260 Dr. Andrew Steel [April 



teenth parts of an equal measure of distilled water." 58 G. 

 III. c. xxviii. 



Three different specific gravities may, and have actually 

 been deduced from the above as that of proof spirits by 

 different writers, each of which, in one sense, must be 

 considered as legal, and as agreeing literally with the words 

 of the act. 



This ambiguity arises from the omission to state the 

 temperature at which the weight of water was to be con- 

 sidered as unity. 



Hence, 1st. by considering this to be intended as 60°, the 

 legal point at that time, the act is interpreted f 3 of 1 = 

 •92308, the specific gravity of proof spirit at 51° ; hence, 

 it would be -91921 at 60°. 



2nd. By considering 51° as the point intended, we get 

 •92308 as the specific gravity of proof spirit at 51°. Water 

 being, at the same temperature, or raising both to 60°, we 

 get -92003 as the specific gravity of proof spirit. 



This last has most commonly been considered as the 

 specific gravity of the spirits intended to be defined by the 

 act as proof. That it really is not so, we shall show imme- 

 diately, but that i? parts of the weight of an equal bulk of 

 water at 51° considered as unity at 60°, is the legal specific 

 gravity of proof spirit at 51°. The weight of a given bulk 

 of water reckoned 1 at 60°, will, by Captain Kater's experi- 

 ments, weigh 1*0004 at 51°, nearly J| parts of which m 

 •92338, is the specific gravity of proof spirit at 51°= -91957 

 at 60°. 



From this ambiguity, it is obvious, that our present law, 

 whatever may have been the intention of its framers, does 

 not define proof as relates to spirits of other strengths. 

 It is in fact, with a little alteration in its wording, precisely 

 of the same import, as that of the 58 G. III. c. xxviii. above 

 quoted, merely substituting Sikes' hydrometer for that of 

 Clark's, or in other words, declaring that spirit to be proof, 

 which is indicated as such, by Sikes' hydrometer; and though 

 the fact of stating the weight, which trial had indicated such 

 spirits to be, in terms of itself, in place of one to six under 

 proof, must have been allowed a great improvement ; the 

 omission of not stating the temperature of the water has 

 rendered it quite nugatory. So that in reality, the act 



