334 Mr. Lubbock on Cask-Gaging. 



Were the practice of ascertaining the content by weighing 

 introduced, of course all the sources of error which I have 

 described would be got rid of, but it would be difficult to 

 ascertain the tare, which might vary, probably, between 5 and 

 8 per cent. 



In gaging wines it is not usual to make any allowance for 

 temperature. The following Table, which was obtained by 

 means of experiments made under my direction by Mr. Ladd, 

 a workman in the employ of Mr. Bate, shows the specific 

 gravity of each liquid, that of the liquid at 62° Fahrenheit be- 

 ing unity. 



This Table gives the means of ascertaining the correction 

 due to temperature, and which in extreme cases ought not to 

 be neglected. 



As regards the practice of gaging, I will venture to observe, 

 that the methods employed by the officers of the Customs in 

 ascertaining the content of casks should be definite, and not 

 left, as at present, entirely to the arbitrary opinion of different 

 individuals. It is usual for the Dock-gagers to gage the casks 

 also, and their measures serve for the benefit of the merchant 

 to check the measures or gages obtained by the officers of 

 the Customs; but it is impossible for this check to operate ef- 

 fectually, unless the officers and the Dock-gagers proceed in- 

 dependently, and both upon recognised principles. It is diffi- 

 cult now, even to arrive at the method by which the usual al- 

 lowances are made ; nor are they, I believe, sufficiently de- 

 scribed in any printed work. This arises, perhaps, from an 

 unwillingness to make public the methods employed, for fear 

 casks should, in consequence, be made purposely to defraud 

 the revenue, called technically ga?ne-casks. 



