PORT.

Te Aroha News, Volume XLI, Issue 6603, 23 May 1925, Page 6

PORT.

WHY ENGLISHMEN DRINK IT

An old instance of trade preference which explained why Englishmen drink port rather than claret was cited by Mr Amery, the Colonial Secretary, in speaking at the annual dinner of the Bradford and District Manufacturers’ Federation.

“Do you realise,” asked Mr Amery, “why people of this country have for two centuries and more been drinkers of port wine ? ” We were made drinkers of port, he said, in the interests of the woollen industry. Previously we had been drinkers of claret, but under a treaty by. which the Portuguese gave us their shipping trade to the East and a “favoured” entry for our Woollens into Portugal, we gave, in return, a favour to port wine instead of the claret which we used to drink, and in those days port was pretty good stuff!