508 THE WINES SHOWN AT THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION. 



matter in that quarter, though I had numerous promises, which I fear, 

 however, will remain unfulfilled. This I much regret, as not only the 

 Spanish and Portuguese wines, hut also the Russian, Greek, and other 

 hinds hitherto comparatively unknown in this country, as well as the 

 growths of our colonial vineyards, were solely represented there ; 

 examples of which would have added greatly to the interest and value 

 of these tahles. 



The list is nevertheless a large one, comprising in all 569 samples, 

 which are thus divided : — 



France 331 



Italy 112 



The Zollverein .... 67 



Austrian Empire . . . .41 



Australia .18 



The first portion of the tables contains the information relative to 

 the individual samples, namely, colour and strength, and, when it could 

 he obtained, the date of vintage. The Avines are classed, first under the 

 National, and secondly under the Provincial head, while in some 

 instances a more specific reference to the locality of the vineyard is 

 given. 



The whole is afterwards massed in a general abstract. In this the 

 red and white wines of each province are separately arranged, to show 

 the number of samples tried and the average strength obtained. The 

 highest and lowest degree of actual strength is also given, and the 

 number of samples in each instance, the strengths of which exceed or 

 fall short of the average. This serves to give a truer value to the 

 average itself, by indicating whether the bulk is tolerably uniform, or 

 whether the average is raised or lowered by the extreme strength or 

 weakness of a minority of the samples. 



A desire was expressed by several persons interested, to have some 

 guide by which to compare the French and English degrees of strength. 

 Through the kindness of Mr. Selby, I obtained a French hydrometer, 

 and, after a series of careful experiments with it and one of Sykes's, in 

 mixtures of alcohol and water of various gravities, I calculated the 

 table which I have placed at the end of these papers, and in which the 

 value of degrees " overproof" and "underproof," and the relative per- 

 centages of proof spirit, are referable to the equivalent in the French 

 reckoning. 



As the means at my command were wanting in that extreme nicety 

 requisite to obtain a perfectly exact result, it is possible that a slight 

 error may exist. The maximum difference at the highest point could, 

 however, be only 1*5 per cent, of proof spirit ; that being the difference 

 between 75-5 overproof, which is the strength of anhydrous alcohol, 

 according to recent experiments of Mr. Phillips, and 74-0 overproof, 

 which woidd appear to be the French estimate, according to the instru- 

 ment I used. But it is probable that the estimate of Gay Lussac was 



