WHAT INDIA DRINKS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 664, 27 November 1902, Page 21

WHAT INDIA DRINKS.

During the last year there was an increase of as much as (53 per cent, in the importations of malt liquor into Calcutta, the increase being chiefly in beer in bulk. The demand at one time during the past year was so great that telegrams had to be sent home for larger consignments', and brewers had, in some instances, it is stall'd. to’ work night and day to cope with Orders. The importations of brandy fell 4.5 per cent, and whisky 2.7 per cent., but the trade in tl'e previous year had been larger than usual, and the figures of the past year arc not below the average. Of the quantity imported, 376.9 imperial gallons were received from Germany, but this is less than in the previous year. The slocks in bond at the dose of (he year Avera’ gallons, as compared with 51. !St gallons at the dose of 1900-1. ’l’he actual consumption, which has been steadily rising, was 212.329 imperial gallons. Wines decreased ‘in quantity by S.B j.er cent., champagne alone showing an improved trade, but the imports of this -wine in the two previous years were small. Jn clarets the decrease was 2.9 per cent., following the steady, decline which lias ’been ( Vident year by year in tile imports of this wine.

A correspondent writes the “Bulletin": — “’l’he velvet softness of perfect claret is obtained in, Australian wine but rarely, and the why and wherefore seem hidden from the best-informed. 1 remember once lunching at Yarra Glen, in the De Castella and De Bury country, and our host, who had, made wine for forty years, sent up to a neighbour for a dozen bottles of “ze old wine,” Jn every bottle of that there were yards of velvet. It was worth. £lO a dozen in London. But why not the same sort every year? Ah, why not? ‘lt came’ in that year, and no more is known about it. Yet, soil is the same, and climate varies little in the Yarra Glen from decade to decade.”