representative, they would enter one of the vaults. Supposing it to be the East, the man who attended to the lamps, would hand one to each person, and call the cooper whose turn it was to show wines. The cooper enquired the names of the import ships, by whom bonded, the date, and the marks and numbers of the casks; and if he did not know where they were, referred to a book in which all are kept.

On being told which the dealer wished to taste first, he would probably have to squeeze himself in between casks in one of the narrow gangways off the main one, and driving his fret into the cask named, would bring forward a large glassful.

When this had been duly criticised, more of the same or of other importations might be tasted; or the customer' would perhaps return to the quay, into other vaults with some one else.

and go

The coopers were a shrewd intelligent set of men, and never did I see one of them tipsy. But other temptations were held out, too powerful to resist. From the conversations they overheard, and from being frequently asked to give their opinion, they picked up a good deal of knowledge, and especially became acquainted with many of the dealers who came to the docks to buy. By speaking to them in a confidential way, of certain casks they could privately show, that were worth notice for goodness and cheapness, they were considered men whose services were worth securing

Accordingly, it was known that several were in the pay of houses, and that they took every opportunity they safely could to show the wines of those firms. They also managed to fine a cask or two of each parcel, which was thus bright, with a beautiful face;' while others were out of condition. It is also alleged, probably not without grounds, that when a glass of another cask was desired to be brought forward, still the same 'fined' cask was the one drawn from, and its contents exhibited to the dealer.

About the year 1853 it was discovered that great frauds were carried on, and almost every cooper in the East Vault was dismissed.

As soon as a cask is in the slings of the dock company to be hoisted from the hold of the ship, the company become responsible, and continue so while it remains in the docks. If it is taken away at once, there are certain charges for landing, cooperage, wharfage, &c. ; but if it is placed in the vault, there is a charge of about 20s. per pipe per annum, called the consolidated rate, which includes everything, and three months' rent; but is exclusive of tasting, which is 2d. per cask each time.

For this consolidated rate, the cask is under the care of the company, and if any accident occurs before it has been placed on the merchant's cart, they must pay all damage. They are not, however, responsible for any deficiency which does not exceed one gallon per cask per annum, it being considered

that this may arise from natural evaporation and leakage; and thus, if a cask of 100 gallons were housed on the 31st of December, 1861, and taken away on the 30th of December, 1862, the quantity being found on regauging to be 99 gallons, the merchant could make no claim; but if it were 98 gallons, he would be entitled to send an invoice to the company for 1 gallon.

The dock rates are somewhat higher than at wharves, and in bonded vaults in provincial towns; but the security, and the satisfaction of knowing that the casks are properly attended to, are worth an extra charge. It is, of course, impossible to prevent frauds occasionally in these and other establishments, but great care is used to check their

occurrence.

I leave this as it appeared in the first edition, as a specimen of the rules and regulations in my old dock days; but here is a copy of the present rates and charges of the London Dock Company :—

A bill is now passing through parliament for the amalgamation of the London, St. Katherine, and

INJURY TO WINES IN BOND.

11

Victoria Dock Companies, which, when joined, will have the power of charging as a maximum :

Landing and housing rate on.

Cape, Teneriffe, Canary, s.

Madeira,

8. d.

Marsala and 8 per pipe, now only 6 0

It is, however, to be hoped that the habit of keeping wines in bond will not be continued, for it is ruinous to every cask of natural wine from any and every country. Such kinds as Port, Sherry, Marsala, &c., with 35 to 45 per cent. of proof spirit, will stand any amount of maltreatment and knocking about; and, generally, the longer they have been in bond the better they are; but it is very different with those that have not been dosed with spirit, and which, therefore, require constant care and attention.

In the docks this is quite impracticable; and when it is stated that, wherever little or no spirit is added, every cask is racked from the lees two or three times during the first two years, and is filled to the bung every week, it is evident that it must be destructive

to them to remain where the sole care from year's end to year's end is that the dock company shall lose none of the liquid. In many cellars in France there are 6,000, 8,000, and 10,000 hogsheads requiring daily supervision; but, even in the bonded cellars at Bercy, near Paris, every merchant has entire control of his stock, and employs his own men, in the management of his stock. This is also the case in Holland and Belgium; and it must become the case here, if we are to have a larger consumption of unbrandied wines.

The following remarks, which I extract from a weekly French paper devoted to wine affairs, show what is thought in France on this point:

There are in London vast docks, in which are deposited wines on which the duty is not paid when they are landed. The company to whom the docks belong employ only their own servants. When a cask is placed in their cellars, it must remain till the duty is paid or it is exported, without being either filled up or racked from its lees; and in this state it is delivered. The buyer has tasted bright wine, but when he receives his cask it seems a mass of lees; and it is little wonder that the exclamation is often made, What stuff this French wine is!'

There is another evil. Merchants and retailers are equally ignorant of the treatment of all wines not loaded with brandy. This is not surprising, as they are not permitted to have any charge of their wines in the docks. We ought not, therefore, to send any wine to the docks in London, till there shall be arrangements, as in Paris, by which every merchant may be enabled to take charge of his own, and to employ his own men to do what is required. This is allowed in Holland and Belgium, and