6n FEES, GRATUITIES, kc.-( Malt.) 2? No. 5-. The Examination of WILLIAM B. SWAN, Efquire ; taken Oath, the 20th of April, and 10th of July, 1807. on t his Examinant faith, That he is Infpeflor General of Excife and Licences of Ireland; that he does not recollect to haveleen any printed books of inftrudions for Malt Officers fince the year • a j,. thf B° a, rd of Excife have iffued many general orders every year, for the imtruftion and guidance of Officers employed on that duty. He is of opinion, that dut. y ot ^ e Officers has, in general, been very loofely performed ; and he believes upon the molt moderate computation, that not more than two- thirds of the duty on Malt have been brought to charge. This Examinant faith, he was lately on an In. ipection in the Diftria of Baltimore, where he feized 896 barrels of Malt manufac- tured, and in procefs of manufacture, in one houfe; the ground of feizure was, the production of a Licence fabricated with falfe ftamps; that in two other Malthoufes m the fame Diftrift, he feized 409 barrels of Malt manufaftured, and in procefs : the two laft- mentioned feizures were made for want of Licences. All thefe Malt- homes were regiftered with the Colledor of the Diftrift, but no Licences taken out. At the firft mentioned Malt- houfe he found 182 barrels of Malt in a boat adjoin- mg the Malthoufe, and covered by a Permit for only 6 ® ; the Officers vilited this houfe as if legally licenfed ; that notwithflanding the decreafe under " the Permit, he found, upon gauging the ftock, a confiderabie increafe; that the Officers likewife vifited the ^ two laft- mentioned houfes; that upon gauging the flocks, he found them nearly to agree with the Officer's entries. Examinant underftood,. that the Malt which he difcovered in the boat was to have been ( hipped for Cork, where upon its arrival, it would, under the circumftances, have been liable to feizure ; but Examinant found on enquiry at Cork, that Malt coming coaltways was not weighed out under the infpeaion of Officers, as is the practice in Dublin. While in Cork, Examinant received information, that a Brewer had a private Still; he found the Information to be incorrect, but on fearching the premifes, he difcovered a private Malthoufe, where he feized 21 barrels of Malt in procefs, and 30 barrels of Corn fteeped in one of the brewing coppers, which was feized, and afterwards condemned and fold. Examinant received information, that a Rectifying Diltiller in Cork, who was alfo a licenfed Maltfler, was working from grofs materials, which information proved incorrect ; but on fearching the premifes, he found in the Malthoufe a private wetting of Corn, which was feized, and afterwards condemned. Examinant did not make a general infpe& ion of Malthoufes at Cork, as his Orders were con- fined to the Infptction of Diftilleries and Licences. Examinant found in the Diftridt of Kinfale, that the altitude of the cifterns were, in two inltances, incorrectly taken. In the courfe of his duty, he has in other places frequently detected and feized quantities of Grain in fteep under the falfe bottoms with which ciltcrns are fumifhed for the purpofe of draining off the water. He con- ceives falfe bottoms to the cifterns to be unneceffary, as he knows that many Malt- fters work without them, and drain off the Water by means of a pipe; a pradtice which, if generally enforced, would in his opinion fuperfede the ufe of falfe bot- toms, and prevent the frauds of which they are productive. He has found in fome Diftricts, and believes it to be the cafe in many others, that the Officers in charge of Makhoufts have neither rules nor tape for gauging the ftocks of Malt. Exa- minant thinks, that the moft advantageous times for taking the Dips of Cifterns are, as foon after the wetting, and as fhort a Time previous to the drawing off the water as poffible. He thinks that one gauge, taken foon alter the Corn is put into the couch frame, is fufficient in that ftage, and one of the floor taken as foon after the Grain is out of eouch as may be ; but he is of opinion, that the Check Officers and Infpettors Ihould make frequent compare gauges. Examinant laith, that befides the private Malt made by licenfed Maltfters, private Malting is carried on to a great extent in the Counties of Derry, Tyrone, termanah, Donegal, Cavan, and Monagan, by unlicenfed Maltfters; an Exammant has been informed, and believes, that .00,000 barrels ofMalt are annually made m the Barony of Innifhowen, and that great Quantities of Barley are brought thither from other parts of Ireland ccaftwavs, and alfo from Scotland, and bartered for Whifkey. By the prefent Malt Aft, Wheat and Oats making into Malt, and Malted Wheat and Oats, may be feized by any Juftice of the Peace, as well as by an Officer of Lx- cife; but Malt made of Barley/ not covered by Permit or Certificate, canonize 17. ^