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46
the time which he devoted to these vinegar cases, and for
the vast patience with which he allowed these extremely
technical questions to be argued out before him. Thanks
to his decisions, the presence of free sulphuric acid in
vinegar is now condemned. What remains is the large
practical question whether vinegar brewers are entitled to
put gypsum, or other sulphates—such as sulphate of
magnesia—into what they sell as "Vinegar." The allegation
is that the use of gypsum enables them to brew a
better and brighter vinegar and one that keeps better and
travels better. But against this, modern vinegar makers
put upon the market a fine vinegar quite free from any
sulphuric acid, either free or combined, except those minute
traces of sulphates which belong to the vinegar by reason
of its barley and a good drinking-water. No. 48a, for
instance, contained 6.48 per cent. of real acetic acid, and
was a pure malt vinegar made from barley, yeast, and a
good drinking-water. On subsequent inquiry, I learnt that
this sample of vinegar came from Cross and Blackwell's
well-known firm. Why should honourable trade of this
kind be placed at a disadvantage by the sale of weak
or badly brewed vinegars which will not keep unless
they are mixed with sulphate of lime (gypsum) or sulphate
of magnesia (Epsom salts)?
In cases where the vendor of adulterated articles of food
produces a warranty, the vendor is not liable to prosecution,
and the only course is to proceed against the warrantor
for having given a false warranty. This requires, under
the law in force to the end of 1899, proof not only that
the warranty was false, but that it was false to the knowledge
of the warrantor. Now, the use of sulphates by
the old vinegar firms is probably a relic of the old
practice allowed by the Government of putting
.1 per cent of oil of vitriol into vinegars. They have in
many cases practised this for generations; and it is clear
that it would be most difficult to show that these gentlemen
had a guilty knowledge that such use of gypsum made
their warranty a false one. But under the amended Act,