New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-18
CONSULS AND FRENCH WINES
NJ. HANOTAUX's STATEMENT DISCUSSED
IN WASHINGTON.
PROBABLE MOTIVE OF THE FRENCH PREMIER IN
MAKING HIS CRITICISM AT THIS TIME-THE
STATE DEPARTMENT NOT WHOLLY
RESPONSIBLE FOR consul
LAR REPORTS.

LAR REPORTS.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNE.l
Washington, April 1.-THE statement made by
NJ. Hanotaux the French Minister OF Foreign
Affairs, to a representative OF the Associated
Press, In which he expresses surprise at the
attitude Of certain American consuls" Is UNDER
stood 10 refer more particularly to the consul at
Havre. Charles w. Chancellor, though others
may be included. Mr. Chancellor IT seems, mas
once more seen fit to draw the attention OK the
State Department to the subject OF the adultera-
ton Of French wines and spirits designed for ex-
port. 1t is n subject which has been discussed
with more or less freedom by the consus OF the
United States stationed at different places IN
France for the last twenty years.
Why NJ. Hanotaux should choose the present
time as opportune to point moral and adorn
a tale" unless he had some hope by so doing to
impress the Administration and prevent Con-
sress from enacting tariff legislation inimical to
France. does not seem quite clear. 1t Is certain.
however. that the French Ambassador here was
instructed not long ago to lodge formal protest
against the reports of the offending consul which
had made their appearance in the regular issue
of Consular Reports" To this protest the State
Department made reply that the reports Of con-
sus, while no doubt the result of every effort on
the part Of their authors to be correct. were not
altogether official publications. that is to say. the
Department could not be held responsible for the
truth or falsity of the statements contained IN
them. To be perfectly just however. the De-
partment would print in the forthcoming May
number Of tho reports the paper submitted by
the Ambassador in justification Of his statement
that the consul was wrong In his facts and illog-
cal In his deductions Here the matter rests for
the present.
Though France in 1880 established a Govern
ment inspection which promised to put stop to
the adulteration Of wine. that inspection has not.
1t is said, fulfilled the expectations OF those who
planned 1t. Before the present law went into
effect aduteration Of wines seems fairly to have
run riot In France, can be seen by the follow
Ing quotations taken at random from the con-
sular reports of the early eighties:
That SS exists and Is IN the
sa t Ps0v Wen known R1 Ps a the vintage Of ISIS
which is the last quoted. is held at price that
teraton.-Thomas P Smith. Consular Agent at La
Rochelle. October g. 1889.
of H 1 nS N y eSnc from
more than onehrd of i can be regarded as above
have DONE 10 % seno be e that they have not
been Th D hs of Of aEe
cohol and the drugs of which the brandy Of to-day
the If sas and i5f
f1 e. sa s,. q@
might properly and perhaps ought 10 be excluded
Is 0 strong e presumption against the PURITY Of very
large part of it. and 1t Is unfortunately almost i'm
George Gifrord. Consul at La Rochelle. June s. 1885,:
No doubt can be entertained as TO aduteraton
taking place as Is by report tn1nsh e me
Seine of monthly analyses made of alimentary sub.
" s nc q the f fy OF
are subjected to analysis at the customs before
delivery the importers and If found aes
destroyed. In the Of exports. there no lnspec
0 h e Od sne e1
punity. as long the countries importing 90 not
rs sneS Sies
Walker. Consul-General at Paris. July I. lssS'
Everybody knows. says, that the wines and
fasicators profit by and make use Of all the prog
Of modern chemistry and the art OF making
such degree Of perfection and skin that experts
epicures and chemists alike are SasG s,n and ca hss
at Nantes January 10. 1883
may say without exaggeraton that more than
Of he ay e cad
informed on good authority that. the "wetting' OF
E Heavier bodied Wines Of SPAIN Portugal
Italy Hungary and other countries are Sro %bt
Wines Of the Pyrenees, and are then shipped to
sess GT knd Of s0S 81 ST
al by the customs and by the Chamber OF Com
IL If admltteh py Some VI my
formants that the laws cvaded by INSCRIPTIONS
persons whenever II is possible and that quantities
of wine which literally artificial are sold under
labels bearing well-known brands-Georee W.
Roosevelt. Consul at Bordeaux, April IL, lssZ
1t will readily be seen that what NJ. Hanotaux
describes as the deplorable tendencies and want
of prudence Of certain American agents on the
one side and 1.-The argumentative spirit Of the
American State Department on the other have
had some excuse In the past for being brought
into play. and may reasonably be supposed TO
have some excuse now for being once more
pushed to the front