Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-04-26
STATISTICS ON FRENCH WINE.
Some Exceptions Taken to Statements
Made by United States Consul
Chancellor Mt Havre.

Washington, April 25.-The promised
statement from the department of state
touching the report on the French wine
trade by United States Consul Chancellor
at Havre has been completed and will ap-
pear in the May number of the United
States Consular Reports. The department
briefly recalls the fact that Mr.. Chancellor,
in his report of July "a, 1885. alleged that
much of the French wine was not the
product of the vineyard and that 1900
casks of so-called wine had been destroyed
by the Paris municipal laboratory, having
not drop of grape juice in it all. He had
also alleged that the great deficit in the
wine crop caused by the phylloxera had
been made up from fluid made of raisins,
currants, lees and such materials.
1t is stated that NJ. HanotauX, last De-
cember, called the attention of our United
States ambassador to Paris to the fact that
the Bordeaux chamber of commerce had
protested against the statements or the
consul, and that the official investigation
had called forth denial from the munich
pal laboratory that it had destroyed any
were referred back to Mr.. Chancellor, who
replied that he had obtained his informa-
ton as to the destruction of the 1900 casks
of wine from reliable English journal.
but the name of the journal he was un-
able to recall. While in Paris in 1887 under
commission from the government of Mary
and was there told that a large number
of casks would be destroyed, and that this
action was not unusual. In support of
statement that large quantities of sugar
were used in the preparation of wines from
lees, Mr.. Chancellor referred to debates in
the chamber, in the course of which NJ.
Niljean had protested against the prohibi-
ton OF the manufacture of this kind of
wine on the ground that it caused the con-
sumption of no less than 100000 tons of
sugar yearly.
Hux-in ht,- lot
Chancellor's defense of his statements. the
state department prints the following
statement made by the French embassy
here. under date of March 8 last:
The attention of the French wine mer-
chants has been called to a report entitled
Wine Making in France published in the
by G. w. Chancellor, United States consul
at Havre. France. and containing some in
correct statements which might cause pre-
seems desirable to rectify
ftrst-Mr. Chancellor, having probably
IN mind the decrease of wine production
from which France suffered during a long
period after the appearance of phylloXera
says that large quantities of wine fabricat-
ed in France contain no grape juice. Sta
ustical information shows that over 1000 900
acres OF vineyards were partially infected
by the plague during the last twenty years.
100000 of which were already repiantei
up to 1895. on the other hand. the produc-
tion of wine has been in the last two years
exceptionally abundant, as will be seen by
Year. 1885: vineyards area, 4.153. 900; total
production, 7l3,3o0,OOO: total average. Si62.-
10000: value per gallon. % cents. Year, 1886
total production. !, ,1SS. 1856, 600: total average
S2S6 $50. 900: value per gallon. 10 cents.
1T is hardly credible that when such
enormous quantities of natural wines are
produced. French merchants would resort
to the fabrication of artificial wines con-
tanning no grape juice. Such fabrication
could be profitable only in a country pro-
ducing no wine or but little.
'Second-Mr. Chancellor, referring TO in
formation published in an English Journal
and reproduced in American newspapers
added that the French government recently
destroyed 5000 casks of adulterated wines
From an official inquiry, it appears that
there is no record at the municipal labora-
tory OF Paris of such destruction The oc-
casional seizure and destruction of small
quantities of adulterated wines are rather
TO the honor of the French government
which thus protects the health of its cit
izens. Measures have. besides, been taken
for the purpose of prohibiting over alcohol
fzation of wines and the addition thereto
of water or of any element whatever of
adulteration."
1t may be added that according to med
ical inquiries made by highly competent
French wine is beneficial to public health
The official statistics in this regard are
worthy of attention; they show that drunk
enness is less frequent in wine consuming
regions Out OF 100 cases of public drunk
enness, punishable by the law of 1873 TWEEN
west of France, and thrty-four in the
north, where spirits are mostly consumed,
while nine cases were recorded in the CEN
ter, five in the southwest and only four
in the south. where the use of wine among
the laboring classes is general