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Coming at length to his new taxes, Mr. Chamberlain began

with drink. Spirits would pay 22s. 6d. more a gallon, or 72s. 6d. in all—raising the price by 2s. a bottle—and would yield £23,500,000 more this year. Beer would pay 30s. more a barrel, or 100s. in all—thus raising the price by a penny a pint— and would produce £22,500,000 more. The Wine Duties would be doubled, and sparkling wines would pay duty equal to half their value—or about 6s. on a bottle of champagne ; wine would thus yield £3,800,000 more. Imported cigars would pay an additional duty of half their value, yielding £500,000. In all, Customs and Excise would produce £48,650,000 more this year, and £54,730,000 in a full year, after deducting the yield of the Petrol Tax.

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