Washington sentinel., 1898-01-15
ENGLAND.
The DRINK OF NATIONS.
Times-I.ondon. Dec IS

a question about which perhaps we shall
never be able to agree. But what they
drink "a matter of extreme interest at
this conyivial season-we are enabled to
answer by NEE IS oil a careful memoran-
dunn as to alcoholic beverages, the pro-
duction and consumption OF beer, wine
and spirits in the chief European coun-
tries and in the United States, prepared
by Mr.. Bateman, the head OF the COM
mercial department OF the Board OF
Trade. One fact clearly emerges from
the returns There is much talk Of wine.
butt is inreality an Insignificant element
OF consumption in most countries; and
there IS no reason to think that the
drinking OF il is greatly increasing. To
all appearances the future, even in the
sunny south, belongs to beer and spirits.
In 1895 there was not half a gallon of
wine per head drunk in the United
Kingdom; the quantity was less in the
United States; it was in Germany,
wine growing country, only about a
gallon a head. Only in France and parts
of Italy and SPAN is the consumption of
wine considerable; in the first named
country 1t was 27.So gallons per head.
The champagne drunk in EnG land isior
revenue purposes, Notwithstanding the
high duty, almost negligible quantity.
The consumption scarcely averages
seventh part of bottle head. The
increased duty on sparkling wines since
1892 does not, by the way, appear to
have appreciablY affected their importa-
tion.
Apparently the Engiishman continues
to drink in steady fashion, without
vacillatiOn, the drink of his fathers.
About 80 gallons of beer a head are
made in England every year, and most
of that is drunk here. In regard to the
consumption Of spirits there is no sign
Of any expansion such as is noticeablein
other countries The quantity drunk
has increased little during the last ten
years. The Americans drink
less than halt as much beer as is con
sumed here In fact, that country
seems TO be, for time at all events,
steadily treading the path Of temper
ance. The production and consump
ton of spirits in the United States has
been for some years decreasing--it tact,
it may be said generally Of the three
alcoholic beverages-wine. beer and
spirits-the consumption OF wine and
spirits is distinctly decreasing, whilst
the consumption Of beer, having regard
to the increase Of the population, has not
perceptibly increased +" Fiscal author
ities in America. who attribute this fall
ing OF to eprsssson OF trade, ARE hopeful
that people will drink more when they
make more money. But the rnoralist
may be pardoned Tor believing that a
taste Tor Bourbon whisky Is not a neces
sary concomitant OF better times. In
America, and, indeed, almost every
where. the interests of the financier and
the aspirations Of the moralist in this
matter do NOT exactly harmonize;
Chancellors of the Exchequer being
always tempted to hold with Mandevllle
that private vices are public benefits
We are little too dep ndent on thirsty
souls, and might be sadly puzzled to
know what to do II they became sober.
Dafiy ChT0HicLs--L ondon, Dec. as.
Mr.. Bateman doubts the truth of the
ordinary belief that the French have
been in the habit OF late years OF import
ing foreign wines and re-exporting the
same as French This seems difficult
TO believe, but we lack the courage to
dispute Mr.. Bateman's statistics The
United Kingdom took about SIo, 90, 900
worth of wine from France last year.
Perhaps the most startling figures of
the whole return are those upo the
production and consumption of alcohols
in France, These are divided under
two classes, suggestively called "alcools
naturels" aud alcools d'industFie." Up
to 1874 little but genuine wine brandy
(''eau de vie de win, } that is. what was
commonly known as cognac, was pro.
duced. When mildew made its appear
ance among the grapes the situation
was completely changed, until 1895 the
production Of the genuine article was
only 81 200 hectolitres. while the output
OF industrial brandy was no less than
1877, 900 heetolitres. Thus, as MIR
Bateman points out, 9T per cent. Of the
brandy produced in France was trade
spirit, and not "eau de vie de vim" II
this fact does not deter foreigners from
drinking the poisonous concoctiOn
offered them as coguac and fine cham
psgne." we NAV add little piece OF our
own statistics, namely, that the brandy
which you get IN your petit verre"
alter dinner costs at Bordeaux six francs
the dozen bottles, bottles and cases
included.
French economists and Teformers are
ofcourse wide awake to the unspeakable
injury caused to the population by the
alcoholic filth il sbsOrbs. To
all temperance whether local
vetoists, admirers of the GOthenbuTs
system. bishops who desire church public
houses, or high license advocates-thiS
return wall be found an arsenal Of weap.
ons for the defence of conviction or fad.
Human nature being as we know It, and
the consumption of alcohol in the United
Kingdom being as we have stated it
above, we fancy that the remark Of the
French economists about "Innocuous
drinks" will receive at least its due share
OF attention.
JAPANESE AFFAIRS.
Daily chvoHiele-London, Dec. 2e.