4o ( Ireland.) — S1XTH REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS [ Appx No. i o. The Examination of Mr. WILLIAM HUTTON, Distiller; taken on Oath, the 24 day of Auguft 1807. This Examinant faith, That he is a grofs Diftiller in the Diftrict of the City of Dublin ; he is of opinion, that the quantity of Malt ufed by Diftillers has gradually decreafed fince the year 18co, and does not now, on an average, amount to more than one- fourth or one- fifth of the whole quantity of Grain confumed. Wm. Hutton. Fred. Geale, Robert Alexander, Charles Saxton, Cha. Stewart Hawthorne. No. 1 r. The Examination of Mr. ALEXANDER SOMERS, taken on Oath, the igth and 29th of May, and i6ihofJune, 1807. This Examinant faith, That he is a Maltfter and Brewer in the City of Dublin, and a Partner in the houfe of Connolly, Somers, and Co. < Examinant faith, that his ufual courfe is to keep Irifh Corn in ciftern 60 hours ; but in winter, or when the grain is ftubbom, he has fometimes found it necelfary to keep it 72 hours in fteep. He has ufed Englifh Barley; and thinks that Norfolk Barley would require 10 hour* lefs of fteeping than the Irifh Corn that he generally ufes. In his Malthoufe, the altitude of the ciftera is thirty- one inches, which he ufually fills to twenly- feven inches with dry Corn ; and he thinks the utmoft fwell generally gauges from qa to 33 inches in depth, or from one to two inches above the altitude of the ciftern. He has lately made ufe of a fcreen for eleanfing the grain before it is ]$ tat into fteep; in confequenee of which, he thinks the fwell has been lefs than if it were uncleanfed. He thinks the Irifh Parley fwells more in the ciftern than the Englifh, but he cannot fay exattly in what proportion. He believes the Corn in his Malthoufe re- mains frequently for lefs time than 24 hours in couch. He has obferved that his couch- frame which contains 1 3 bufhels more than the ciftern, is generally more than full. He has feldom fcen a floor- gauge taken in his houfe ; but, as he has gene- rally confined his attention to obferve that the monthly charge did not much exceed the Amount of the feveral wettings in each Month, charged from the full content of the ciftern, cannot fay how frequently they were taken by the Officers. Examinant is of opinion, that many Brewero in Dublin ufe raw Corn, to the extent of two- thirds © f the whole quantity iftafhed. He has heard that Corn is frequently brought into work after having been twenty hours only in fteep, and that the fhort fteeping is fuppiied by watering upon the floors. The notices for wetting are always given in bufhels, but without any precifion as to the quantity really uied. In taking an account of the ftock of dry Malt, the Officer afcert^ ius the quantity by gauge; but the account of quantities permitted out of ftock is kept in weight. He has often found that his flock would not cor- relpond with thel'e accounts, and has been obliged to regulate any apparent increafe or delicicncy by means of the Permits to his kieve. The fees ufually paid! to Officers in his houfe are five Guineas to the Infpe& or, and five to the Surveyor, at each meafurement of the houfe; to the Gauger two Guineas a month ; and for his trouble in granting Permits to the kieve, in addition to the ftamp duty, one. Shilling each; he alfo paid for every Permit of 20 barrels coming into the houfe, and for every Certificate or renewal thereof one Shilling each, Thefe fee?, to the beft of his knowledge and belief, amounted, in the year ending 29th Sept. 1& 06, to ^. 96. and upwards.