Nos. 13, 14.] ON FEES, GRATUITIES, Scc.—( Excife.) 59 Receiver, from whence they go again into the Still, and the Officer would therefore fo far have a Power of charging the Diftiller with Double Duty; Spirits are generally made from 12 to 16 per cent, above Irifh Proof, were they made weaker they would not be retailed to the Confumer in fo pure a State, nor would they find fo ready a Sale. He is of Opinion, that the ftandard Strength of Spirits ought not to be fixed at lefs than 16 per cent, above Irifh Proof, becaufeat no lefs Strength will Spirits ftand what is called the Phial Proof, unlefs aided by a Mixture of Vitriol and Oil, by which the Flavour of the Spirit is materially injured. Phial Proof is a Mixture of Two Parts of Spirit of the above Strength with one of Water, and is the Strength at which Spirits are ufually fold by the Retailers. He begs to add, that he thinks it would be better to have no Standard fixed. At the Strength of which Wafh is ufually made in this Country, 100 Gallons yield from 11 to 12 Gallons of Spirits of the foregoing Strength. Examinant conceives, that the Irifh Diftillers woikat a Difadvanrage of Ten- pence per Gallon upon Spirits, compared with the Englifh Diftiller. The Irifh Diftiller is obliged to produce a certain Quantity of Spirits in the Month, in order to complete which his Work is hurried, a double Set of Servants is employed, nearly & Tenfold Confumption of Coals is requifite, confequent Lofs of Materials ( frequently whole Still Charges of Singlings and Wafh) is fuftained, and an increafed Expence of Repairs to the Still and Furnace is incurred. Befides thefe Difadvantages the Diftiller* when fo hurried, finds it impoflible to extraft from the Grain within One- fifth or One- fixth of the Spirits which the Grain would produce, if the Diftiller was at liberty to ferment and diftill as he thought proper. Robert Haig: J. S. Rocbfort. Fred* Geale. Robert Alexander. Chas Sax ton. No. 14. The Examination of NICHOLAS ROE, Efquire; taken on Oath, the 29rh and 31ft Ottober, and 12th November, 1S06. This Examinant faith, That he is a Diftiller in the Citv of Dublin, and works a Still of 1,575 Gallons Content. Previous to the 29th September laft, when a Change in the Law took place, it was meafured at 1,560 Gallons. Before the above Time, confiderable'Quan- tities of Spirits were made by this Examinant, and, as he believes, by Diftillers in general, beyond what paid Duty. He alfo believes that it was cuftomary to pay very large Fees to the Officers in Charge of Diftilleries, but begs to be allowed not to enter into Particulars. Thefe extra or private Spirits were readily difpofed of in various Ways, but always fold at a reduct- d Price, varying from One Shilling to One Shilling and Eight- pence, and fometimes Two Shillings per Gallon under the Price of permitted Spirits. This Examinant faith, that the Perfon who conducted the Bufinefs for him, took care to have the Diftilkry correct, at the ufualHour of thofe Officers Vifits who were in Charge of the Diflillery, fo that if a Vifit fhould be made by a Superior or Check Officer, he might find the State of the Houfe to correfpond with the Entries made in the Minute Book, by the Officer in Charge of the Diftillery. 1 he extra Work was generally done at Night, and in the Intervals between the Officer's Vifits.' He feldom made a Return to the Excife Office of the Quantity of Spirits made during the Week, unlefs where he had an Objettion to make to the Officers* Charge, when he would make the Return and flate his Objeftion. Examinant ufually made between 9,000 and 10,000 Gallons of Spirits every Week. The weekly Charge on his Still at this Time, according to the Number of Stiil Charges impofed Monthly by Law, was 5,000 Gallons. He could have made more, but that his Worm Tub was not proportioned to the Size of his Still. His Suit, as then confttu& ed, was affifted by a:. Line Pipe of the Content of 300 Gaduns, which joined the Head of the Still. This considerably increafed the Capacity of the Still as to Work. From the quick Work to make private Spirits, he conceive's that the Diisiller loft from Half a Gallon to Three Quarts of Spirits produce per Barrel of Ccrn of Twelve Stone. The Corn generally uled was O^ ts, with a Mixture of Malt