FRENCH WINE.
" It is stated that proposals have been made by the French Ministry to our Government to lower the duties on some of the chief articles of British manufacture now imported into France, on condition of our con- senting to place the duties on French wines on a level with those of Portugal."—Daily Papers.
On many accounts we wish this to be true. One is, that we prefer French wine to Portuguese ; and we believe that the Oporto manufacture is a pernicious beverage in comparison with the lighter productions of Burgundy and Bourdeaux. Next, because this may prove only the opening of a reciprocal commerce with France, which in its nature is the most beneficial to this country in the whole round of trade. It would be hard, certainly, to take this opportunity of inflicting upon the vine-growers of Portugal the punishment which their present rulers ought alone to be visited with ; but as the only defence of the Methuen treaty has been the
patronage of our " ancient ally," now that the bonds of the al- liance will in all probability be slackened, we do not see any rea- son for excluding the wines of France to favour the growth of Portugal.
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