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221
matter of some congratulation to your Vestry to
know that it had so much to do, in the days of a
former Chairman, in settling the question:—What is
Milk?
Of a sample of Coffee, I have only to say it
was good; of a Brown Sugar that it was rather
moist, and of a Currant Jam that it was full of pips.
None of them contained admixture.
And now as to Alcoholic Drinks. In the
past Quarter I have examined 11 specimens of
Beers, Ales, and Porters. As to Alcohol, except in a
Spruce-beer which contained 14.3 per cent. the
variation was only between 8 and 10.5 per cent.
The same lack of hops is exhibited as of old; at
least a little goes a long way. But the most curious
feature is in the increase of salt. It will, perhaps, be
remembered how often I have mentioned the almost
absence of salt in days gone by. Now, however, we
have arrived at a quantity, in the case of No. 70, so
large, that I ventured to obtain a magisterial decision
and a penalty, reduced at the request of Mr. Marsden
from £10 to £5, together with costs. May I give
examples ?