too Easily Satisfyed in their Enquiries, without making that
Diligent Search at using the Means necessary and proper for
their Information on this Occasion. And though your Commee
in Severall Instances think themselves Justified in
making this Observation, They will mention at present
only one, which is the Return from the Portugal Ward
Westminster , by which Return of the Constable, who
is himself a Retailer, it appears that only Twentyone
at present deal in these Liquors in the said Ward Though
by a Return made from the said Ward ten years agoe,
there were found Ninty Nine in the said Ward who
sold Liquors by Retail.

In this Number of Seven thousand and
forty four are Included such Victuallers who Sell
Geneva or other Strong Waters as well as ale & Beer
thought is highly probable from the great Decay visible
for some years past of the Brewing Trade, without
any Diminution in the Number of Victuallers, That
the Quantity of Strong Waters< no role > now drunk in ale houses
is vastly Encreased of late years beyond what was
formerly Usuall; And it appears by the Constables
Returns, who have taken care to distinguish the
Victuallers , who also Sell Spirituous Liquors, from
those who deal only in those Liquors, that the Number
of the Latter Considerably Exceeds the former; the
former as appears by the Returns amounts to three
thousand Two hundred & Nine, the latter to three
thousand Eight hundred & thirty five of which Numbers
added together four thousand Nine hundred & thirty nine
are Licensed, Two thousand one hundred & five Unlicensd.

It is with the deepest Concern your Committee Observe
the Strong Inclination of the Inferior Sort of People to these
destructive Liquors, And how Surprizingly this Infection has
spread within these few years, not only the Vicious & Immoral
give into this practice, But those also who to all appearance
are in other Respects Sober and Regular, Not only one
person here and there in a Family But whole Famelies
shamefully and Constantly indulge themselves in this
Pernicious practice, Fathers and Masters; Children as well
as Servants. And whereas the Retail Trade of Wine & ale
is Generally Confined to Vinterers & Victuallers, this of
Geneva is now Sold not only by Distillers & Geneva Shops
But