INSPECTIONS.

1479

four persons to be gaugers of casks in the city of Baltimore, and

as many as may be necessary from time to time in other parts

of said state, whose duty it shall be to gauge and ins'pect all

domestic distilled spirits brought or made therein, contained in

casks for sale or exportation, and who shall also gauge when

thereunto required, any cask containing foreign spirits, wine,

oil, molasses or other liquid merchandise; and before either of

said gaugers shall enter upon the duties of his office, he shall

Their du-

give bond to the governor on behalf of the state of Maryland,

ties; bonds.

with two good securities to be approved by the governor and

council, conditioned in the sum of one thousand dollars each

for the faithful discharge of the duties of his office, and when-

ever either of said gaugers shall be sick, he may and shall

appoint a competent deputy to perform his duties for the time

Deputy.

being, and for whose conduct the principal shall be held respon-

sible.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That the gangers aforesaid shall

4 districts;

divide the city of Baltimore in four or more convenient districts,

alternately.

and having allowed one district to each ganger, that they shall

thereafter perform their duties progressively through said dis-

trict, interchanging the same on every Monday morning, and

that it shall and may be lawful for either of said gaugers upon

application being made to him for that purpose, to gauge and

inspect within any other than his allotted district, provided the

quantity of liquor ready to be gauged or inspected, shall make

it necessary for him to do so in order to prevent delay ; and it

-

shall be the duty of each of the gaugers aforesaid, to return

once in every six months, on oath or affirmation to the governor

Make re-

and council, an accurate account of the number of each deno-

turns on
oath.

mination of casks containing liquors by him gauged or inspected,

distinguishing those containing domestic distilled liquors from

all others.

SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That the gaugers aforesaid shall

Mark B.

mark all merchantable casks containing domestic distilled li-

quors, with the letter B. with a marking iron on the bilge near

the bung of each cask, to denote Baltimore inspection, and

Cask pre-

every cask containing such liquor to be passed as merchantable,

scribed.

must be round at the bilge and heads, the staves thereof to be

seasoned white oak, free from any injurious portion of sap

wood, and not less than half an inch thick at the thinest part,

and not more than three-quarters of an inch at the thickest part

thereof, and to be tight and secured with a sufficient number of

good hoops, if of iron six, and if of wood, not less than twelve

good and sufficient hoops on all barrels, and at least twelve

good and sufficient hoops on all double barrels and hogsheads ;

and if any cask containing such liquor shall be found insuf-

ficient in any of those respects by either of said gangers, he