under the immediate control of this Company,
whose servants—usually of the most ignorant
description—are empowered to taste and
certify as to the character of every gallon
manufactured. These men classify the wines
under four heads: the first, includes all of a
warm, sweet, and dark quality, and this alone
is permitted to be shipped to any European
country; the second, which is still darker,
sweeter, and stronger, containing often thirty
per cent, of spirit, is for export to any part of
the world out of Europe; the third, and the
most pure and wholesome description, is
retained with great consideration for the use
of the Portuguese themselves, from the prince
to the peasant: none of it being allowed by
law to leave the country; the fourth quality,
is inferior wine, retained for distillation.

The Portuguese Government levy a duty
of upwards of three pounds the pipe on all
Port shipped to this country, while on wine
sent to America or Asia a duty of sixpence
per pipe is considered sufficient, and this in
the teeth of a treaty which stipulates for
their placing us on the footing of the most
favoured nation! In this way, not only are
we compelled to pay a very exorbitant duty,
but we are refused the wine most suitable to
our taste, and obliged to take that which the
Company's tasters consider best suited to
us. For the trouble of tasting these wines,
the Company are paid one half of the export
duties: but there is a further source of
revenue derived by the sale of the permits of
shipment, or " Bilhettes" as they are termed.
These, the wine-shipper pays for at the rate
of three pounds the pipe; making a total of
six pounds impost on every pipe sent to this
country as against sixpence on wine shipped
to America. This state of things has led to a
singular evasion of the law, by some
merchants who find it their cheapest course to
ship their Ports to America and thence back to
England; by which means they get their wines
out of Portugal at the sixpenny rate, while
the double freight does not cost more than
three pounds.

In spite, however, of the severe restrictions
of the Portuguese authorities, a little of their
own pure wine does find its way to this
country; for, one or two English dealers,
having purchased grapes and made the genuine
article, are enabled to ship it under a Bilhette,
given for the authorised quality.

There would appear to be no difficulty in
the way of obtaining a vast increase to our
supply of wines from the three great producing
countries, but the more especially from Spain
and France; where, even at the present
moment, there are millions of gallons of
wholesome nutritious wines consumed like
water—wines totally unknown in this country,
in consequence of our excessive import duties.
In some of the wine districts of Spain there are
good, wholesome red wines consumed at
twopence the bottle; in many parts of the Continent,
really excellent wines can be purchased
at from sixpence to tenpence. Not only
would Spain and France find no difficulty in
providing us with any quantity of wine we
might require, but the quality of their
principal cheap wines would be greatly improved if
taken for export; as it is, their sale is so
limited to the poor peasantry of the various
districts, that the manufacturers cannot afford
to take any pains in their preparation.

In the south of France some millions of
gallons of a fine red wine, quite equal to
Port, could be produced and shipped hither
annually, at a very low cost. From Sicily,
Italy, Hungary, and even the little island of
Corsica, we might draw large supplies of pure,
wholesome wines, at prices which would
render them accessible to the poorest of our
labouring classes.

The opponents of cheap wines exclaim
that the English, as a nation, are too addicted
to beer to be induced to take to wines; but,
in reply to this argument, it may be remarked
that good cheap wines would scarcely interfere
with the consumption of beer: they would
find their way mostly amongst people who
are at present consumers of spirits, often more
from necessity than choice. Spirits and
water are found to be cheaper than any wine
of fair quality. It is not supposing anything
unreasonable, to suppose that if good wine were
sold at one shilling a bottle, the tradesman or
the artificer would drink it at his own table
among his family in preference to, as at present,
resorting to the public-house for his daily
glass of grog. The Dutch ship a good light
wine to Java, able to stand the long voyage
and the climate, and sell it in that island at
eightpence the bottle. The same article might
not suit many in this country, but it shows
what is done, and what might be done with
more suitable wines.

Even with the present high duty on wine
some very considerable progress is making in
their retail sale, at various public establishments
where Port and Sherry are sold over
the counter at fourpence the glass. Doubtless
these wines are not what they are represented
to be; but, that they are liked, may be
inferred from the astounding fact that, at one
gin-palace, the sale of wine in this way has
amounted to one pipe a day. To get through
this large quantity, it would require five
glasses to be filled, every minute, for twelve
hours.

The evidence of the proprietor of certain
Shades near London Bridge, was especially
interesting on this one point.

He disposed of three pipes of wine weekly,
nearly all in glasses and half-pints, though a
good many people came some miles to fetch a
bottle of his cheap wines for family use at
home. The price appeared to be two shillings
the bottle, and fourpence the glass, of which
twopence farthing was duty. If the duty
were lowered to one shilling, he believed he
should vastly increase his business. In
addition to the stronger wines, a good deal of