.steet, London. Perfumer r Majesty, respect
tiler t° the Public ',his truly marvellous fluid. wine _
it restores the human hair to its pristine hue- !roe
what ag•e. The A..,,ua Amarella has none of th
8170sterie_rties of dves • it, on he
contrary, is beneficial to the
per tiLnoil
,a,,nd wimn 'the hair is once restored one application
Corti, . Will keep it in pe. feet colour. Price one guinel pear
leetabilit
hoirAnetl4alf bottls, ios. 6.1. Testimonials from ar,lstee.
of the.
4rder, and from individuals of undoubted ! n
~tosnell and co IT
1%1/less the PiiZse
be seen on application. Messrs. J D
o
,boefvvrecrainted Perfumers to her Royal
JOHN
GOSNELL; and CO.'S CHERRY
ro__,TO.OTH-PASTE is greatly superior to any tooth
the breatl°ln
0051;111:f ir Oyes the teeth a pearl 14hiteness, protects the
I)recetY, and imparts a pleasant fragrance to the
street, Lond'.‘a.. e Is. Cd.-12, Three Iting-enurt, Lombard-
sciErrriric AND ORNAMENTAL PRESENTS.
RNAMENTS for the Drawin
aid Dilllll-roOra, oOnsiatin ot a g-rooln, Library,
meet c,tVA.SZSPig-nre ,s Group_sg'C n,ew and e. ant assort-
stands, beautiful inlaid Tables P 1
, and esticks, Obelisks, Ink-
Alabaa beautiful ?aria]; Marble, 13 r °lir w
jelghts, tte., in Italian,
Imported heranufactured b JA.BefES eybyshire S_par, dm
ralogist to llajesty, 149, Itand, W.C..TPONtgOAnI,T, Anne-
r. Tennant arrano'es 1
8,101 d
~..,_ c ementarY Collections of ROCKS,
,RALS, an I,OBBILB to ill
,ef Lyell's Elements of G , . ustrate the new edition
zbe intereati Of they swill greatly facilitate
inn
lie
ng study of MINERALOGY and GEOLOGY,
l can be had at 2,5, 10, 20 iso to
PitACTICA, , i 100 guineas each.
Itlktor.... L irtstritucTloN in GEOLOGY and MINE-
Taw 1 ill given by Mr. TENNANV, at 149. Strand_ W.C.
t RESCUE SOCIETY • th r
tho
,1512rae to thA 12 now in operation. hex to
yearadd another
been 1r,A20,0,,000r, friendless, younfales were rejected from
been Ri.llllNOSard room, makings total of 3,087, who have
Of the '',..llwaY in five years. Ilere are brief details of a few
/0. VuO,L recent cases :
k A.: ,Igeci IC. fr ilen, d, deserted by her father.
C. 4.11 f., azed 13, homeless,both parents dead
~, aged 7, fallen, father dead, deserted by her mother.
~,„. t-. 1., aged 13, fallen, mother dead.
, aged 15, fallen, mother dead,
II 1,,, aged 16, fallen, both parents dead.
14. '•?;., aged 14, horneless, deserted by her parents,
C. iy- aged 17, fallen, both ents dead.
. ~ aged 17, r
en, both par
rents dead.
k 1, aged IS, fallen, father dead.
FI, -C •• aged 18, fallen, both parents dead,
k'-',O aged 17, fallen, both parents dead.
k f,".• w•• aged 17, fallen. both parents dead.
The 'Oed 15, fallen, both parents deid.
be for
4avecoil IW, heTne the Committee wish to form would
rill, almost children, from the age of 8 to 15, who
(4,,,,Pen led astray from the path of virtue.
Air "Lrlut.o
b
by the geeStarg;
-,archty-s•z:,oope,.,
CO 85, Queen rest,•s Cheapside; or yat
"" .. Lombard-str
I_ C):3CAL FREE HOSPITAL, Gray's-inn-road,
wil .r,„;!:' t,he FREE HOSPITAL
a . inity of the Great Northern Rail-
r4l4llB, liing's.e.joicas.
%.;
slatroa---Iler Most Gracious Majesty the QUEEN.
Zemaillron.._
„, his Royal highness the Prince o k LES If..G
I,f'WUC' II K.G.,
~ Thf, „..„'ht---Ilis Grace the Duke of mice', ,
first to'
estab-
:Hal 'thellospitai, ace
in the year 1828, the
'lle del Principle of free admission to .the sick poor, without
t holly de-
PeadentY and Qfficulty of Governors' prudeg,
It for su
ti s asnd legacies.
do. fr,,rd Pport on voluntary contrib
of i patients, and, in
?, ttic,„ 8 relief to a large number in-patients,
1•0 ibisthe umer ot attendance of the
a •••,,e at • '
it average n period
averaged between
•°OO and e has tor a con .iderable
1, The e 4,000 weekly.
ASSISTANCE of the
ArrepoOktnittee earnestly solicit the
le of
?1, ,tai'llt, as the premises of this Hospital are ca
Brat
hundred more beds, had the Committee
equisit Coat chards to maintain them.
lei, tiblltiena
r, Edward Mal-
br --om, 1,;,„ ~are received by the Tr
Measssrars.eCoutts and Co.;
coanaa„44,4lcholas:lane; also by
II reries and Co. ; Ransom
ea'clea°' ; larelsic(Ot'i ;AYn
anddC.Co.;Smith Pajne, and Co. ;
a„„ _ y and ,„.. ,
flume,
aIiO. ,
and
Ce.;
verend, Gur!
coy, Tut co 31,1,, W Mania, Deacon,
.Littpr.• • , abet and Co. , Berners-street ; I. Barned and
-r,oor ; and at the Hospital. from 10 till 5.
STANFORD SMITU, tiearetari.

ALEX. ROSS' FACE POWDER, is. ; sent for
14 stamps; Eye Colour, 3s. lid., or 54 stamps. Skin
tonic produces a transcendent complexion, 45., or so stamps.
Bloom of Roses, 3s. Ed., or 54 stamps.—ALEX. ROSS, 218,
High Holborn. London.

SAILORS' ORPHAN GIRLS' SCHOOL and
HOME, Hampstead. Offices, 77, Cornhill
PATRON —The QUEEN.
TRUSTEES.
Capt. the Hon. Francis Maude, The Rev. Canon Champneys
R.N. I Thomas Baring, Esq., M.P.
TREASURERS.
R. C. L. Bevan, Esq. Robert Hanbuzy, Esq.
This Institution is designed to supply a great national
want, viz., an asylum fur the orphan daughters of sailors in
the Royal Navy and Merchants service and of Marines.
It clothes, maintains, and educates them for domestic
service and provides a home free of expense for former
inmates while out of situations, thus shielding them from the
temptations they might otherwise be exposed to.
Tne Committee earnestly APPEAL for CONTRIBU-
TIONS to meet the increasing applications through the
recent storms and loss f life at sea, and to enable them
sailors annuall
even.ually to obtain premises more commensurate with the
necessities of this great maritime country, which loses 2,000
who may perish b
bY casualties alone, without including those
y war.
Subscriptions thankfully received by the bankers, Messrs.
tary, at the Offices, No. 77,
Cornhill.
Barclay, Bevan, and Co., Lombard-street, and by the Secre-
R. SWEETTNG, Hon. Se-0.
CRARLICS NASH, sec.

EE T I-I.—No Fancy Names or Advertising
1 Chicanery. Fixed Prices, and all completed for the
charges named-3s. Bd., 5s 7s. 8d , and the very best that can
be made, on fine gold, at 10.. each. A full set at £3, as good
as those advertised at £ ► and £5 ; and the very best that can
be made, on fine gold, at £io the set. Partial sets in propor-
tion. Stopping, 2s 6d. ; extractions, is. Repairs effected
whilst waiting. Teeth remodelled, and every case attended
to at fair but moderate charges, by Mr. ALBERT, Old-
established Dentist, 34, Great Russell-street, WA Con-
sultations free.

French Wines at One Penny per Bottle
Customs Duty.

BY WILLIAM RAY SMEE, ESQ., F.S.A.

In 1846 the writer suggested the introduction of the
wines of France into England at the customs duty of 6d.
per gallon, or ld. per bottle. This appeared to be very
sound policy, and one that would almost immediately give
excellent results. The British climate cannot produce wine.
The importation would have increased the commerce be-
tween England and France ;—would have given to the
middle and upper ranks a cheap and wholesome beverage
which at a former period they certainly possessed ;—aud
would have supplied the money to the wine growers to
purchase many English manufactured articles they greatly
wanted.

At that time the duty was ss. 9d. per gallon, Ilid. per
bottle, and produced in 1844 £136,000.
At present the duty is 2s. Gd. per gallon, 5(1 per bottle for
all wine imported in bottle ; but for wine in cask is only
ls. per gallon, at the rate of 2d. per bottle, provided it
holds, according to the Hydrometer of Sykes, less than
26 per cent. of the spirit of proof, which contains 50 per
cent. alcohol, and therefore to pass at Is. the wino must
hold less than 13 per cent. pure alcohol. This duty in
1862 produced £158,000, and in 1863, £165,000.
The existing rates of duty only commenced on the 4th
April, 1862, and were thus in operation only nine months,
but during that year 1,385,000 gallons of red wine were
charged at the average rate of ls. sd. per gallon, and 516,000
gallons of white were charged 2s. 4d.
But in 1863 the duties were in force throughout the year,
and 1,315,000 gallons of red wine were charged ls. sd. per
gallon, and 625,000 gallons of white 2s. 4d., exactly the
same as the previous year.
This is not properly speaking a financial question. If
the duty were reduced at once to a penny per bottle, the
revenue would not be £120,000 less, even if there were
no increase of consumption. But every year would show
an increase, and the revenue would quickly return to
its present amount, and even go far beyond it. But
should it fall somewhat short, the loss would be inapprecir
able ; as the whole amount is only 3s. 6d per cent. on the
revenue of the United Kingdom.
Hence it is most earnestly contended that all French
wines, the liqueurs alone excepted, should be admitted into
England at the customs duty of 6d. per gallon, or Id. per
bOttle.

II The present system of duties causes two distinct rates to
be charged for the same wine, one being two and a half
times Greater than the other, and has a most prejudicial
operation upon commerce. The groat mass of French
wines are cheap, exceedingly wholesome, and form a most
delicious drink during dinner. They almost all contain
when pure less than 13 per cent. alcohol, and would pass
into England at is. duty, when not placed in bottle.
Now it is frequently very desirable that the wine should
be imported in bottle. It comes in exactly as it is made. It
cannot profitably be adulterated in England. It travels
with perfect safety and without the probability of being
damaged. It loses none, or at least very little, of its fine
flavour. And the English consumer would constantly have
the preference, and would have much of the good wine the
French merchant could send in bottle if the legislature
permitted him advantageously to do so, and made no
difference in the rates of duty charged.
Moreover, there are some reasons why the wine should
be allowed to come into England at a less duty In bottle
than in cask. The carriage is more expensive. Wine when
conveyed wholesale, by special tariff and: at the cheapest
rate from Macon to Paris, is charged per 1,000 litres, when
in cask, 27 francs, but when in bottle, 44 francs 80 cen-
times. This is a very important difference, and one that
would tend to prevent the improper introduction of wine
in bottle into England for the purpose of distilling. Again,
the growers frequently mix spirit with the wine for the
purpose of making it bear the journey when imported in
cask, and this is not necessary when in bottle, for great
masses of liquid alter much more rapidly than small, and
especially when the quantity is so minute as that which a
bottle contains.
The value of wine in no way depends upon the quan-
tity of alcohol it holds, and to fix the exact amount is very
difficult. According to the work on distillation of Duplais
the Elder, 1858, 2d edition, the greatest amount of alcohol
in the red wines of Bordeaux is 11 per cent., whilst the,
leastisw7iniets,oBthpee
wine
cent. The
of
tTheheElt3tsurtemgundy wines, the Cham-
pagnepyrennees, of Chatil-
lon, of Orleans, and the Lyonnese wines all contain less
than 13 per cent. pure alcohol. It is only the wines of the
South of France (always excepting the liqueurs) that con-
tain a fraction over this amount, and then they hold only
17 per cent.
The French Government show great liberality with re-
spect to British ale, which is imported into France at rather
less than one-third of a penny per bottle. Now the superior
sorts of these ales are as great a luxury to the Parisians as
the Bordeaux wines are to the Londoners. The alcohol

Customs
• Per bottle. duties
charged.
The average value of French red} 1862
96d. 26d.
winos imported into England
Ditto ditto ... 1863 86d. 26d.
The average value of French white}
1862 ls. 4d.
1863 ls. Bd. 44d.
into
dEitntgoland
winesDirttpoorted
The proposed duty of ld. per bottle must surely be ample,
when the grower sells good ordinary wine at 4d. when first
made and the duty of 25 per cent. must be as much as a
brisk and a steady trade can afford to pay.
France produces annually about 37,000,000 hectolitres of
wine, and valued about 480,000,000 francs, averaging at the
vineyard when made 13 francs the hectolitre or 5 11-16 d.
the gallon, or nearly ld. the bottle.
One hectare is 2.471 English acres, and will always pro-
duce one year with another 40 hectolitres of good ordinary
wine, and if carefully made the price will average 50 francs
each hectolitre, making 2,000 francs per hectare, £BO, or £32
per English acre. The expenses of cultivation are usually
estimated at half this, or £l6 per acre. The inferior wine
is obtained from a more prolific grape, and 60 hectolitres
are produced valued at about 800 francs or a little less, but
then the expenses do not amount to 400 francs. For two
acres and a half the net profit on one is about £l6 per
annum, and for the other £4O. But it is only the very best
ordinary wine that is usually exported.
The price of the cheapest of the Bordeaux wines sold in
the villages as soon as made and on the spot is about 35
francs the 22 gallons. The next quality is 45 francs, then
55 francs, 75, 100, and the highest that can be purchased is
about 140 francs. _

In ordinary years the average price of Volnay, a Bur-
gundy wine, directly it is made and on the farm is 70 francs
the 22 gallons, but a good year at once doubles the value.
The price of wine rapidly augments with age. Rendu,
speaking of Roussillon, a wine of the south, says :—The
first year the price of 22 gallons is 12 francs. When four
or five years old is from 25 to 30 francs; between five and
ten years is 50 francs; and between ten and thirty years
is 100 francs.

In 1863, 2,697,000 hectolitres of wino paid octroi duty to
enter Paris, and produced 29,816,000 francs, being 11.05
francs the hectolitre, or 44d. per gallon, or id. and *th of
a farthing per bottle—under a penny. And tis small duty
for Paris alone produced in 1863 nearly £1,200,000.
Now Paris is much nearer to the wine growers than
England ; and the wine comes in frequently from short
distances. Admit that a little over id. is the proper sum for
Paris, then Id. must be ample for England, particularly
when the great expenses of transit are considered, and
that the profit of the English wino merchant has to be
added.

From the earliest ages of mankind wine has been drunk,
and it is only reasonable to suppose that every thing is
known respecting it. A great authority on wine ob-
serves :—" That it is not the alcohol which constitutes the
value or the excellence of the wine. The good wine is not
that possessing more or less spirit. The wine is good if it
sustains and increases the bodily and mental strength with-
out fatiguing the digestive organs."
In 1846 the duty was 11}d. per bottle,—is now two rates
sd. and 2d., and it is submitted that ono bottle of French
wine should in future come into England for the same sum
that three bottles of Burton ale are admitted into France,
viz., one penny.
It is considered that the difference in• the amount of
alcohol contained in the wines of France, when imported
pure and bonii file for consumption, is not sufficient to jus-
tify a charge of two and a-half times more.
It is thought the same wine should be admitted for the
same duties, whether it be imported in bottle or in cask.
And it is asserted that the great mass of French wine,
when pure contains very little alcohol, and that the duty 11
of sd. per bottle cannot be paid, considering the expenses
of transit, consistently with the due expansion of trade, and
that, for these cheap light wines .6d. per gallon customs
duties is sufficient, however imported.
The expense by railway of sending small quantities of
wine in bottle ; for example, a hamper, weighing 100 kilos.
from Bordeaux to Paris, and by the Messageries Impe-
riales, is 9 francs; from Toulouse, 13 francs 50 centimes;
and from Dijon 5 francs. From Paris to London the charge
is about 11 francs.

Now a hamper of 100 kilos. contains, as nearly as pos-
sible, 50 bottles of wine. Hence, the same will be delivered
in London at the average charge, for transit, of 4d. per
bottle.

Tbo adoption of the proposed duty will probably effect a
great alteration in commerce. The wine will be allowed to
ripen in the districts where it is made. The best and most
mature wine will be placed in bottles for transmission to
England ; and the growers will be anxious to obtain a
name, the wine will be 'Tiede with great care, and they
will, like the Champagne growers, place their name either
upon the bottle or cork.
The, growers will be paid by the sale of most excellent
ordinary wines in bottle, exclusive of the price of the
bottles, at 3s. per gallon, or 6d. per bottle ; expense of
transit 4d.; duty, id. ; making the total price of 50 bottles
of pure, wholesome dinner-wine 455. 10d. ; lls. the dozen,
duty paid in London, and on which has only to be added
the wine merchant's profit.
The price is only thateof the common wines; but the ex-
penses of transit will be no 'more for the .finest winos, and
these will, doubtless,' be sent by the growers themselves to
London, as soon as the duty-of sd. per bottle is altered,
and as soon as a ready sale can be depended upon.
The eminent Minister who has already gone so far in
absrinnagtuprr:ns37:::
the right direction, will, as soon as convinced, without
doubt, go a little farther. No unanswerable reason can be
urged in support of the existing duties, and a reply will be
given to any that inky be brought forward. It is probable
none will be attempted. Financially it is manifest there
are no reasons. For the sake of sound policy ;on social,
on political, and on moral grounds the change should be
made at once. To thousands of families in France it will
trade, and an increase of health. England growing no
wines naturally turns to France to obtain them, and France
athnedmtotoEznnggllianshd,fasmooild,ies an increase of
if permitted to do so. cheap, and pure,
Make then the duty somoderate that no obstruction by it
can be offered to the free circulation of thee() low priced
wines. The writer at one time had this question greatly at
heart. In the autumn of 1835, when too old to be called a
boy, and too young to be considered a man, he travelled in
France, he tasted the pure juice of the grape, as it was made,
and before it had left the wine districts. Net far from
Chaloni.4, he drank a-bottle of wine taken from the same bin,
and laying side by side with one that Napoleon I. partook
of the evening before the battle fought there in 1814. But
whilst he enjoyed the wine, he could not help observing the
absence of many comforts amongst the people they ought to
possess. The wine was there, and if they could send it to a
sure market, they would be no longer without the manu-
factured goods the English couldou gladly let them have, in
exchange for that wine they ranch wanted. So he there
determined to suggest, on the first opportunity, a complete
change of policy with respect to French wines, and that
view he carried out 11 years afterwards, ensB46. But it
was too soon, and the question was not grally under-
stood.
aFotyfhreeaell
educated men.
The proposal then made is now again brought forward,
and in the earnest hope that the same shall be carried by
common consent. A few weeks ago he wrote, " the aboli-
tion of all the duties on beer would render 6d. per gallon
the proper sum to be charged for all French wine." By
this phrase he by no means meant to say that 6d. per gal-
lon is not always the proper sum. Only the writer was
unwilling abruptly to call in question the new rates of duty
for which the nation are greatly indebted to Mr. Glad-
stone. Ire was the more anxious to do this from a re-
markable correspondence that passed a few months back
between the Chancellor of the Exchequer and himself—a
correspondence that has not seen the light.
When a foreigner for the first time visits London, his
astonishment is beyond bounds at the great mental activity
of all classes. To nourish that mental activity, to gently
stimulate, without exciting that energetic brain, to repair,
nhecsahhmawed pure, comparatively cheap, and
without
intiem;oannidotrhbeeyre delicious,is
judiciousn oth i nitgehgtmtinsol raae-
tt
withinsuitable,uiomn
btlhe irts andhocefarn eaa
lightel awht
Dr. Guyot states, " drinks act, not only upon the indi-
vidual, they re-act upon families, upon districts, and upon
nations. They help to form the character." Oh that this
immortal truth could be known and understood! Happy
indeed would be the man who could educate a nation to
appreciate the light and refreshing stimulants, and to avoid
ardent spirits. Happy would he be could ho show that the
adulteration of the national drink is done at the expense of
all that is great and noble in man. Impure drink weakens
the body, depreciates
laws
dmentalidn
ttax
power,
the egnogoedn
drink
:rnskvainc ed.
To adulterate, too often leads to fortune ; yet it would
rarely do so if unwise
leave the bad untaxed.

—When the national beverage is pure, wholesome, and
cheap, the taste for ardent spirits must decline ; but when
it is impure, unwholesome, and dear, the taste for ardent
spirits must rapidly increase.
Genuine French wines are at present hardly of sufficient
strength to please the English palate. This, however, is
only from habit. In France, the dinner wines are almost
always taken mixed with water. This is done from choice—
done by persons of large fortune, and without any idea to
economy. The finer wines are almost always taken pure,
but, ordinarily, very little is drank. it is charming to see