26 ( treland^ SlZTd REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS [ Appx. When the Corn is in deep, do you think it ever fwells above the Altitude of the Ciftern?— If kept in Cittern for 72 Hours it does. Will Corn fwell at the End of 36 Hours above the Altitude of the Ciftern ?— » I can- not exactly fay ; not fo much as when in fteep for 72 Hours. What Fees do you give to the Officers ?— I do not think I fhould anfwer that Queftion. George Hughes. J. S. Rochfort, Fred. Geale, ; Robert Alexander, ; Cha. Stewart Hawthorne The farther Examination of Mr. GEORGE HUGHES, Maltster; taken on Oath the 19th Day of June and 7th July, 1807. Do you ftill decline anfwering the Oueftions which were put to you on a former Day ?— Certainly, I do not choofe to anfwer them. Is it that you fear to criminate yourfelf, or that you do not choofe to anfwer the Oueftions put by this Board ?— Becaufe I do not like to criminate myfelf. If the Officers in charge of Malthoufes did their Duty faithfully, do you think Maltfters could defraud tlie Revenue Very little, in my Opinion. What Length of Tim, e do you think would be fufficient to keep Irifh Corn in fteep in Winter ?— Seventy- two Flours would be fully fufficient. Do you think good Malt may be made under the present Restrictions ?— I think that, for the firft Seven Months, good Malt may be made under the Act of Parlia- ment ; but for the Remainder of the Year, I think Six Wettings a Month are as many as can be made for the Malt to be of a good Quality. Do you think any Barley in this Country would require to be kept in fteep 84 Hours ?— I think not; in my Opinion, 72 Hours are fully fufficient. Do you think it would be injurious to the Trade, if Maltfters were obliged to keep their Corn in lteep for not lefs than 60 Hours ?— I think that in the Winter it would not, but that in the Summer Months 48 Hours would be equal to 72 in Winter. Do you think that Corn would be injured by being kept in fteep for 48 Hours at the leaft in Summer ?— I do not think it would. Do you think that the Malt Trade has decreafed within the prefent Year ?— It has confiderably. To what do you attribute that Decreafe ?— To the Brewers ufing raw Barley and Oats, a Practice which, I underftand, is becoming very general. Do you know whether the Diftillers ufe lefs Malt in the prefent than in the laft Year ?— I am lure that they have ufed much lefs; they ufed lefs in 1806 than in 1805, and lefs in the prefent Year than in 1806. I judge from my own Sales, which have very confiderably decreafed, fo much, that I ferved Notice of Discontinuance fo early as the 25th of December. Do you underftand that Brewers were in the Habit of felling their Permits to Diftil- lers ?— They were in the Habit of doing fo, when Diftillers were required to ufe Malt; and I think that Brewers who are Maltfters fhould not be allowed to fell Malt. Have you been in the Habit of paying Fees to Officers, and to what Amount ?— 3 have, but I beg to decline anfwering to what Amount. Were the Officers in the Habit of taldng Floor- gauges ?— Very rarely. If Corn were kept in fteep for 72 Hours, do you think it would require to be watered on the Floor ?— 111 my Opinion it would not. Geo. Hughes. J. S. Rochforf, Fred. Geale, Robert Alexander, Cha. Stewart Hawthcrne.