Evening journal., 1897-04-26
FRENCH WINE TRADE
Contradiction by the Merchants of
a Sensational Story.
STATEMENT FOUND TO BE FALSE.
what Was said to BE an Adulteration
Was Done For the Good of the
Public Health-Other Safe
guards Were Used.

Was Done For the Good of the
Public Health-other Safe
guards Were Used.
Washington. April 26.-The promised
statement from the department of state
touching the report on the French wine
trade by United States Consul Chan
cellOr at Havre has been completed and
will appear 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 $4,000 casks OF
so called wine had been destroyed by
the Paris municipal laboratory having
not drop of grape juice in it at ALL He
had also alleged that the great deficit
in the wine crop caused by the phyl-
lOXera had been made up from fluid
made of raisins. currants, lees and such
materials. 1t Is stated that NJ Hano-
tauX last December called the attention
of our ambassador to Paris to the fact
that the Bordeaux chamber of commerce
had protested against the statements
of the consul, and that the official in
vestigation had called forth a denial
from the municipal laboratory that IL
had destroyed any such quantity Of
wine. The statements were referred
back to Mr.. Chancellor, who replied
that he had obtained his information
as to the destruction of $4,000 casks OF
wine from a reliable English journal,
but the name of the journal he was un-
able to recall. While in Paris I'm 1887
under commission from the governor Of
fs.a
sheds and was there told that a NUM-
ber Of casks would be destroyed, and
this action was not unusual In sup
port of q statement that large quanti-
ties Of sugar were used in the prepara-
tion of wines from lees Mr. Chancellor
referred to debates in the chambers,
in the course of which a NJ. Viljean had
protested against the prohibition of the
manufacture of this kind Of wine on
the ground that IL caused the consump-
tion of not less than 100000 tons Of su-
gar yearly.
French Emhassy's Statement.
Having thus laid down the case and
Mr.. Chancellor's defense of his state
ments, 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
merchants has been called to a report
entitled wine making in France pub
lshed in the consular reports No, lN,
September 1895. by c. w. Chancellor,
United States consul at Havre, France,
and containing some incorrect state
ments which might cause prejudice to
| French commerce, and which 1t seems
desirable to rectify.
"First.-Mr Chancellor. having proba-
bly, in mind the decrease of wine pro-
duction from which France suffered
during a long period after the appear
ance of phylloxera, says that large
| quantities of wine fabricated in France
contain no grape juice. Statistical in
formation shows that over 100000
acres Of vineyards were partially in
fected by the plague during the last 2
years. 100000 Of which were alread.
replanted up TO 1895. on the other hand
the production of wine has been in tn
last two years exceptionally abundant
'Second.-Mr. Chancellor. referring Il
information published in an Englisl
journal and reproduced afterward II
American papers, added that thl
French government recently destroyed
$1,000 casks Of adulterated wines.
For the Public Welfare.
From an official inquiry, 1t appear
that there Is no record at the municipa
laboratory of Paris of such destruction
The occasional seizure and destruction
of small quantities of adulterated wine
are rather to the honor of the Frencl
government, which thus protects tn
health of it's citizens. Measures have
besides, been taken for the purpose o
prohibiting Decentralization Of wine
and the addition thereto of water or O
any element whatever of adulteration.
at may be added that, according {
medical inquiries made by highly com
petent authority. a moderate consump
tion Of French wine Is beneficial {
public health. The official statistic
in this regard are worthy Of attention
they show that drunkenness is les
frequent in wine consuming region.
out of 100 cases of public drunkenness
punishable by the law of 1873. 20 case
were recorded in the northwest q
France and "a in the north where spii
its are mostly consumed. while case
were recorded in the center. 8 I'm tn
southwest and only in the souti
where the use of wine among the labor
ing classes is general"