Columbia (Hnibcroitp intlifCitpofllfUigork THE LIBRARIES $n, may your rich foil, Exuberant, Nature’s better blcffings pour O’er every Land, tiie naked Nations clothe, And be th’ txhayfllds granary of a World! Thomson. _ Pri ■ EDINBURGH: r P - ca WILLIAM CREECH, m.ucc.lxxxvi. ADVERTISEMENT. r pHE calculations in the following -*■ Addrefs, pointing out the advantages that would attend conne&ing the diftillation of corn-fpirits with the agriculture of Great Britain, having been laid before a commit¬ tee of farmers, appointed on purpofe to examine them, were approved of, and or¬ dered to be inferted in the Addrefs as they prefently appear. A N ADDRESS, £A. A t a period, when * four fucceffive bad crops have dripped a great number of the farmers in Scotland of a confiderable (hare of that capital, which they employed in the cultivation and im¬ provement of their farms—we are ado- nifiied to find that an aimed total flop is put to the fale of our barley, n 'twithdan- ding that the lad crop of that grain was .the * The crops here alluded to are 17S2, 1783, 1784, and 1785. Crop 1784 proved good ia England, but was miferably bad in Scotland, particular!)' in the wheat, barley, and pcafe. In that year, the writer of this note, although fituatcd in Eaft Lothian, within kfs than four miles from the ihore, went out in a morning to cut down beans and barley, when the mercury in the thermometer Hood at fix degrees below the freezing point on Faren< heit’s fcale, the texture of the grain was entirely dcilroy- ed, there being a thin cake of ice betwixt the lob: of al- snoft every bean in the field. ( 4 } die molt deficient that this country has ever experienced. In this diftreffing fituation, we efteem it our duty to lay before our landlords a ftatc- of ('Ur grievances, having full confidence in the generous fupport of the landed in- tered, and in the abilities of thofc noble¬ men and gentlemen who prcfently repre- ient [ i is part of the united kingdom in Parliament. When any country is afflicted with a bad crop, the lots ought undoubtedly to be Inflamed by every member of the commu¬ nity, in proportion to his abilities : But, in that event, as the high price of grain lias the effect to lefien the demand for it in the market, the farmer can never obtain an advanced pi ice equivalent to the deficiency of his crop, by which means the greateit portion of the lofs falls upon the hufband- man, and which, after four fcanty crops, is feverely feit by us a!!. When- ( 5 ) Whenever, therefore, any caufe ope¬ rates fo as to leffen the demand for grain, and iink its value in tire market below its proper ftandard, being the price propor¬ tioned to the goodnefs or badneis of the crop, that caule v. ill always prove injurious to agriculture, and, at this critical juncture, may be attended with ruinous effeds to many tenants, which it is certainly the in- terelt of the proprietors of land in general to avert ; by tiling every means in their power to remove the cautes which occafion the evil ; among!! the greatell of which may be ranked the prclent iixcile laws for regulating and railing a revenue from the diftillation of corn fpirits, and which, as they have brought the prefent diitrefs -on the farmers, ought to be the fir ft to merit the particular attention cf the landed in- tereft. By llrefe laws no diftiller can exiraft fpirits from grain cf the growth of Great Britain, unlel’s he is poffeifed of a capital which ( 6 ) which will enable him to carry on his bu- finefis, by uling a ftill which mull: contain upwards of four hundred gallons; nor can any perfon export Britifh corn {pints un- lefs they were diftilled in a ftill which will hold fixteen hundred. Stills of every denomination are kept locked by the Excifemen, and the diftiller muft fend them twelve hours previous no¬ tice before he can get his fills opened, and muft begin to work at a certain hour, al¬ though it is abl'olutely impoffiblc to deter¬ mine before hand at what particular time his work will be in the fitteft ftate for yielding the greateft quantity of fpirits of the belt quality : fermentation being of a precarious nature, and depending much on the ftate of the weather, and which nice operation is at prefer.t frequently injured by the Excifemen opening the walh batches tv] are the fermentation is carried on, and allowing the gas or fixed air to efcapc. Di- ( 7 ) Diftiilers mu ft work off their ftills in twenty hours after they are opened, al¬ though the cold water ufed in the opera¬ tion ftiould prove infufficient, which ren¬ ders their fpirits totally unfit for ufe. If any diftiller fends out his fpirits to a rectifier of a greater degree of ftrength than one to ten over hydrometer proof, fuch fpirits are liable to be feized ; a regu¬ lation which mu ft often prove vexatious to the diftiilers, as the hydrometer proof varies with the temperature of the air. If any difli’ler fhall extract more than twenty gallons of fpirits of the ftrength of one to ten over hydrometer proof out of 300 gallons of wain, all fuch furplus quan¬ tities fhall be feized by the excife-officer, and forfeited. The duty prefently levied on corn fpi- vits is fivepmce on the gallon of walk ; but there is an exemption in favour of George Bilhop ( S ) Bifhop of Medfton, who is allowed to di- ftil corn fpirits under the name of Medflon Geneva, upon paying only twopence half¬ penny per gallon. The facility and difpatch with which corn fpirits can be diftilled, the temptation to evade the high duties, and the impofiibi- lity of afterwards diftinguifhing the fpirits that have paid the duty from thole which have not, has hitherto prevented, and will always obftrutt government in fecuring payment of the whole of the duties impo- fed on that article. Rigorous laws have therefore been ennfled, and fevere penalties inflicted, which, in the hands of feme offi¬ cers of Excile, have only lerved as engines of diflruction to crufh various individuals, without contributing in the leaf! to increafe the revenue, but which, on the contrary, has of late been confiderably dhninifhcd *. But, * Mr Pitt complained when he brought in the lad diftiiiery law, that the revenue from the article of corn fpirits had fallen near one half. ( 9 ) Buf, if the enforcing of thefe laws, even with the defign of encreafmg the revenue, lias the effect at any time to put a Hop to the file of barley, it mull be acknowledged that there is fomething fundinrentally wrong in them, which can bring fuch ge¬ neral diftreis on the hufbandmen, who cer¬ tainly merit from this country an equal fliare of encouragement with the manufac¬ turing part of the nation. That there are fubftantial reafons for twilling a repeal of thofe laws, appears evident from the conduct of the Commif- fioners of Excile, who, owing to fome im¬ pelling power, (as is conjectured), were obliged to adt in the manner they have done for fome time pall, in inforcing the diRillery laws in this country. Eor lall winter that Board * ordered three additional excife-officers to be placed only B upon * The order here alluded to was to the following purpofe : That all thofe diftillers in Scotland who would ( 10 ) upon fucli diftillers as would not carry on their bufinefs to the extent which they were pleafed to point our; by which means all thofe fmall diftillers that were difperfed through the country, and afforded to the farmers a ready market for their crops of barley and hay, and fupplied us with {pi¬ nts diftilled from the produce of our own foil, and who, for want of capital and o- ther conveniencies, could not comply with the order from the Board, were obliged to give over their bufinefs to the great preju¬ dice of the farmers. Whilft would not charge their dills four times in the week, #nd pay duty accordingly, lhould have four excifcmcn placed upon them to watch them, night and day. Ia confequence of this order every diftillcr, with a i'mall capital, was obliged to give over bufinefs, becaufe they could neither procure barley from the farmers, nor confumpt for their fpirits, to enable them to comply with the order from the Board ; and it was as impollible for them to go on with their trade with the watchmen, becaufe in that event they would have been obliged to pay a much larger portion of the tax than the great diftillers, who confequenlly could under fell them in the fpirit market. i n ) Whilft another clafs of diftillere were al- iowed to proceed in a manner without con- troul, thereby monopolizing the trade into a few hands, and which not only enabled them to fupply the whole of the demand for fpirits in Scotland, but alfo to fend up large quantities to the London market. It is, however, evident, that the above mentioned order from the Board of Ex- cife, was by no means intended either to increafe the revenue, or put a flop to the pra&ice of evading payment of the duties on corn fpirits; for, after the excife laws had been made the engines of power to crufla the fmall diftillers, after their trade had been totally flopped, and thofe fa¬ voured diftillers, who alene were allowed to go on with the bufinefs, had got the total command of fupplying the Scots market with fpirits; at that very period, the price of corn fpirits in Scotland fell 25 per cent. ; ^ preef that at no former time had ( 13 ) had the evading of the unties been carried to fo great a length w In this iituation was the diftillery Lmii- nefs conducted in Scotland during the whole of fpring 1785, and the preceding- winter: But during lad fummer the Com- miffioners judged it expedient to place three additional excifemen on every diftiller in Scotland who was then carrying on trade. But this regulation had a very different ef¬ fect from the former. Several of the large dittillers, who, by complying with the re- quifnion ’ It will appear paradoxical at fir ft light, that, after four or five great diitillcrs had obtained a monopoly of the trade, they lT.ould hate ahowed the price of ipi- rits to fall. The reafun is obvious. Thefe great uiftillers, in complying with the order from the hoard ofExcife, were obliged to ciiftill a large additional quan¬ tity of fpiritr.; they could not, however, allow this great quantity to remain on hand, or enter their ftocks, be- caule it would have been feized by the officers of ex- eife ; they were therefore obliged to pulh it off at a low rate ; but if they had been iituated, like the Lon¬ don diftillers, in the heart of the market, they would ’nave been under no fuch neceflity. ( *3 ) quifition of the Board, had been allowed to carry on a brilk bulinefs through the ipring and preceding winter, now fhut {hop ; the pi ice of corn fpirits rofe near 40 per cent, above what they had been fold at by particular diilillers during the winter ; and fo much did the high price of fpirits encourage the lmuggling in of Dutch gin and brandy, that thefe articles have for fome time been currently fold at much lower rates than for feveral years paft, ow¬ ing to the officers of excife being entirely taken up with watching the diifiiiers, which took off' the whole of their atten¬ tion from preventing the illegal importa¬ tion and fate of foreign fpirits *. In this dillreffing Halation the bufmefs continued till towards the end of December laft, * The above is a truth, whatever the Board of Ex¬ cife may aflert. Vide Facts. I can give you no whilky, faid my holt in a country inn, becaufe the diftilleries are all flopped : But, God be praifed, you ihall have as much good Dutch gin as you can fet your face to. ( H ) iaft, when the Board of Excife iiTued out another mandate, calling off the three ad¬ ditional excifemen from every diftiller in Scotland, thofe only excepted that fend up fpirits to the London market, on whom they continue to place four excifemen, who watch them conftantly night and day*. It therefore now appears, that the mo¬ ving power which impelled the Board of Excife to ad in the inconfiftent manner they have done for fome time paft, mull proceed from the weight of the diftillers in the city of London, who have had the ad- drefs and the influence to get fuch diftillery laws enaded as gives them a total mono¬ poly of the bufinefs in England, the whole trade * Since writing the above, it is faid that the Board of Excife have withdrawn the three additional excife¬ men from the greateft diftiller in Scotland. Oh! there are'fuch marchings and countermarchings, from Brent¬ ford to Elin, from Elin to A cion, from A£ton to Uxbridge, that many a good excife officer , like Major Moloffas, is carried off-■— - - an irreparable lofs to the fervice. ( *5 ) trade being in a manner confined to the city of London, and enables them to crufh, with the opprHfion of mod rigorous laws, thofe particular diftillers in Scotland who fend up fpirits to the London market; for, living in the centre of the greateft market in Britain themfelves, they have daily op¬ portunities of difpofing, without permit, of ■that part of their fpirits which they di- ftil without paying any duty; whereas, thofe that are iituated at a diftance, muft pay duty for every gallon they fend to that market. But what fets this matter in the cleared point of view, is the following fa£t: The monopolifts, in framing the laft law, in order to diftrefs the poor diftillers in Scotland, got a claufe inferted, obliging every diftiller to fill his ftill three-fourths full of walh, which regulates the charge of duty conform to act of parliament; and which claufe is rigidly inforced in Scotland. : But the London diftillers, we are informed, are charged with the duty as if they only filled their ftills half full of wafh ; an al¬ lowance ( i6 ) lowance granted them exprefsly contrary to the words of the ftatute above men¬ tioned It * The above mentioned faft comes from the Scots diftillers. Mr Aitchifon has always publicly declared, that Mr Paine, one of the greeted: diftillers in the city of London, informed Mr Haig, that they filled their dills in London half full of wnfh, and were charged with duty accordingly ; and that afterwards they were allowed to fill them up with water. It mud be ac¬ knowledged, that this fact has rather the appearance of fome miftake in the parties. It is, however, cer¬ tain, that, at a general meeting of the great dillillers, held in Edinburgh, where MeiTrs Steens, Haig, and, Aitchifon, were prefent, amongft other grievances this was pointed out, and it was propofed to fend up an agent to London, to complain of the partiality fhewn to the London diftillers ; it is therefore here inferted that the matter may be inveftigated, which can be eafdy done, by only comparing the entries in the excife-books, with the contents of the diftillers ftills: For the claufe inferted in the act of parliament, obliging diftillers to fill their ftills three-fourths full of wafli, was abfolutely neceffary to prevent the moft fla¬ grant abides that were committed by diftillers in ge¬ neral, and which only became particularly diftrefling to the fmall di;tillers in Scotland, on account of their being obliged to work with ftills ten times larger than rhey had any occafion for. ( *7 ) it was the influence alfo of tliofe gentle¬ men, who, aiming at a complete monopo¬ ly of the manufacture of. corn-fpirits in Britain, fixed the minimum, or fmalleft fize of the ftill, at 400 gallons ; a regula¬ tion which mult prove very hurtful to the revenue, as, by eltablifhing a monopoly, it gives great encouragement to the carrying on ofdnndeftine diftillation in private un¬ entered Hills, and prevents the landed in* tereft and farmers from reaping the advan¬ tages which will always attend the diftilla¬ tion of corn-fpirits, when fixed upon the fame fair and equal footing with any other manufacture in the kingdom. To the fame influence may be placed the obtaining that mo ft extraordinary law of 2d Geo. III. prohibiting the exportation of British corn-fpirits, unlefs they are di- ftilled in a ftill containing 1600 gallons; an ad ol parliament which ought to have been entitledj A Bairier Treaty for fecuring to the gentlemen diftillers in the city of Lon- C don ( i8 ) don the foie right of furnifhing the mer- chants in Britain with fpirits for exporta¬ tion, and which is calculated to give them almoft as complete a monopoly of the ex¬ port trade, as if they had been ereded into a company on purpofe, by letters patent, with as exclufive privileges as the Eaft In¬ dia Company. But although the laws of this free coun¬ try may with propriety countenance a mo¬ nopoly in favours of a company that fup- ply us with Afiatic luxuries; if, notwith- fhnding, they, in the final left degree, efta- blifn a monopoly in the purchafe of the produce of the foil, in favours of any clafs or dcfcription of men, either by limiting the number of purchafers or otherwife, fuch laws will always prove hurtful to agriculture. We beg that the landed intereft will ad¬ vert to the wretched fituation of the huf- bandmen, and even proprietors of the land, in f *9 ) in thofe countries where monopolies of the produce of the foil are eftablifhed ; and, feeling ourfelves threatened with the fame evil, we call upon our landlords to relieve us from our diftrefs, by obtaining a repeal of the prefent diftillery laws, and to get fuch enaded as will not only fecure a re¬ venue to government, but alfo give unin¬ terrupted encouragement to the induftry of the farmer. That thefe laws cramp the induftry of Great Britain is beyond a doubt; for, were they inforced in our Weft India ifiands, they would check their cultivation, by ef¬ fectually preventing the diftillation of rum. Was France to adopt them, fire would ruin the cultivation of her vines; and by thofe laws is Great Britain prevented from cul¬ tivating her wafte lands, from rearing and fattening iramenfe herds of oxen, for vic¬ tualling her numerous fleets, and from raifing large additional quantities of grain, either ( 20 y either for fupplying the home market, or for exportation. They aifo prevent us from manufadtu- ring the whole of the bailey which is at prefent produced in Britain, and obliges us to pay the Dutch a bounty tor tailing it off our hands, iecuring to them the advantages of diitilling it, and who fmuggle it in upon ourcoafts, converted into ipirits of a l'une- rior quality to any made in this country. But, from what caufe does the inferior quality of Brilith corn-fpirits originate ? Is not the tempcratuie of the climate of Bri¬ tain the molt favourable in the world for producing at all times a proper fermenta¬ tion on worts extracted from barley and other grain ? Are not malt liquors *, fo uftly deferibed by the poet, the glory of England, * I have now in my cellar ten tons of the bed: ale in Staffordlhire; ’tis fmooth as oil, fweet as milk, clear as amber, and ftrong as brandy, and will be juft four¬ teen years old the fifth day of March, old ftile. Beaux Stratagem, act l.J'c. r. ( 21 ) England, and ftand unrivalled by other nations ; and the fame caufe would un¬ doubtedly produce corn-fpirits of the beft quality, if it was not for ruinous diftillery laws To * How widely different from Bonniface does the diftillery laws oblige the diftiller to manage his flock. As the law is prefer,tly framed, without an expence that would nearly link the revenue altogether, it is abfolute- ly impoilible to oblige every individual to pay an equal fharc of the duties. In order, therefore, that they may come upon equal terms to market, every one of them rack their inventions in difeovering the moft ef¬ fectual modes of defrauding government; the fpirits are confequently hurried through the ftills with afto- nithing rapidity, and, in the hafty operation, are mixed with molt fetid oils. But, like Bonniface, can he keep them in his cellar till they are matured with age: By no means, they would be feized by the excife-offi- cer, and are therefore fent into the market, fmoking hot from the Hill, in i'ucli a ftate, that the perfon muft be poflelTed with the fortitude of Socrates, who can fwallow the contents of a cup without having the mufcles of his face diltorted with convuliions. It is therefore no wonder that Bonniface was fo much o- bliged to the Irifli gentleman, who prefented his wife with { 22 } To prove them fuch, let any minifter in Great Britain adopt them, with fimilar re- ftri&ions, for the purpofe of raifing a re¬ venue from any other manufacture j we frail fuppofe by a tax of one frilling on every pound of cotton fpun by the cotton- mills lately ereCted, machines equally pro¬ ductive with the ftill, of articles of luxury and convenience. For the better fecuring of the tevenue, it would then be enaCted, that ne cotton engine frail be ereCted, unlefs it could fpin 400 pounds weight in one day. That no cotton goods frail be exported, unlefs they were fpun in a machine that could confume 1600 pounds weight in the day. That with the dozen of ufquebaugh, the remarkable bad qua¬ lity of which proceeded from its being Irifii manufac¬ ture, and we may prefume was extracted from potatoes j for the good people cf England now drink corn-fpirits converted into moft excellent French brandy, by only putting in a few drops of a certain compound, without its being in the leaft prejudicial to their conftitutions. ( n ) That the excife-officer fhall have the to¬ tal command of thole machines, and keep them carefully locked up. That the manufacturer fhall be obliged to fend the excife-officer twelve hours no¬ tice before at any time he fhall proceed to bufinefs, and fhall then be obliged either to flop his operations at the end of twenty hours, or continue for other twenty hours, whether it fuit him or not. If the manufaflurer fhall fpin a greater quantity of cotton in the fpace of twenty hours, or from his fuperior fkill and inge¬ nuity fhall draw out of the rough materials a greater quantity of cotton-yarn than the law prefcribes; all fuch furplus quantities fhall be feized by the excife-officer. That, for the better fecuring of the re¬ venue, all eotton fhall be fpun of one fine- nefs ; and if any fhall be manufactured of a different quality from what the law pre¬ fcribes, ( 24 ) fcribes, all fuch fliall be feized by the cx- cife-officer. That every manufacturer, who, for want of a capital or other conveniencies, cannot carry on his trade with machines of the fize above mentioned, mult give o- ver bufinefs, and allow his ftnall spinning engines to be deftroyed by the excife-offi¬ cer, or be fined for ufing them. It is obvious, that, if any minifter was to propofe fuch a tax, attended with fuch ri¬ gorous reftriCtions, that the mercantile and manufacturing part of the nation would mod juftly oppofe it. The Weft India planters would alfo join in the outcry, and complain that it would cramp the cultiva¬ tion of their eftates. But, however ruinous thefe laws might prove to the cotton-ma- nufadture, it is evident they are more hurt¬ ful to the agriculture of Great Britain, when applied to the manufacture of corn- fpirits; for cotton is the produce of a fo¬ reign ( 25 ) reign country, can be eafily tranfported to whatever part of the kingdom the mono¬ poly is eftablifhed, and returns no manure, fo necefiary in the cultivation of the foil. It is true, indeed, that cotton is the pro¬ duce of our colonies: But it is to be ho¬ ped, that this country has now learned, from dear bought experience,that the fruits to be reaped, from encouraging the culti¬ vation of colonies, are vain and imaginary ; and that the profperity of the Hate mull in a great meafure depend upon that degree of perfection to which the cultivation of the mother country can be brought. For accelerating this great national ob¬ ject, we fhall lay before the public the good effeCts which may be expected from connecting the difli!iation of corn-fpirits with the agriculture of this country, and which is only prevented at prefent, by laws that factilice the public good, for the foie D . purpofe ( *6 ) purpofe of advancing the intercft of a few rich individuals. We therefore fubmitto the confideration of every perfon verfant in country affairs, the following fcheme of a rotation of crops on a farm, containing 168 acres, of a clay foil, and poor quality, iituated at a diltance from a populous town, where no adventi¬ tious manure can be procured ; and the pro¬ bable produce of the fame farm, when con- neft'-d with a fmall diftillery, capable of feeding 30 oxen, and 60 hogs, conftantly, and which a ftill of 50 Englifh gallons is well able to perform, 10,400 ftones of hay being annually confumed in fattening the cattle on the farm. Scheme ( 2 7 ) Scheme of rotation of crops, and account of produce refulting therefrom. On the farm without the diftiilery. Produce in Scots meafures and weights. Farm containing 168 acres. Acres. Quality of Produce Total Price at the Edinburgh * 12 Fallow Bolls, s. d. L. s. 12 Wheat 7 Bolls 84 18 10 79 % 12 Peafe 3 36 n 10 21 6 12 Barley 5 60 13 4 40 o 12 Hay I3oftone 1560 34. 22 15 12 Pafture 20 12 o 12 Oats 6 bolls 72 12 43 4 -j- 12 Fallow 12 Oats 7 bolls 84 12 SO 8 12 Hay i2oftone 1440 03 4 21 o 12 Pafture 20 o 12 o 12 ditto 15 ° 90 12 ditto 15 o 90 12 Oats 5 bolls 60 12 o 36 0 Total amount of the produce L. 333 13 Produce * Dunged with 22 cart loads per acre, f Without manure. ( 2 $ } Produce in Englifh meafures and weights. Farm containing 213 acres. Acres. Quality of Produce Total Correfpnnding price at the Grain. per acre, produce. Edinburgh market. * 153. Fallow qrs. bulh. qrs. $. d. 15.; Wheat 27 44 36 0 qr. Winchester 154 Peafe 12 183 22 5 1 Jr Barl ?y 3 0 45 1 l l 1 154 Hay i load 14 ciut. 164 27 2 per London load 154 Pafture 15 8 ‘St 0at - 3 5 holls 5 44 15 5 f ij' Fallow 15' Oats 4 1 63I 15 5 154 Hay t load 15I 27 2 per London load 15: Pafture 15 8 per acre 15 1 ditto 11 9 15’ ditto 11 9 154 Oats 3 qrs. 45-’. 15 3 per quarter. Scheme * Dunged with 17 loads per acre. f Without manure. ( 29 ) Scheme of rotation of crops, and pro¬ bable produce on the fame farm, when conneded with a fmall diftillery, carrying on trade with a ftill of 50 Englifh gallons, the revenue being colleded by a licence on the contents of the ftill), which, with the quantity of hay allowed, being 10,400 {tone, or about 112 London loads, will feed conftantly 30 oxen, weighing on an average 30 ftone each, and 60 hogs. Produce in Scots meafure and weights. Acres. Quality. Produce Total Price Value at the Edinburgh per acre, produce. m2 irket. * 22 Fallow Bolls s- cl. L. s. d. 22 Wheat 9 bolls 198 18 10 186 9 0 22 Beans 7 do. 154 n 8 91 2 4 22 Barley 7 do. 154 13 4 102 13 4 • 22 Clov.hay 200 ft. 4400 3 t 64 3 4 22 Wheat 8 bolls I7 6 iS to 165 14 8 22 Oats 8 176 12 0 105 12 0 14 Pafture 20 0 14 0 0 Amount of the produce of the foil L. 729 14 8 * Dunged with 34 loads per a< :re. Pro-' f Dunged with 20 loads. ( 30 ) Produce in Englifli meafures and weights. Total CorrcTporuling price at the produce. Edinburgh market * 28 Fallow 28 Wheat 28 Beans 28 Burley qrs. bufh. Bolls, s. d. 3 6 103-]- 36 p. Wincheft. qr. 2 7 804 223 per ditto 4 1 1164. 17 1 per ditto •j- 28 Hay clover 1 13 28 Wheat 3 2 28 Oats 4 6 17 Pafture 47 r 5 -7 2 P er load 92 36 o per Wincheft. qr. 133 *3 5 P er d' tt0 15 8 per acre. To the amount of the produce of the farm, when connected with the diftillery L. 729 14 8 To the value of 30 oxen, 30 (tones each, fed 4 months, at L. 8 L. 240 o o To the value of 30 oxen, 30 (tones each, fed 4 months, at L. 8 240 0 o Carried over L. 480 0 o L.729 14 S * Dunged with 27 loads per acre, f Dunged with 16 loads per acre. L.729 14 8 ( 3 * ) Brought over L. 480 o o To the value of 30 oxen, 30 Bones each, fed 4 months, at L. 8 240 o o Deduct coB price, when pm-chafed at L. 5 each, 450 o o Gained by feeding, being about 5 i. per day on Deduct hay confuted in ■ fattening the oxen, viz. 3000 (tones purchafed from neighbouring fir- 3000 ditto at 3 d. 4,400 ditto produced on the farm at 3-f d. L. 151 13 4 -L. 118 6 8 To the value of do hogs, fed for d months L. 90 o o To ditto for ditto 90 o o L. 180 o 0 Carried over L. 180 o 0 L.848 1 4 jo o o 37 10 0 64 3 4 ( 3 2 ) Brought over L. 180 o 0L.848 1 4 Dedu&coft price paid to the farmers ios. each 60 o o -L. 120 O C Total amount of produce, including pro¬ fits on the cattle - L. 968 1 4 Deduct original produce on the farm without the ditlillery - Ij. 355 15 o Gain arifing from connedting the diftil- lery with agriculture - L. 612 6 a Although we have exhibited the above modes of croping as being proper on a day foil, of a poor quality, we by no means hold them up as being the beft calculated to produce either the greateft profit to the farmer, or advantage to the (late. Parti¬ cular modes of croping ought, undoubtedly, to be left to the judgment of the hufband- man, who, after many years experience will probably difeover the proper mode of croping, which heft fuits the particularities in the foil, climate, and fituation of his farm. Syftcms Syfterns in agriculture are of all others the mod futile and abfurd. We fee the fyfiems of the greeted: men in every fci- ence daily attacked, and frequently over¬ thrown : But in agriculture, the 1 mall pro- grefs that has hitherto been made in the theory of the art ; the infinite diverfity of foil and climate, and numberlefs accidents refulting from both, to which the farmer is expofed, lias rendered the laying clown fyftems in agriculture, not only hurtful to the country in general, but alio to thofe particular landlords who inforce them *. E We * Thcfe reftrictious appear in full force in fome parts of England. When a Scots fanner, crofting the Tweed, views the native fertility of the foil, and compares the rich crops with the low rent of tire land, he is at lirft ilruck with aftonifkment : Hut when lie begins to re- Jleet on the burthens which the Englilh farmers labour under, from the rcltrictions inferred in their leai’es; the ftill more opprdlive laws of King Melchifedeclc ; the great load of poors rates, and inconveniencies at- i ending the militia in time of peace; he thanks his Irars lie was born on the north fide of the Tweed ; and, deviating for once from the rigid iimplicity of his { 34 ) We have only here in view the reflriaions inferted in i'ome leafes, where the tenant, from his entry, is bound down to follow particular modes of cultivation, thcieby fetting hounds to his genius and indultry, and preventing improvements in an art, which, of all others, is the moft ufeful to mankind. We have therefore only to add, in de¬ fence of the annexed rotation of crops, that every article in the account is calcu¬ lated on a moderate fcale, without the fmalleft intention either to exaggerate or deceive; and we doubt not that every farmer, who poiTeffes fuch a farm as we have deferibed, will, upon mature delibe¬ ration, acknowledge, whatever rotation of crops he may follow, that, was he enabled to feed 30 oxen and 60 hogs conftantly, and confume 10,400 additional ftones of hay devotion, joins in the liturgy of the Englifli church, devoutly exclaiming from all fuch evils—Good Lord deliver us! 1 35 ) hay annually ; with the large furplus quan¬ tity of * manure ariiing therefrom, he would find no difficulty in doubling the quantity of grain produced on his farm. We (hall, therefore, proceed to examine the advantages that would accrue to the Hate, if the ruinous fabric of oppreffion and monopoly, reared up by the diftillery laws, was faiily beat down by the united efforts of the landed intereft in Great Bri¬ tain, thereby allowing the manufaflure of corn-fpirits, and the agriculture of this country, to give moll effectual aid to each other. From * The quantity of manure which the diftillery af¬ fords, when joined with agriculture, is really rnoft afto- nifhing —We beg the public will attend to the follow¬ ing fail : A great diftiller, though not the -greateft in this country, publicly offered L. 200 Sterling to any perfon who would cart up his dung from the dunghill, and lay it down in fmall heaps along the ridges, on the particular fields which he wilhed to have manured, But this offer was rejected, as being, like the cleaning of the Augean liable, only fit to be performed by the Herculean labours of a great diftiller. ( 3 ^ ) * From the beft information we have been able to procure, the barley coniumed in . * We do not pretend that the information in thin particular is to be depended on. The quantity of grain which a cliftiller confumes in his operations is concealed with the greateft care. We have been informed, that in the city and vicinity of London there are eight di- ftilleries, in each of which there is daily corfumed, on an average, 120 quarters in malt, barley, or other grain, and malt flour; and that they continue working every day, during eight months, for fupplying the home market. The above quantities will therefore amount, per annum, to about - 185,000 Six lioufes continue working during three months in the fummer feafon for exporta¬ tion, and mafh 70 quarters daily, or about 35,000 Suppofe the reft of England and Scotland to amount to - - 180,000 400,000 Amount of the revenue ariilng from Britifli fpirils, from Michaelmas 1783 to Michaelmas 1784. L. 16031 on Britifli fpirits, per duties impo- fed at and prior to 29th September 1736 24,217 ditto 25th March 1743 9.799 - J/ 4 6 I 37 ) in the diftiilation of corn-fpirits may be eftimated at 400,000 Winchefter quarters: But 36,44! S,486 5,52S *4,447 5740 1 1 i,66S T I >945 -- 1 ft July 175 ( - 21 ft April 1760 - 21 ft Jan. 1762 - 30th March 1780 Low Wines, 29th Sept. 1736 ditto 25th March 1743 - 1746 - 1 ft July 1751 - 21ft April i - 21ft Jan. 1762 - 30th May 1780 L. 347, 3 01 13 per cent, on ditto. 52,09; L. 399,396 This account of the revenue arifmg from Britilh fpirits, is taken from the Edinburgh magazine, and was publifhed from good authority. The duties levied from fpirits, extracted from mobiles and other foreign and home materials, are included ; lo that it is impof- fible to diftinguith the exact fum paid upon corn-fpirits. It is believed, however, that the revenue ariilng from the other materials is very inconll .erable : But from the total amount of the revenue, it is more than probable that a much larger quantity than 400,000 quarters of grain is annually (Milled in Britain. ( 33 ) But if the trade was fre^d from the re- ftri&ions complained or, it would rnoft undoubtedly increafe. and might rhea be faddy ediinated at 500,000 quarters. Yv'as the diiiillation of this quantity of grain to be diffuled over the country, and produce the fame good elfeds on agriculture in ge-' neral, which the fmali diflillery had upon the farm as above hated ; in that event there would be annually brought into the Britiih markets the following additional numbers of fat cattle, and quantities of grain, viz. Enclifli weights and meafurcs. Corrcfpomling prices at the Kd-nhiirgh mcr- 57,240 fat oxen, 37 (tones 3 lib. each, 2,030,145 (tones butcher mea:, at 3 s 2-J.J L. 341,710 400,6S0 (tones tallow, 7 (tones in each, at 4 s. jd. - - 88.483 57,240 hides, ; (tones each, valued at 20 s. 57,240 76,320 hogs, 7 (tone 6 lib. 566,948 llones pork, at 4 s. i - • 113.980 L. 601,413 ( 39 ) Brought over L. 601,413 ‘A513 qu.liters of wheat, at 36s. 173-7*3 39,114 quarters of he,ms and peafe, at 22 s. 5 d. 43,840 44,997 quarters of bail.v, at 17 s. 1 d. 38,434 L. 857,410 Deduct deficiency in the produce of oats from connecting the diiiiliery with agriculture, as above [fated, on the produce of the farms. ■<9>55 7 quarters of oats, at 15 s. 5 d. 15,075 Gained to the llate from connecting the diflil- ' lation of 500,000 quarters of barley with a- griculture. - L. 842,335 500,000 quarters of barley, at 14 gallons of fpirits per quarter, will produce 7,000,000 gallons, at 3 s. - 1,050,000 Total fnm that may be gained to the flate from the * manufacture of corn-fpirits, if the mo¬ nopoly was removed, and the diftillery regu¬ lated by moderate excife laws L. 1,892,335 Scots * We hope the landed interefl of Great Britain, in the event of a commercial treaty with France, will never al¬ low this manufacture to be bartered away, for the privi¬ lege of peddling in that country needles and pins, and crockery ware. ( 40 ) Scots weights and mcafures, and prices of the bell grain at the Edinburgh market, on an average, from anno 1761 to 1780, correfponding with the Enylifh weights and mcafures in the preceding pages, and from which the calculations were made out. 30 hones each ox, price 4 s. per hone. 44. hones tallow in each, 6 s. 3P each hide, 20 s. 6 hones each hog. Wheat, 18 s. 101I. per boll. Peale, 11 s. 8 d. Bark)’, 13 s. 4 d. Oats, 12 s. From what has been ftated, we hope it will appear that the diftillation of corn- fpirits is of the utmoft importance to Great Britain, when it is viewed both as an im- menfe fource from whence great improve¬ ments in agriculture may be drawn, and alfo as an ample fund for yielding a larger revenue for fupport of the ftate than has hitherto been colleded from that manu¬ facture. For accomplifhing thefe important pur- pofes, we moft humbly recommend the following regulations to the confidcration of { 4 * ) t>f the miniftry, and landed intereft, of Great Britain. That the prefent diftillery laws ought to be repealed, and the trade put upon the fame fair and equal footing with any other manufacture in the kingdom affording a tax to government. That, in lieu of the prefent mode of le¬ vying the duties, which, owing to the na¬ ture of the trade, can never be fairly nor equally collected, an ample revenue fhall be raifed, equal to what has been paid in moft productive years, by a licenfe on the contents of every * {till ufed in Great Britain, either by diftillers or reCtifiers. F That # The contents of the (tills in England are fuppofed to be about 264,000 gallons, and in Scotland 81,000 345,000 gallons. But, if the revenue was collefted upon the contents of the (till, the above mentioned quantity would be pro¬ bably reduced to 100,000 gallons, which, at L. 5 per gallon, ( 4 * ) That every diftiller in Great Britain be prohibited from diddling from barley be¬ fore it has been previoufly malted ; a prac¬ tice which hurts the quality of Bririfh corn fpiritSs and leiTens the revenue arifing from the malt duty. That the licenfe-duty on {fills for ma= nufaduring corn-fpirits fhould be to regu¬ lated, that the fair trader, who pays the licenfe-duty for his ftill, and didills only from malted grain, may be enabled to fell his fpirits to the redifiers at from as. 6d. to 3s. per gallon; by which means the fmuggling of fpirits, both foreign and do- medic, fo prejudicial to the revenue, and hurtful to the morals of the people, will be entirely put a flop to. And gallon, would produce L. 500,000. The proper crite- rionof the tax, however, is one which would allow the fair trader to fell fpirits to the rectifiers at from 2 s. 6 d. to 3 s. per gallon, which, it is conjectured, would raife a much larger revenue to government than L. 500,000. ( 43 ) And for rendering the diftiiiery bufmcfs more beneficial to the Rate, by aiding the agriculture of the country, and encoura¬ ging the cultivation of the * trade lands, for which it is particularly well adapted, let * It feems impoffible to adopt a plan for cultivating the wafte lands in Great Britain that will be conducted at lefs expence to the date, or has the prospect of being attended with greater fuccefs, than by giving encou¬ ragement to the ereCting of fmall diftillerics upon them ; for thefe lands being generally Ctuated at a diftance from a populous neighbourhood, where neither manure nor a ready market can be procured for the produce in grain, the diftillery bufinefs obviates both difficulties, as no lefs than L. 150 Sterling worth of ftrong fpirits may be fent to the 1110ft diftant market upon a cart drawn by two horfes, and manure in large quantities is produced for improving the barren qualities of the foil. Manure is the fource of all improvements in huf- bandry: It is w’onderful with what oeconomy it is col¬ lected in China, where the inhabitants of great cities are not allowed to pifs againft the wall, and every par¬ ticle of manure, to the very fhavings of a beard, is treafured up with the greateft care for the life of the hufbandmen, who, by that wife nation, arc even held in greater eftimation than the manufactures. The cul- ( 44 ) iet it be ena&ed, that any farmer, or other perfon connected with agriculture in Eng¬ land, fhali be allowed to ered hills of the fize of gallons contents, or upwards, and in Scotland of 30 gallons or upwards; which fize of 30 gallons to be the fmalleh that can be entered or ufed for the purpofe of diftilling corn-fpirits in Scotland, by which means the monopoly will be remo¬ ved, which at prefent occafions clandehine diftillation to be carried on to a great ex¬ tent, in private unentered hills, and will allow the manufacture of corn-fpirits to give that aid to the farmers, for which it is fo well adapted, by affording, at all times, a ready market for their crops of barley and hay. And tivation of the wafte lands in Great Britain ought un¬ doubtedly to be placed in the fame point of view with an infant manufacture, which muft always be ruined by an oppreffivc tax ; and it would therefore feetn ne- ceflary, for encouraging their cultivation, that govern¬ ment will agree to commute, at leaft for a number of years, the heavy burthens of tithes, malt and Ipirit taxes, on their produce. r ( 4 J ) And for giving the proprietors of land and iarmers fmther encouragement for extending the cultiv cion of Great Britain, iet it be enaded, that the monopoly ob¬ tained by the great diftillers, by 2d Geo. III. for fecuring to themfelves the total expor¬ tation trade be repealed, and allow Britifh coin fpiiits to be exported when diftilled in licenied Hills of any iize, the proportional duties and bounties on the malt confumed, and duty on the fpirits, to be drawn back upon exportation ; a fimilar indulgence being gianted for encouraging every other manufadure in the kingdom *. For * The Dutch cany on a great export trade in corn fpirits. The geneva manufactured by them being held in great eftimation over the whole world, large quan¬ tities are annually carried out by the Dutch and Danilh fliips to the Ead and Weft Indies. It is drunk by all the .Northern nations, and immenfe quantities are an¬ nually brought into Britain by the fmugglers. The fol¬ lowing cod prices of the belt Geneva, and French brandy, of the fined qnality, were obligingly given by ( 46 ) For the better preventing of elandeftine diftillation, let it be enatted, that no ftill fhall by two merchants in Edinburgh, who lately imported thefe articles. Bell: ftrong Holland’s geneva, coft per Englilh gallon, L. o 2 6 Excife and Cuftoms, - o 9 6-'J. Freight, infurance, &c. 00 i T | per gallon L. o 12 2 Beft Coniac brandy at Bourdeaux, L. o 2 o Excife and Cuftoms, - 09 < 5 |£ Freight, infurance, &c. - o o 3^5. L. o 11 10 The above are the current prices of the beft fpirits that are entered to pay the duties; but the price of the or¬ dinary Dutch gin, which is fmuggled into this country, runs from 14 s. to 18 s. per Flufhing anker, of 9' En¬ glifli gallons, the value of the calk included, which cofts a guilder, or 22 d. There is nothing that pre¬ vents Great Britain from carrying off this trade from the Dutch but the diftillery laws. They are obliged to purchafe of foreigners the whole of the grain from which the fpirits are extracted; whereas Great Britain can draw immenfe refources from the induftry of her bufbandmen. The gentlemen who imported the high priced ( 47 ) lliall be made or tranfported from one place to another, without an order from the Collector of Excife in the diftridt where the fame is intended to be eredted. And that no malfter or brewer fhall be allowed to difpofe of malt, without an or¬ der in writing from the perfon wanting the fame ; which order to be accompanied with a certificate from the excifeman in the bounds where the malt is to be ufed, fetting forth that the fame is for the ufe of a certain brewer, entered diftiller, or private family; the malt to be accompa¬ nied with a permit from the place where it was lodged, to the particular brewery or diftillery fpecified in the certificate. Should priced geneva above mentioned, informs us,that George Bifhop of Midfton’s geneva is equal, in point of flavour, to the very belt Dutch. But for carrying on this gen¬ tleman’s manufacture, a particular exemption from the feverity of the diftillery laws was found neceflary, o- therwife his manufadture would have been loft to this country. Should the parliament of Great Britain eftablifh the manufadure of corn-fpirits, by enading a general law to extend over the whole kingdom, for levying the duties by a licenfe on the contents of the hill, and thereby remove the monopoly, and free the trade from the fetters of Excife, much good may be expeded to refult from it, both by advancing the revenue, and en¬ couraging the agriculture of this country. If, however, the farmers in England have no reafon to complain, and if the landed intereft in that part of the united kingdom fhould efteem it dangerous to diffufe the diftillery over England for the benefit of their tenants. It may be con¬ fined as at prefent to the city of London, and other great towns in England, by fix¬ ing the minimum, or fmalleft fize of an enterable ftill at four, five, or fix thoufand gallons, which will allow, at the fame time, a free intercourfe betwixt the diftillers in every part of the united kingdom and the London ( 49 ) J.ondon market, it being then certain that fpirits from Scotland muft have paid an equal ihare of the duties with what is ma¬ nufactured in England ; for it certainly can never be intended to (hut out the di- ftillers in Scotland from the greateft market for fpirits in Europe, provided they are fair traders, for no other reafon than furnilh- ing the rectifiers in London with cheaper Spirits than what is diftilled in the heart of the city. Whenever the duties are levied in different manners in England and Scot¬ land, and Scots fpirits made liable in pay¬ ment of an equalizing duty of 21 d. or 22 d. per gallon, upon entering the port of London, being nearly equal to the whole duty exacted by government, that trade will be at au end ; for the quantum of tax will be fixed on Scots fpirits at that mar¬ ket, when perhaps the *' London diflillers G are * We have been Informed, by a gentleman who re- fided with a rectifier in the city or LonCon, that, upon an average, only one puncheon in five of fpirits came :n from ( 5 ° ) are not paying above the one half. This will molt effectually break through thole articles of the Union, which eftablifh a free trade from the diftillers, accompanied with a permit; or, in other words, that only one fifth part of the fpirits diftilled in London paid duty. This fa' e certain rcafhns which 0- blige diftillers at prefent to keep ft.lls in thor pofieillon to a much greater extent than they have any occaiion for ; and whenever the duty is levied on the contents of the itiil, thcle reafons will be removed. If a law is obtained, impofing 30 s. per gallon in Scotland, it is not to be doubted but that the revenue will be confi- dcrabiy incrcafed for one year. But the diftillers will loon land out that the quantity of fpirits which their prefent hills can produce, will bear no proportion to the quantity which the ct v wry can confumc; they will therefore cut down their ails to fuit that demand, which muft reduce the ret sr.ue to a trifle. V, r c beg tl t wr, that the idea of L. 1 per gallon origine.wl with our or live great diftillers. who- without ccmV'ing the land, attempted to bring in a Lil 1 v h:.-’ have given them a total monopoly 01 ie .n.ot.s market: Matters would then have gone fun-. ■ikiy on ; the prefent reve- nuc would have been paid ; , the price of fpirits would 1 53 ) would raife the price of that article above its proper fhndard. Government would not receive a revenue equivalent to the in- creafc of the manufacture, and the price of fpirits will be rendered fo low, that a great fmuggling trade would take place betwixt Scotland and iingland, even by land car¬ riage. A general clamour might confe- quently arife in the country againfl the al¬ teration in the diftillerv laws, and defigning men would lay hold of the opportunity of infilling with government, that the bad ef- fe&s, which only relulted from fixing the rate of duty too low, had been occafioned by the alteration of the diftillery laws in general, and would infill upon their being put upon their former footing. Were the farmers in Scotland to be con- fulted, we Ihould give it as our opinion, that have been kept up ; the value of barley would have fallen ; and tiiofe gcntlemeu-diftillerr would foon have got feats in parliament, and would have been fecureJ in a revenue, equal to that of his Grace the Duke of Bucclcugh, or perhaps Governor Halvings. C 54 ) that the licenfe on the ftill ought not to he under per gallon, which, if the mi¬ nimum is brought down to 30 gallons, as is propofed, would at all time.' moll effec¬ tually fecure a competent revenue to go¬ vernment, and infure us in a market for our crons of barley and hay, and prevent the bad effects which would attend the re¬ ducing the price of fpirius in Scotland be¬ low c s. 6 d. per gallon. Your farmers have further to obferve, that we are at prefent much impofed upon, by the purchalers of our produce, owing to the irregularity and confufion in the weights and mealures ufed in Scotland. By an article of the Union, the Englifn weights and meafures are eltablifhed by law in Scotland. Thefe meafures and weights are all confiderably lefs than the original Scots ones ; for which reafon, the magiftrates of boroughs have taken care to eftablilh them, in the difpofal of every ma- nufa&ured commodity. But grain, and everv I SS } every other article which your farmers' bring to market, continue to be regulated by the old meafures and weights; and the magiftrates in different boroughs now fix that quantum upon thefe weights and mea¬ fures, which they, in their profound wif- dom, judge, is for the benefit of the lieges. We have, however, here to ob- ferve, that thefe regulators of this impor¬ tant branch of police, always take care that their weights and meafures fhall be confi-. derably above the ancient ftandards. Your farmers, at a great expence, have lately oppofed an attempt to increafe the corn meafures, prefently ufed in the city of E- dinburgh, for purchafing grain from the farmers, (the corn-merchants meafures in the port of Leith remaining of the fame fize as formerly,) but as yet we have ob¬ tained no relief. We therefore mod humbly recommend the above weighty matters to your confi- deration; ( 5$ ) deration; and have taken the liberty to addrefs you, with no other intention than, throwing light on thefe important objecls ; having full confidence, that you will ufe every means in your power to relieve the farmers in Scotland from that diftrefs, of which they at prefent fo juftly complain. Signed, in name of the Farmers in Scotland, whofe Delegates met at Edinburgh, on the 18th January 1786, by Wm. MACK IE, One of the Delegates from Eaft Lothian, The prices of grain, See. mentioned in the fcheihesyof cropping in the 27th and following pages of the Addrefs, are the aftual average prices of the beft grain at the Edinburgh market, for 2c years, from 1761 to 1780, vizt 'Wheat, 18 s. 10 d. Barley, 13 s. qd. Peafe, us. 10 d. Oats, 12 s. The corn meafu res of the farmers" in Mid-Lothian are conftdcntbiy larger than the, legal ftandard. Their wheat lirlots are computed to contain 2250 cubic inches, and their barley firlofs 3250. The above mentioned prices will therefore corre- fpond with the following, p * the Winchester quarter ; Wheat, 3ds. Barley, 17s. id. Peafe or Beans, 22s, 5 d. Oats, 15 s. 5 d.