On Making. 97 



Frauds of JVatering on the Flcors. 



There are no frauds of any extent practicable at a malt- 

 rouse except those which are immediately connected with 

 and entirely depend on the practice of watering on the floors. 

 These last are three in numberj viz. draining the cistern 

 before the time prescribed by law, in order to keep down the 

 gauges in the couch ; wholly emptying the cistern to be 

 fraudulently worked as a distinct floor; and privately plun- 

 dering the cistern or parts of the corn in order to be mixed 

 with the youngest flopr ; as the grain in each of these frauds 

 is short wet in the cistern, it would be impracticable to 

 carry it forward in a. sufficiently malted state to the kiln 

 without watering it upon the floors. Of the first 1 shall say 

 nothing, as it explains itself. Instances of both the other's I 

 have myself detected ; and what is more, an instance of the 

 second was in a foot walk, and had been practised to agreai; 

 extent. But it is in rides where it can be pursued almost 

 wirh impitnity, from the officer's visits at the malt-house 

 being only two or three times a week, and I am inclined to 

 believe that it is followed in such situations to a degree much, 

 beyond what has yet been discovered or even suspected. It 

 requires indeed the use of a large kiln ; and where that has 

 been provided it is only necessary to get the oldest floor there 

 immediately before the cistern is fraudulently emptied : and 

 lliough it must, like every other fraud, at particular stages 

 of its practice, aflTord indication of what is doing to a vigi- 

 lant and intelligent officer ; yet, for the most part, an officer 

 may survey in the usual manner for a length of time without 

 observing any thing to call forth his suspicions. I can even 

 readily believe that a cautious and artful maltster may defraud 

 the revenue of half the duty which he ought to pay, by means 

 of this fraud, and yet incur in the practice of it but verv little 

 risk, provided he is indulged with watering the short wet 

 corn on the floors. 



The third fraud of robbing (or as it is called in trade geld- 

 ing) the cistern, and mixing the plundered corn with the 

 youngest floor, certainly has been, and there is reason to 

 fear it is yet, practised to a most injurious degree, as the 

 jjrcsent restiiction against watering on the floors does not 



Vol. 31. No. 122. July ISOQ. G exteiid 



