86 ( Ireland. j— FIFTH REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS [ Apps. No. 40. The Examination of Mr. THOMAS CAREY, Rectifier; taken on Oath, the 3d and 25th of October * 806. This Examinant faith, That he is a Rectifying Diftiller, and has been in that Bufinefs for upwards 01 Ten Years. He'works a'Still of J 65 Gallons Content. 1 he Content of the Still was afcertained by the Surveyor, who gauged and meafured it. He purchafes the Spirits from the Grofs Diftiilery ; fometimes they have been brought to him with Permits, and at other Times without Permits. Thofe without Permits, he has purchafed at a Price which has varied from 10d. to IJ. 8d per Gallon under the Price of permitted Spirits ; he ufually receives the Spirits at a Strength, on an Average, of 14 per Cent, over Irifh Standard, which is One to Ten over EnglifhProof, by Clarke's Hydrometer. Grofs Spirits are rectified by paffing them through the Still ; by Rec- tification they gain, on an Average, 10 per Cent, in Strength, and lofe in Quantity about 12 per Cent. Molt Part of the rectified Spirits is made into Rum, Brandy, and Geneva ; the Quantity ufed in all other Compounds, except Shrub, is very trifling. Shrub is made, principally, in the Summer Half- Year, and bears a Proportion of One- Fifth to the whole Quantity rectified. In making Brandy, Rum, and Geneva, Water is not ufed, unlefs the Spirits be rectified to a Strength exceeding 24- perCent. above Irilh Standard. In making Shrub, the Water, Juice, and Sugar, nearly equal the Spirit in Quantity, and are fometimes from an Eighth to a Tenth more : Shrub is frequently made from grofs Spirits, in which Cafe about One Tenth lefs Water is ufed than when it is made of rectified Spirits. His Still is in Charge of the Surveyor and Gauger of the Walk. The Guager vifits ufually every Day in order to take Stock ; this is ge- nerally done by dipping fuch Veffels as are declared to have undergone any Alteration fince his laft Vifit, but occafionally the whole are dipped. Thefe Dips, as they are taken, are entered in the Minute Book, which is kept in the Diftillery, and tranfcribed into the Stock Book, kept by the Officer. Where grofs Spirits are rec- tified, the Decreafe of grofs, and the Increafe of rectified, are noted in the Minute and Stock Books ; when the Still was intended to be charged, he ufually gave Notice to the Officer, who delivered him the Key. The Officer was rarely prefent at the charging of the Still ; while the Still was at Work, the Key remained in Poffeffion of the ReCtifier ; when the Still is filent, the FurnaceGrate is always locked up, and the Key is fometimes left with the ReCtifier, and fometimes returned to the Officer It ufually took him from Eight to Ten Hours to work off a Still Charge. His Still is ufually charged 1 hree or Four Times a Week, but when he was in full Bufinefs it was frequently charged twice in 24 Hours throughout the Week, as, he believes, is the Cafe in many other Rectifying Diftilleries. The Quantities with which he charged his Still, varied from T2oto 1 <; o Gallons. Examinant faith, that Rectifying Stills are capable of being ufed for the Purpofe of Grofs Diftillation, and he has been informed have been frequently ufed fo. Examinant is of Opinion, that the great Strength at which the ReCtifier may now run his Spirits, caufes fuch a Decreafe in Quantity as tD give an Opening for the Admiffion into Stock of Spirits privately diftillcd by the Rec- tifier, or for the Admiffion of Private Spirits from the Grofs Diftillery. lie thinks this Opening might be prevented by reftriCting the Stock of rectified Spirits, except Spirits of Wine, to a Strength c- f from 1 2 to 14 per Cent, above Standard, and that luch a Reft rift ion would not be of any Prejudice to theTrade; but he is of Opinion, that the Provifions of the Law, reftricting Spirits permitted out of the Rectifying Stock, to a Strength of 1 in 5 under Proof, cannot be aCted upon without great Injury to the Trade, as he thinks the Confumer would prefer Grofs Spirits, which are ufually at^ a Strength of 14 per Cent, above Standard, to rectified Spirits of- that or of any inferior Strength This Examinant fays, that the Water ufed in making up Com- pounds, is fometimes added in thePrefence of the Officers, but more generally in his abfence. Examinant thinks, That no Allowance fhould be made for anv Mixture of Water, other than for the Quantity actually mixed in the Prefence of the Officers. Spirits of Wine arc ufually run off at the Strength of 40 perCent. above Irifh Standard ; Neutral Spirits are rectified Spirits without any flavouring. About 1 o Ye; irs ago, Examinant worked a Grofs Still of about 600 Gallons Content ; at that Time the Diftillers were only allowed to work Malt. He ufually worked off a Still Charge of Wafh in from Two and a Half to Three Hours, and a Charge of Singlings in about Six Hours. He underftands, that latterly thefe Charges are run off with much greater Rapidity. The Barrel, or 12 Stone ofMalt, on an Avei age, produced him Six and an Half c Gallons