1827 Wine and spirit adulterators unmasked

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deavour to cheat the Public, and enrich themselves. My object has, alone, been to expose the tricks, by which fraudulent dealers are enabled to cover the system of adulteration and imposition they practise, and which they induce the Public to patronize, only by the effectual aid, which is afforded them, by the extraordinary low prices they are (as I have shown) so well qualified to advertise, and through be made, the only legitimate retailer, is materially injured in his business. Thus, a labouring man will now, at his usual dinner hour, call at a Public-house, (the keeper of which dare not refuse him entrance), in order to cook his victuals at tlie Tap-room fire, for which no charge is made, although, as some remuneration, and which is the least that can be expected, he probably purchases a pint, or half pint of Porter, the total profit on which, is about one penny. No sooner, however, is his dinner concluded, than from the superior attraction offered in the article of Spirits, he imme- diately resorts to a Gin-shop, very likely, situated within a few doors of the poor Publican, and, as is generally the case, without even so much as a seat, on which to sit down. Here, the labourer partakes of his two or three glasses of Gin, out of which the Gin- shop-keeper clears a profit, nearly equal to the whole amount which has been received by the Publican, although the latter deals in precisely the same articles, and has to afford the greatest ac- commodation, without any extra charge. To so great a length, indeed, has the evil, inflicted by these Gin-shops, arrived, that, with few exceptions, it is now only by those persons who hold leases under Brewers, that the Public-houses so held, have not been converted into Gin-shops, or the necessary and proper ac- commodation, discontinued to the poorer classes of the community. It is, also, a singular fact, that in the late depreciation of pro- perty, it has been only the Public houses, that have so materially suffered, Gin-shops, still maintaining the enormous prices, -which the value they have acquired, by the means I have shown, enables their proprietors to obtain.