communicated to the liquor, and also to the backing, as it is called, of oatmeal and hot water.

In distilling the wash, the strong low-wines are separated from the weak, the latter being thrown back into the still with the succeeding charge of wash; a similar practice is observed in making spirits, the feints being put into the still with the next charge of low-wines. Thus the spirits are preserved pure and clear, nothing whatever being used in the distillation but a small quantity of soap thrown into the still with the pot-ale to neutralise, or keep down the barm, (as they term it,) which would, otherwise, cause the run of the low-wines to become coloured like the wash, or to get foul. It is a mistaken notion to suppose that soap is used only by the great distillers, since it is considered an indispensable article by every person who understands the mode of working a still on the old system.

The manufacture of these illicit stills has been long a favourite beverage in Ireland, being from malt without adulteration, and possessing a flavour which habit has rendered most agreeable. This, combined with the high duties on legally-distilled spirits, and the want of a ready market for the disposal of the grain of remote and mountainous districts, induced the people to embark in this illicit traffic to an extent, which was not only injurious to the agriculture and revenue of the country, but to the morals and peaceful habits of the community. To such an extent was it carried, that in 1806, out of 11,400,030 gallons, (the computed consumption of spirits in Ireland in that year,) 3,800,000 gallons were allowed to be the produce of illicit manufacturers; and in 1811, 1812, and 1813, there were no less than 19,067 illicit distilleries destroyed by the revenue and military.

To put down this illicit trade, various enactments were passed by the legislature, among which that of fining the townlands on which any portion of a still, wash, low wines, or other materials for distillation were found, was not the least oppressive. The annual average of fines levied for seven years under the act for the suppression of this evil, amounted to £50,989 for all Ireland, while in one county alone the sum laid for 1806, was £2,620; in 1807, £2,750; and in 1814, £18,125. How could it be expected to be otherwise, when it was proved before the parliamentary commissioners, that many men were found to declare that they had never done a day's work in their lives but at illicit distillation, and that they knew nothing else by which they could gain subsistence.

Many interesting and curious facts might be related of the extraordinary contrivances of the people to evade the law and prevent detection, such as the artful construction of distilleries on the boundaries of townlands, in the caverns of mountains, on islands in lakes, on boats in rivers; of carrying away and secreting revenue officers for weeks together to prevent their giving testimony, the romantic manner of their treatment while in confinement, and the various other schemes and devices to defeat the intentions of the govern

ment.

Among these may be mentioned the instance of a person who had constructed a distillery so artfully, that it eluded the vigilance of the most expert officers of excise, though known to have long existed in the neighbourhood. A determined gentleman of this department resolved to find it out at all hazards, and, on one moonlight night, unaccompanied by any person, he followed a horse led by a peasant, having a sack across the back of the animal, which, he suspected contained materials for this mysterious manufactory. When the horse had arrived at a certain place, the sack was removed from his back, and suddenly disappeared. The officer made his observations, returned to his residence, and having procured military assistance, repaired to the place where the horse had been unloaded. All was silent, the moon shone bright, the ground was unmarked by any peculiar appearance, and he was almost inclined, (as well as those who accompanied him) to think that he laboured under a delusion. Perceiving, however, some brambles loosely scattered about the place, he proceeded to examine more minutely, and on their removal, discovered some loose sods, under which was found a trap door leading to a small cavern, at the bottom of which was a complete distillery at full work, supplied by a subterraneous stream, and the smoke conveyed from it through the windings of a tube that was made to communicate with the funnel of the chimney of the distiller's dwelling-house, situated at a considerable distance.

Another distillery has been known to be worked on the site, and in conjunction with a lime-kiln, which, from the kiln being continually in operation, kept the other for years without detection. So cunningly were some of those still-houses situated, and so artfully constructed, that the smoke proceeding from them was made to issue as if from burning heath, or sods of peat, ignited for manure. Their position was, for the most part, either on a commanding eminence, in the centre of a bog, or in a well-secured fastness; but always calculated to prevent the identity of townland or proprietorship, while the

portability and easy removal of the apparatus rendered the discovery and seizure of those stills difficult and hazardous. On the approach of a stranger, an alarm was given either by deputing a messenger or sounding a horn, while the machinery was removed, and the potale always destroyed or conveyed into receptacles under ground prepared for such exigencies. Thus the still-hunter was often disappointed of his expected prize, the poor distiller put to the loss of many a brewing, and the excise officer rendered the object of the hatred and vindictive feeling of the unreflecting peasantry.

The subjoined engraving represents a distillery of this description at full work, with a party of police approaching to seize it, while two peasants may be seen on the rocks, sounding their horns to alarm the smugglers

The fines on townlands having been abolished, it was found necessary to adopt some other measure to put down illicit distillation_ recourse was, therefore, had to a Revenue Police, the Excise officers having too much other business to attend to, and the difficulty and expense of procuring regular military assistance being almost insurmountable. Accordingly, a Revenue Police was established in 1822, and was gradually augmented in proportion to the exigency of the service. In 1826, this force amounted to thirty-two parties; in

January, 1833, to fifty-seven parties, and in the present year to seventy parties-amounting, including officers and men, to upwards of 1200 persons. They were distributed through those parts of the country in which illicit distillation most prevailed, and though their exertions have been very great, yet they have but partially suppressed the evil.

Their services will be best appreciated by an enumeration of the detections made by them in four successive years :—

Stills.

Malt Bush.

Distilleries. Worts Galls. Spirits seized.

1830... 804.........25136.........1788........ 122263......... 624 1831... 723.... .24901.........1479......... ...106908................. 353 1832... 974......

.47688...... .2299. ...203472...... .1150 1833...1539..... ...71782. ....3300......

..320813.........6944

Since the re-organization of the Revenue Police under the superintendence of Colonel Brereton, and the judicious alterations made by him, this force has become more effective, and will, no doubt, prove of great benefit to the Revenue.

Experience has proved that illicit distillation has always decreased in proportion to the lowness of the duty, so that it was almost annihilated by the reduction which took place in 1823, by causing a substitution nearly universal of the legal for the illegal article. Difference of opinion, however, exists respecting the extent to which a reduction of duty should be made; perhaps the best means to prevent the evil under consideration, would be to reduce the duty in proportion to the average price of grain in the provinces, so that the temptation to manufacture spirits from it, would be less than the grain itself would bring in the market. Such a measure could scarcely fail of having, at least, a powerful influence, if not of effecting a total suppression of the illegal practice, while it would give the preponderance in favour of the legal manufacturer.

Of the many plans which have been laid to obstruct the revenue officers in the discharge of their duty, the following is not the least deserving of notice :-On the approach of the Assizes in 1803, when many were about to be prosecuted for illicitly distilling, an officer, stationed at Dunfanaghy, in the County of Donegal, who was to support the informations, was suddenly seized, blind-folded, and carried away by a body of men in disguise, and brought to the island of Arran on the western coast. From thence he was conveyed to the islands of Goal, Innismay, &c. where he was closely confined, often threatened with the loss of life, and was even obliged, by way of

humiliation for his active services, to assist in the working of an illicit still; while, like another Tantalus, the cup of pleasure was held to his parched lips, without the liberty of gratifying his thirsty desires. At the end of thirteen days, when the necessity for his confinement had ceased, he was again blindfolded, taken from the island, and sent a considerable distance into the interior of the country, where the mask was removed from his face, and he was allowed in the solitude of night, to make his way to his disconsolate family, who, all the time, had looked upon his restoration as hopeless. Another officer, on a similar occasion, was hurried from his bed, without any covering except his shirt and trousers, put into a sack, thrown across the back of a horse, and, in this manner, was conducted to the margin of a lake, where, in his own hearing, a consultation was held whether he should be drowned by tieing a stone to the sack and committing it to the deep, or that he should be put to a more lingering and torturing death. In this awful state of suspense he was removed to a mountainous part of the country, where he was subjected to every kind of insult and privation, continually menaced with death in every shape of barbarity, led out at night as if about to be executed, and again conducted to his solitary habitation, anticipating a renewal of further cruelties. In this state he was retained for a considerable time, till the Judge who presided at the Assizes, during the trial of some persons for illicitly distilling, suspecting the parties as being accessary to this outrage, told them, that if the officer who had been taken away, were not immediately liberated, he would pass such a sentence on them as would for ever put it out of their power to commit such another offence, and gave them but twenty-four hours for his restoration. This had the desired effect: the unfortunate man was again put into a sack and restored to his family in the same manner as that in which he had been carried away.

To the vigorous measures of government, aided by the gentry of the country, but more to the lowering of the duty and the encouragement given to small stills, the present decrease of illicit distillation may be mainly attributed; and though it still exists, its prevalence is but comparatively partial.

The legal distilling establishments of the country are, for the most part, conducted on an extensive scale, the stills ranging from 500 to 20,000 gallons' contents. In Cork, the establishments of Wyse, Callaghan, Morrogh, Lyons, O'Keeffe, Shee, and Daly, are of immense magnitude, while the concern of Murphy, as well as that of Hackett at Middleton, are little inferior. The distillery of Clonmel contains