in fermented Liquors, 87 



to its original flavour, by the addition of its acid and extrac- 

 ti\^e matter. With claret, and some other wines, containing 

 less alcohol and more acid than port, these circumstances are 

 more readily perceived ; and lastly, if the residuum afforded 

 by the distillation of 100 parts of port wine, be added to 22 

 parts of alcohol and 88 of water ( in a state of perfect combi- 

 nation), the mixture is precisely analogous in its intoxicating 

 effects to port wine of an equal strength. 



In the table annexed to my former paper, it appears that 

 the average quantity of alcohol contained in port wine amounts 

 to 23,48 per cent. ; but two of the wines there alluded to are 

 stronger than any I have since met with, and were, at that 

 time, sent to me as " remarkably strong and old port." I 

 have lately examined a number of specimens of the better 

 kinds of port wine in common use, and the results of these 

 experiments lead me to place the average strength at 22 per 

 cent, of alcohol by measure. 



A port wine procured for me by Dr. Baillie, and to which 

 no brandy had been added, afforded 21,40 per cent, of alcohol: 

 another specimen of a similar description, put into ray hands 

 by an Oporto merchant, contained only 19 per cent.; it is the 

 weakest port wine I have met with. 



The other results given in the table, agree perfectly with 

 those of subsequent and more extended experiments. 



