The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1867-12-28

WINE DRINKING IN ENGIAND-In the sixteenth
century wine drinking. as appears from an article
published elsewhere, was almost universal in Eng
laud. Easily obtained in a pure state from France.
claret was to be found upon the tables of the rich
and poor alike. aud intoNication rarely followed
from its use. The people drank 1t as a wholesome
beverage. When. however. impelled by the feeling
of national jealousy and hostility. the English Gov
crnment imposed heavy duties upon French wines,
the people bctook themselves To other stimulants
Of a pcrnicious character, and Great Britain in
time became the smallest wine-consuming country
in the world. Furthermore. the article imported
and consumed as wine ceased To he wine at all.
Seeing. however. the evil results following the i'm
position of such heavy duties, the then Chancellor
of the Exchcqucr. in 1852. began to labor ardently
for the inauguration of liberal policy. His ef-
forts were crowned with success. The duty on im-
ported wines was diminished To 4 great extent. and
in lSG6 the distinction on wines in bottles was
wholly abrogaied. AS a result of this policy. the
innovations from France increased from COS. 9l3
gallons in 1859. when the duties were -. 81. per
gallon. to 1866. SOP gallons in lS66. an auCmenta-
ton of 3S3 per cent. on French wines alone in sew
en- years. Now. however, that the heavy duties on
wines are removed. il is believed that n pure arti-
Gle will bc brought into the country. Increase of
wine drinking is furthermore looked to n II means
for combating the prevailing disposition Ia lntcul-
pcrancc among Englishmen. by displacing the use
Of the present vile beverages.
EvANGErIcu. AIIANCE-This body closed its
meeting at Amsterdam by what was termed a great
national open-air missionary meeting. The gather
ing took place at NOEclenZlng. n lew miles from
Amsterdam. Upward of 10000 persons assembled,
and the day was kept rs a general holiday. The
Rev. Pastor HcldrinG opened the festival at ten
o'clock. and was followed by Pastor Van Rhijin. of
wasscnaar. who delivered an Introductory speech
upon the subject Of Christian missions. Mr.. Looman.
the Secretary. then gave an account of the state
and Kramer of working of the missionary aSSocia-
tions in the Netherlands. after which the people
divided themselves into three groups before three
tribuncs. from which thew were addressed in English
aud French. Dutch and German. There was plenty
Of singing. and some very good band music. ana at
the close of tho proceedings the visitors To the
Conference were hospitality entertained. On the
preceding day LORD Rads;ock. ON bchalfof English
visitors. and Dr. Prime. ON the part of the Americans.
expressed their sense of the handsome manner in
which they had been entertained. The entertain
mcut of So many visitors must have cutailed
considerable cost. About three hundred and fifty
sat down every day to dinner while the Conference
lasted. in addition to which excursions 10 various
points of interest in the ncighborhood and free
admissions To- the geological Gardens and evening
concerts were arranged for 10y the executive com
mittcc. Nothing seems tn have been left undonc Ia
insure the comfort of their guests. The King Of the
Netherlands gave n liberal donation toward the
expenses Of the Conference.
Garihnldi IL described n follows hy n person
who had an opportunity at observing him closely
no Geneva: lie is dressed as h" appears in all
photographs. red shirt. light blue pantnloons. gray
felt hat. and his American poHcho. with black
stripes ON his shoulders i'm hs pocket n large sill
yer watch with n steel chain. lite appears To he
suffering. walks with difficulty. and his right hand,
disabled with rheumatism. must not he too yigo-
rously shaken.