1827 Wine and spirit adulterators unmasked

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one of the higher prices at which it is advertised, at 8*. per gallon), it takes twenty gallons of of Is. Gd. per gal- lon, the further addition of twenty-seven gallons and three quarts more, of the same liquid, causing, a total of forty-seven gallons and three quarts of water; and making up (within one quart) one hundred, and forty-eight gallons of Gin, to sell at 8*. per gallon, attended with a cash profit of Is. Qd. per gallon. The extensive adulteration requisite to render such a compound capable of being drank, as Gin, must be so obvious, that I consider it superfluous to add more on this part of the subject. By an Act of Parliament, all individuals whose incomes, convenience, or any other circumstance, enables them only to purchase their spirits in quan- tities of less than two gallons, are obliged to resort to the places at which so much adulteration is practised; for, should they apply to a Wholesale Dealer, and manage to obtain the quantity they re- quire of what is good and wholesome, if it be under the relative profits considerably more, than stated on some of the prices in this scale : for the sake, however, of having no mis- statement, 1 have supposed the whole, only as laid down ; and, that, I am correct in my assertion the fact will sufficiently prove, that some Officers of Excise have, on one or two occasions, made seizures of Gin at as low a strength as 92 per cent, underproof, concluding it to be illegal ; but, which was afterwards returned, as there is no law to limit the strength of this compound, in point of weakness. (viz. water; and, to allow the profit