S3 Specific Gravities^ &c. of Splritiioi/s Liquors. 



be but little danger of fraud of this nature, if the purchasers 

 of spirituous liquors are to use the same means of ascer- 

 Lxining their strengths as the officers of the revenue ; since 

 lliat which would apparently diminish them to the one, 

 would also lessen their value in the estimation of the other. 

 The detection of it, if suspected, would of course be by eva- 

 poration. 



§ 12. We arc rather disposed to believe, that if fraud does 

 in fact exist with regard to the adulteration of spirituous li- 

 quors, for the purpose of changing their apparent strengths^ 

 it is more frequently of a contrary descrq:)tion. It is well 

 known that when alcohol is distilled with any of those acids 

 which retain their oxygen least powerfully, the former is 

 converted into aether ; a very different fluid, which is in a 

 great measure immiscible with either water or spirit, and 

 which, l)eing much lighter than either, will float on the 

 surface if attempted to be combined with them. This ef- 

 fect, in a certain degree, appears not unfrequently to take 

 place with- respect to spirituous liquors. It is very common 

 to use the mineral acids, particularly the sulphuric, in va- 

 rious processes relative to spirituous liquors, either to give 

 them a " vinous flavour," as it is called, or for neutralizing 

 xn alkali with which they have previously become charged 

 in their rectification ; and the experiments of the authors of 

 this tract have shown them that it often happens in this 

 case that the superior portion of the product, after it has 

 stood for some time, is considerably the lightest ; being 

 doubtlesslv composed, either wholly or in part, of a kind 

 of scmi-cetherial liquor, or dulcified spirit, which does not 

 imtimately combine with the other portions of it. It ap- 

 pears to be a fact well known in the trade, that there are 

 >ome kinds of spirit which will not bear dilation ; that is, 

 which if mixed with water produce compounds which are 

 by no means of such a degree of strength as would have 

 been inferred from the apparent strength of the liquor be- 

 fore such mixture : a circumstance which must proceed 

 from the same cause. The mode of detecting this kind of 

 adulteration, or of counteracting its effect, is Tjy taking the 

 sample for the proof from the lowest part of the vessel in 

 uhich it is contained. 



§ 13. Having thus generally treated of those operating 

 causes which are capable of influencing the weight of spi- 

 rituous liquors, and which must, therefore, be separately 

 considered when it is required to deduce their strengtf^ 

 from an examination of their specific gravities, we shall 

 proceed to speak more particularly of Uie modes of com- 



parisou 



