lo Aug., 1916.] The New Alcohol Tables. 487 



THE NEW ALCOHOL TABLES. 



From 1st January next the old tables which liave been used for many 

 years past in conjunction with Sikes Hydrometer for the determination 

 of alcohol strengths throughout the Empire will be superseded by new 

 tables, known as Thorpe's, recently compiled for and adopted by the 

 Imperial Government. 



Though the change will not be of a revolutionary nature, seeing that 

 the maximum divergence between the old tables and the new is in the 

 neighbourhood of 1 per cent, of proof-spirit, it is desirable that wine- 

 riakers and all interested in questions of spirit strengths should prepare 

 for the adoption of the new tables, which will come into fore© on New 

 Year's Day next. Curiously enough, iE is at 30 per cent, of proof- 

 spirit, a strength of considerable importance to the wine trade, that the 

 greatest difference between the old and new tables occurs. Thirty per 

 cent, proof marks the dividing line between the Is. 3d. per gallon and 

 the 3s. per gallon duties for admission of wine into the United Kingdom. 

 The change will mean that a wine now considered tO' be of a strength 

 of 29.5 per cent, proof, and therefore dutiable at Is. 3d. per gallon, 

 will, after the 1st January next, according to the new, or Thorpe's 

 Tables, be held to contain 30.5 per cent, of proof -spirit and will have 

 to pay the higher duty of 3s. per gallon. The change will also affect 

 contract sales where it is stipulated that the wine should be of a given 

 alcoholic strength. 



The report of the Commonwealth Analyst dealing with the subject , 

 a copy of which has been recently received from the Acting Prime Min- 

 ister, and which is here reproduced, will no doubt be read with interest 

 by Victorian vine-growers. Several other points are also dealt with ; 

 the report recalls, for instance, the old-time controversy concerning the 

 maximum strength of a natural wine, which gave rise to so much dis- 

 cussion in the late seventies of last century. 



The investigations as to the strengths of Australian wines shipped to 

 London are also most interesting. The discrepancy between the deter- 

 minations of alcohol strengths in Melbourne and in London (set Table I.) 

 constitute a curious point, and one concerning which further information 

 will be awaited with interest. 



Francois de Castella, 



Government Viticulturist . 



Alcoholic Stren^rth of Australian Wines. 



Report submitted by W. Percy Wilkinson, Commonwealth 



Analyst. 



The Compiioller-G'enertil of Customs. 



The revised tables adopted by the British Government for the calcula- 

 tion of the proof-strength of wines and spirits are legalized by Section 19 

 of the Finance (No. 2) Act of 1915. 



2. The revised tables were compiled in the Government Laboratory, 

 London, under the direction of Sir Edward Thorpe, late Principal of 

 the Government Laboratory, by Mr. T. .1. Cheater and Mr. John 

 Holmes 



