Export of Cape Wine. 33c 



EXPORT OF CAPE WINE. 



Interesting Observations by a Prominent London 

 Wine Merchant. 



[Note. — During the course of a visit to South Africa towards the end of last year, 

 Mr. Cuthbert Burgoyne (of the well-known Ijondon firm of P. B. Burgoyne & Co.), took the 

 opportunity of jilacing before wine farmers his views on the possibilities of an extended sale 

 of South African wines in the United Kingdom, and we publish hereunder extracts from an 

 address on the subject delivered by him to a representative body of the Union's viticulturists. 

 — Editor.] 



The Lessons of History. 



The history of an industry enfolds lessons of value if read intelli- 

 g-ently, so I draw attention to a few outstanding historical facts in 

 the South African wine industry. The great Dutch pioneer, Johan 

 van Eiebeek, introduced the vine in 1653, and the first wines exported 

 were to Batavia in 1670. Development was considerable in those early 

 days, especially in the years following 1688, when the Huguenots 

 brought to the Cape their knowledge of viticulture. In 1800, 12,000 

 leaguers were produced in the Stellenbosch and Drakenstein districts. 

 In the eighteenth century small quantities of wine were shipped to 

 India, but they weie evidently not of an acceptable quality. In 1800. 

 under British rule, attempts were made to improve the quality of 

 the wines by the introduction of new methods and greater skill, but 

 little came of it. In 1811 further and more serious attempts were 

 made, and with success, to bring about improvements, and a proclama- 

 tion was issued calling attention to the alteration of the duties on 

 wine entering Britain, as a beneficent intention of the British Govern- 

 ment to promote this branch of commerce. 



Historj' is repeating itself. During the last year of the Great 

 War, aftei import restrictions for social reasons and shipping restric- 

 tions for war reasons, had been in operation for some time, wine 

 importers in the United Kingdom were suddenly permitted to with- 

 draw from bond an additional 25 per cent, of the previous allowance, 

 which was 50 per cent, of their 1916 imports, making 75 per cent, of 

 their 1916 imports in all. This was granted by the Government in 

 a desire to increase the consumption of light wines as opposed to 

 other spirituous liquors, and w^as a beneficent intention similar to 

 that of 1811. But the present Government in Britain have gone 

 further and have introduced, under the policy of preferential tariffs 

 within the Empire, advantageous import duties for the wines of 

 Australia and the Cape over the productions of foreign countries. 

 Empire wines of lower strength, i.e. under 30 degrees, now pay Is. 6d. 

 per gallon import duty and foreign wines 2s. 6d. per gallon. 



Whatever sentiment in the United Kingdom may be with regard 

 to spirits, it is certainly favourable towards light wines and beers, 



