Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1855-06-09
Interesting to Brandy Drinkers.
Extract of letter from correspondent at La
Er,uoo ofI 9Th af Loot

Rochelle, France of 18th of last month:
1.-THE city of La Rochelle contains population
If 10000 Two centuries ago-in the year 1906
1t contained nearly $4,000 inhabitants. The
memorable siege of 1920, with successive wars
disease and famine, has reduced it to its present
s;,e Ii is the capital of the Department of the
Cbareute Inprieure, the lower Charente. This de-
,artment is the chief brandy country Of France
f.om it comes all the fine French brandies The
Town of Cognac, i'll the neighborhood of which are
nroduced the finest brandies, is about forty miles
from here, in the interior, the river Charente.
"The principal and indeed, the only articles Of
commerce in the consular district are the brandes
of the department and sardines the fisheries Of
which along the coast are yearly increasing in i'm.
portance.
nartment is Bordeaux, in the Girondee, and Cha
rante in this The finer brandes are almost ex-
clusiyelv sent from these ports. England gets her
brandy almost exclusively from Charente and the
United States takes theirs chiefly from La Rochelle
and Bordeaux.
"The port Of La Rochelle will not admit large
vessels. No ships of over three hundred and fifty
toms can enter here since the construction of the
famous dixie by Richeiieu during the siege. The
number ships in 1851 of this port were one hundred
and forty-fve, of an aggregate tonnage of eight
thousand four hundred and ninety-six tons. In
1852 the number was one hundred and forty-eight,
of a tonnage of eight thousand four hundred and
thirty-four The proportion of vessels to the ton
mage shows their character; they are almost en-
trely engaged in the fisheries.
1.-THE brandies of La Rochelle are inferior to
those of Cognac Singeres, and st. Jean d'Angely.
They are very strong, and have the flavor which
all the products Of the grapes grown by the sea-
side have They are used in the United States ex-
clusiyely for mixing; barrel Of pure, it is said,
making four Of brandy by mixing with pure
spirits, whiskey, &C. The expectations of brandy
from this port in 1852 were 1852, 1913 litres,
(quarts.) In 1853 there was slight reduction to
5l7o,455 ltres. The price had then begun to in
crease i'll anticipation of the failure of the vintage
Of 1854 The bad crops Of that year. and the
total failure of the vines to produce in large por-
tons Of the department. have brought brandy to its
present price, never before known in this country
and which amounts almost to total prohibition of
expectation The price of brandy in 1852 and
1858, which was from 10 to Is francs (about $14)
per hectoitre (26 gallons, is 100 francs. The
result is that expectation to the United States has
almost entirely ceased that in order to lower the
price, and to effect sales, brandy even by the pro-
prietors in the country, before it reaches the mer
chant is mixed with other spirits of very inferior
quality and cheap. Aquantity of American whiskey
has just been received by large firm here, which
will probably be used to mix with brandy for the
purpose Of sending to the United States at lower
price.
"Nearly all the brandies sent to the United
States lately have been sent to San Francisco on
consignment; some few to Norfolk and Boston
Yhe temperance excitement in some parts Of the
United States has also deferred merchants here
from sending there on their own account. 1t is to
be hoped that one Of its beneficial results will be
to arrest expectation until pure brandy less OBJ
noxious and poisonous than that now for export,
can be had. There has been no shipment from
here of brandy since September last, the last
American vessel which was here leaving in that
month.
1.-THE expectation of sardines to the United
States is immense, and increasing. The fisheries
commence about the middle Of May, and last until
the middle VI October. The quantities consumed
are enormous; each evening upon the return of the
fishing smacks, they can be bought for few cents
per dozen, and are an important part of the food
Of the poorer classes. These fish are better, and
have flavor when put up in oil which they other
wise have not. They are found in great plenty
from the coast Of Bretagne to the mouth of the
Gasomre. La Rochelle is the principal depot for
the fishery. The quantity exported to the United
States in 1853 was $3.50 kilogrammes In 1853
the quantity was 1871 killogrammes Last sum-
mer, am informed the quantity exported to the
United States exceeded 100000 kilogrammes.
Strange to say. than one half Of this exporta-
ton is for California.
The above articles are the only ones in which
commerce with the United States is had The
wines OF this department are but little exported
They have the sea taste, and are not to compare
with those Of Bordeaux They are not even used
BY people in any circumstances, and rank with
cider. The high price of wine has, however, led
Bordeaux merchants to purchase large quantities of
these here this year to mix with their own The
consequence is, that for higher price inferior wine
is had. Ordinarily wine of his department is
worth three or four cents per bottle; now it is
worth fifteen and twenty, the inferior"
Washington Lnoin.