Talk:Methuen Treaty

Revision
Hello all,

I think this article was in need of a major revision. While it is true that some scholars (mostly brazilian) claim that this treaty meant the transfer of the Brazilian riches from portugal to england, this is a matter of some controversy.. while it is true that portugal's textile industries would probably not survive after this treaty the opposite can be said for the export of Portuguese wines to engaldn (especially port). This not only meant the expansion in production and sales of port around the world (port is still one of the best known wines in the world) as it brought prosperity to many in the North of the Country and stimulated the growth of cities like Oporto which led to its rivalry with Lisbon (delapidated with the Earthquake) in the 19th century. I don't think that it is at all clear that this treaty sold Brazilian gold to the UK. In fact I fail to see the correlation. Moreover, it is not true that Portuguese troops were poorly organised, as proves the feats of Marques das Minas, which leading a Portuguese-Dutch-English contigent managed to take Madrid in 1706. Something that was only repeated 100 years later by the troops of Napoleon --193.136.74.103 (talk) 15:33, 14 February 2009 (UTC)

Military
The Methuen Treaty was actually an offensive military treaty which formed part of the grand alliance during the war of the Spanish sucession. The trade agreements were only secondary. This article needs serious updating I think. --Tomcwheeler 09:09, 15 May 2006 (UTC)

Removed quote
I removed this from the introduction, as a quote in Portuguese is of little to no use in the English Wikipedia. Perhaps someone can translate it and put it back in. Thanks.

"He estipulado que Sua Sagrada e Real Magestade Britanica, em seu proprio Nome e no de Seus Sucessores será obrigada para sempre daqui em diante, de admitir na Grã Bretanha os Vinhos do produto de Portugal, de sorte que em tempo algum (haja Paz ou Guerra entre os Reynos de Inglaterra e de França), não se poderá exigir de Direitos de Alfândega nestes Vinhos, ou debaixo de qualquer outro título, directa ou indirectamente, ou sejam transportados para Inglaterra em Pipas, Toneis ou qualquer outra vasilha que seja mais o que se costuma pedir para igual quantidade, ou de medida de Vinho de França, diminuindo ou abatendo uma terça parte do Doreito do costume"