1827 Wine and spirit adulterators unmasked

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To persons, indifferent as to what they place on their tables for Wine, so long as the taste some- what resembles the denomination it bears, fact and reasoning would be alike uselessly addressed. In the first place, as regards the facilities for the adulteration of Wine, they are, with little differ- ence, possessed as equally by the Wholesale Dealers, as by the Gin-shop cheap Wine venders, unless where the retail consumption of the latter, or what they sell in glasses, is so large, as to give them, in this respect, a great advantage. The Wholesale Wine Merchant's License, enables him to dispose of Wine in quantities, as small as a single bottle, and does not enforce his drawing a permit, but for quantities amounting to more than one dozen, the additional opportunity, therefore, which the Gin-shop-keepers have, and which must account for their forming the majority amongst our Placarders and Advertisers of cheap Wine, arises from what they retail by the glass, or in measures less than a bottle, but which conse- quently, can only be of any very great benefit, where much is sold in that way. In other respects, he is subject to precisely the same regulations, as to drawing a permit, &c. as the Wholesale Dealer. It may, however, be proper to remark here, that although upon the whole, both classes are open to facilities, almost as available to the one as the other, yet, comparatively, but little chance of adul- terating their goods, exists, with those who carry