No. 25.] ON FEES, GRATUITIES, kc.—^ Exafe.) • 7rt have it in their Power to convert thofe Laws to our Deftru& ion ; and that fuch of us as give general Offence by Difclofures, which would be deemed perfidious and dif- honourable, would be ObjeCts of vigilant, artful, and unceafing Perfecution. We beg Leave to reprefent, that the Diftillers of Dublin pay One- half of the Whole Excife of the. Kingdom of Ireland ; that many, whofe Names are hereunto fubfcribed, pay above £. 20,000 per annumf and that there is. more Regularity, and fewer Frauds in the Capital than elfewhere ; and that therefore it is peculiarly fevere, that a Proceeding of this oppreflive Kind fhould originate here. We confidently fiate it as an incontrovertible Truth, that having erected confider- able Works,' and embarked large Capitals, in the Manufacture, we are as. much inteiefted as the Government in preventing, illicit Trade ; and. we are ready to concur in all Inveftigations and Regulations, which may have for their Object the Prevention of Fraud, without expofing our Characters and Properties, which now threaten them. We beg Leave, with Humility, to reprefent, that the mere Rumour of our being thrown into EmharraiTments, has already produced a confiderable EffeCt upon the Corn Market, and it we fhould be driven to ceafe Work, even for a fhort Period, much public and private Detriment would enfue, independent of the Lofs to His Majefty's Revenue. We, therefore, humbly i litre at your Lordfhips and Honours, not to require us to do what we deem difhonounble and dangerous in the Extreme, and not to enforce penal Laws againft us in confquence of cur declining to do fuch ACts. Dublin, 12 March, 1803. Silvester Costigan and Ca. Michl Reilly and C°. L. and L. Nihil. Halpen and Hannan. Edwd and Richd Grange and C°. Robert Haig. James Morris and C°. William Hutton, Pat. Hyland and C°. Charles McLean. Jn° Stein and Nicholas Roe. Law and Hale. Christopher Halpin. John Power. Richard White. Jameson and Stein. George Edwards. O'Conner and Costigan. M. Chamberlain. Edward Kelly. This Etfaminant further faith, that he does not believe that any Meafures were, in fconfequence, taken by the Board, at which he fhortly after ceafed to give his Attendance. His Lordfhip is of Opinion, that the Salaries of the Officers and Cleiks employed in the Excife are, in molt Inftances, inefficient. Pie corifiders that the Eftablifh- ment of preventive Officers is injurious to the Revenue, and tends rather to cover than prevent Frauds. He underftands that the Diftillers complain of being charged by Still Charges, alledging, that they cannot put the Quantity required by Law into the Still, con- fidently with the Rapidity of Work expected from them, and alfo of the Charges, by difproportionate Decreafes, or on the Increafe or Decreafe of Singlings; but he is not fufficiently acquainted with the Procefs of Diftillation to be able to determine whether the Diftillers can put into their Stills, and work at each Charge refpe& ively, the Quantity of Wafh or Singlings denominated a Still Charge ; or whether the Diftiller can produce from his Wafh the Quantity of Singlings, or from his Singlings the Quantity of Spirits, required by Law ; however, his Lordfhip is inclined to believe, from his own Experience as a Ccmmiflioner, and the Information he has received from pradtical Officers, that the Complaints of the Diftillers are not well founded. We cannot form an Opinion, whether it would be advifable to allow the Diftillers more Time for the Fermentation of their Waft, and charge them with a greater Proportion of Spirits, but, from Experience, he is afraid of any Meafure that would give Dittillers a greater Open for the Commiffion of Frauds. Annesley. J. S. Rochfort. Fredk Geale. Robert Alexander. Charles Saxton,.