io8 ( Ireland.) — FIFTH REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS [ Appx. No. 60. General Order, Excife Office, Dublin, No. 7. 2 ift February 1803^ Sir, The Board having taken into Confideration, the Inconveniences that have often arifen from the irregular Manner in which the Return of unftatutable Stills, feized, have been made to the Board ; and having Reafon to underftand, that Bounties and Expences on the Seizure of Stills, have in fome Inftances been impruvidently paid, from Want of a due Examination of thofe Stills, and into the Nature of the Nervices alledged to have been performed, prior to thofe Returns being made to the Board. The Board direct you, in the Firft Inftance, to have particular Reference to their printed General Orders on this Subject, dated firft September 1794, eighth January 1795, and firft September 1801 ( Copies of which you have enclofed), and to obferve arid carry into EfFeft every Regulation therein contained ; it being the Board's Deter- mination, in future, to hold every Collector refponfible for the due Obfervance of thefe Regulations ; and you are to take Care, that the whole of the Returns for each Quarter, be tranfmitted together through you, and not in any Inftance by the Officers themfelves ; for which Purpofe, you arc peremptorily to call on the feveral Officers concerned, to fend in their Returns to you in due Time, and before the Clofe of each Quarter, acquainting them, that in default thereof the Board will not afterwards attend to their Applications; and the Board direct, that before you give your Certificate of any Still, that you do fee th it the fame has been actually depoiited in the Revenue Stores, and that you do, inPerfon, and not by Delegation to another, examine minutely he feveral Stills feized for which Bounties are claimed ; and alfo, if r. e^ efta y, the Officers who feize the fame, in order to afcertain and ftate to the Board whether each and every of the laid Stills were in a ferviceable State at the Time of Seizure, and were actually ufed in diftilling, or whether the fame were worn out and feized, or delivered in when no longer fit for Ufe, and of courfe not entitled to Bounty, which you are particularly to diftinguifh in your Certificate ; and you are carefully to fee all fuch Stills fo completely cut up or demolifhed, as to be incapable of being repaired or again ufed in diftilling; and the Board finding, that in very few Inftances where Stills are feized, any Proceedings have been had, either againft the Townlands where feized, or againft the Perfons with whom the fame were found, from which Negledt, the Evil of private Diftilling is not fufficiently difcouraged, and leaves a ftrong. Doubt on the Mind of the Board, that either there is often Collufion in making thefe Seizures, or that the Officers do not do their Duty in punifhing the Offenders. The Board direct, that in future, where it appears from your Certificate, that no Proceedings have been had againft the Townland, or the Owner of the Still feized, that only One- half of the ul'ual Bounties be paid, to all Perfons concerned ( the Military excepted, who are to be paid as ufual) ; and as an Encouragement to the Revenue Officers, or any others as Affiftants ( except Military) that they be paid double the ufual Bounties in all Cafes where fuch Proceedings, before ftated, have been completed, and the Money recovered; and you are to be particular, in every Inftance to report whether thofe Proceedings have taken place or not, and whether the Money has been paid or levied, in order that the Board may put the Bounties accordingly. And the Board make no Doubt, but you will fee the Neceffity of a ft rift Attention to this Part of your Duty, when you relied on the great Sums quarterly paid for Ex- pences, and for Bounties to the Military and other Affiftants, and to the Revenue Officers,