the Strengths and Values of Spirituous Liquors » 211 



of a different kind, not knowing there was any difference in 

 Clarke's hydrometer ! ! ! " 



§ 19. Vague and indefinite as the term proof ha.s hitherto 

 been in England, it has always been still more so in Ire- 

 land, where thev have, for about fortv years pa?t, used an 

 hydrometer for the purposes of the revenue which has no 

 correction whatever for temperature. Ths Irish proof^ 

 there'bre, is altogether incapable of being defined with any 

 tolerabje accuracy. It appears, however, to be upon the 

 average somewhere about 9 per cent, over proof by our 

 standard, or to have a specific gravity of about 909 at 60". 

 It was probably established at first or that strengtli, as being 

 the highest which a foreign spirituous liquor could possess, 

 without paying the augmentation duty on its subsequent 

 importation into this country. 



§ 20. It appears, from what has been before said, that 

 the first step towards the permanent arrangement of this 

 important business nuist necessarily be to fix and ascertain 

 the real strength of proof spirit by an act of parliament, 

 which shall define its specific gravity at a given temperature. 

 If it w ere enacted, for example, " that evcrv spirituous liquor 

 whose specific gravity, when free from adulteration, should, 

 at the temperature of 60° of Fahrenheit's thermometer, be 

 to that of distilled water at the same temperature as 920 to 

 1000 (or in any other ratio which might be thought pro- 

 per), should be deemed and taken to be proof spnnt ; 

 and that every spirituous liquor of different strength should 

 be estimated by the quantitv of such proof spirit at the said 

 temperature of GO", which, according to the tables contained 

 in the schedule to such act annexed, (annexing a set of 

 tables for that purpose, calculated from those of Mr. Gilpin, 

 in the manner hereafter mentioned in § 3?, he.) would 

 produce or be produeil)le from every such other spirit by 

 tlie addition of water to the stronger of the two till they 

 u ere reduced to the same degree of strength," all the pre- 

 sent uncertainty respecting this matter would instantly 

 vaiiish. The hydrometer would still continue to be the 

 most convenient instrument ; and its accuracy would be 

 euiuied by the facility with which its errors would be de- 

 tected, as any man who could use a pair of scales would 

 then bt able to examine the truth of its indications. 



[ To bt Cuiuiiiucd.l 



9 XXXIV. Of 



