, 1866-10-12

antl-PruSSlan coalition was preparing,
carrying with him, as a talisman where
with TO bring Russia to better sentiments,
no less a document than o copy of the
despatch by which the French Govern
ment declared itself ready to cry "quits''
if Polish nationality were re-established.
The talisman, skilfully employed, had
full effect the relations between st.
Petersburg and Berlin became most cor
dial, and Bismark had thus played off
against each other, the two European
Powers which were most likely to give
him trouble. 1t was after this that he
replied to a Polish deputy in the Cham
Der, sin this House there is no repre-
sentative of Poland, there are but repre-
sentatives of Prussia" 1t is q good
story, if it be nothing more.
Some interesting statistics and remarks
relating to the consumption of French
wines in England appear in the last num-
Der of the Moniteur Lndustriek. 1t seems
that we are by no means such important
customers to our nearest wine-growing
neighbours as might be supposed, and
that for much the greater part of our
foreign drinks we go farther and "a
F%renchman at least would say SOY fare
worse. The average quantity of wine
produced in France is SO millions of
hectolitres (22 imperial gallons), which
are distributed as follows :-15,254.00O
consumed by the growers or sold direct
ly to consumers, 2,454,0 900 converted into
spirits, 100000 go to make vinegar,
100000 are exported, 13,340,000 are
taken by the wine trade, and 1896 900
remain disposable. In the seven years
of 1857 to 1868 the annual average of
wine taken by England from Spain was
22O,978 ~hectolitres !; from Portugal,
10000; Germany, 83,O77; France,
74,40O. Many persons will be surprised
TO find hat we have been in the habit
of taking more wine from Germany than
from France, though the German wines
doubtless include Hungarian wines, and
perhaps wines Of other countries export
ed from bonded depots in the North
German ports. In 1864, however, the
English market took 156,382 hectolltres,
worth 2~3,749,465 francs, or little short OF
a million sterling, and the increase has
continued, S2,392 hectolitres, having
gone to England during the first six
months of 1866, against 64,976 and
6O,3ol in the corresponding periods of
1865 and 1864. AS regards the great
majority of the English people, the love
and cheapness of beer will always keep
them from the consumption Of French
wines, which must always be compara-
lively dear. In fact, compared with other
European nations, we hardly drink any
wine in England. The statistics of some
of the principal countries are given as
follows. In France and Portugal the
consumption is 100 litres about equal to
Imperial quarts) per head of the popula-
ton, in Austria 81, in Switzerland Sc, in
Spain 33, in England 1,o13. So that we
are clearly not a wine-drinking people!
1t might be very possible, however, to
increase the consumption of French
wines in England, at the expense of the
wines of other countries, if judgment
were exercised in the selection of the
qualities and in reducing the expenses
and the enormous profits which the Eng
lish consumer now pays. In the opinion
of the Momiteur Industriel red wines Of
intermediate quality, pure, highly colour
ed, and with plenty of body are the most
successful in England. The consumption
! of French white wines is comparatively