No. 4.] ON FEES, GRATUITIES, hc.—{ Excife.) 48 No. 8. The Examination of Mr. FRANCIS GAINFORT ; taken on Oath, the 19th, 20th, 22ti, 25th, 27th, and 29th of Auguft, and 3d of Sep- tember 1806. This Examinant faith, That he was appointed a fupernumerary Gauger about Twenty Years ago, and was put under the ufual Courfe of inftru& ion, before he was allowed to go on Duty. That in the Month of November lalt he was put in charge of a Diltillery., in which there was but One Still; the Content of which was 1.081 Gallons. This Still was taken down in February iaft, and a new one put up ; the Content of this laft was ascertained by the Infpe& or General, who gauged it, and alfo filled it with Water, meafuring the Water as it was put in, to be 531 Gallons, and it was entered accordingly in the Minute Book by this Examinant, and in the Stock Book by the Diftiller. He gene- rally vifits the Diflillery Three Times each Day ; about Eight o'Clock in the Morning, about Two in the Afternoon, and about Seven in the Evening, and makes an Entry of the Particulars of fuch Vifits in the Minute and Stock Books, unlefs he happens to meet the Surveyor there, in which cafe the Entry is made by him in the Minute Book ( which is always left in the Diftillery), and by this Examinant copied into the Stock Bock. On Saturday Night he vifits about Ten, to fee that the Still is filent; and at that Time he generally takes care to fee that the Still is worked off, and the Fire drawn-; he does not always take his Stock Book with him on Saturday, but on the following Day tranfcribes that Vifit ffom the Minute Book. On Sunday he vifits but once, and that generally about Six o'Clock in the Evening ; at this Vifit he| is frequently pre- vented from feeing more than that the Still is filent, by the Abfence of the Clerk or other Perfon in whofe Cuftody the Keys of the Spirit Stores are. It is the Duty of the Surveyor to vifit on Sunday Morning and take Stock. At every Vifit on Week Days, Examinant takes Stock by dipping the fixed Utenfils, and taking an Account of the moveable Veflels *, but the Bicks cannot be accurately dipped when the Fermentation is high. He feldom taftes the Liquors contained in the feveral Veffels, unlefs he fuf- pefts Fraud. He does not doubt but that the Backs mighr be partly renewed, and the Fermentation forced, without his discovering it. In taking the Dip he immerfes the Rule generally himfelf, but fometimes permits the Perfon who thews Stock to do fo. The Particulars of this Stock are in like Manner entered in the Minute and Stock Books. All the fixed Utenfils are entered in the Minute Book, in Columns opened for each. He always ufes his own Ink as well in making Entries in the Books as in filling up the Permits. When Examinant was put in charge of this Diftillery, he received from the Sur- eyor a Tabulation Book, fhewing, from the refpe& ive Dipsofthofe Utenfils, their : veral Contents in Gallons. The Inches of the Dip are not marked on any of the / efiels. The Cooler has a flight Degree of Declenfion to let the Liquor run off. Before the Diftiller commences a Brewing, he enters Notice in a Book called the brewing Book ( which always lies in the Diftillery) of the Quintity and Kind of lorn which he intends to ufe, but this Examinant never takes any Account of the Quantity ufed. The Dips he takes of the Coolers, do not fhew any accurate Account of the Liquor put thereon, as he has not all the Dips, the laft Worts being ufually put on the Cooler after his Evening Vifit, and run off before his enfuing Morning's Vifit. When the Liquor is pur info the Back, he has the firft accurate Dip of what is ( hewn to him as the Produce of the brewing when Fermentation takes place; he marks in his Minute and Stock Books its different Degrees at every Vifit, and enters the Contents the fame as at the lait Dip ; when the Fermentation is over, he again dips the Backs to fee that their Contents correfpond with the former Dip, and to note any Difference that may appear. When he was put on Dublin Duty an Iaflrument called a Top, was given to him for the Purpofe of afcertaining the true Dip of the Back while in a State of Fermenta- tion; this Inflrument is formed by a Ball fattened to a String, which, being immerfed in the Froth, the Ball refts on the L; quor, and the String thews the Depth of the Froth. At the Time this Examinant ufed it he was of Opinion that it was inaccurate and believes that it is now very rarely ufed. He keeps an Account in both Minute and Stock Books of the Decreafe of Singlings and Waih, and of the Increafe of Spirits. He makes his Charge from the Decreafe of Wath, the Decreafe of Singlings, the Increafe of Spirit^, or the Sail Charge whichever he finds will produce the mod Duty what