[ i84 ] 



the canals, thofe pieces can be got to the fea-ports 

 as cheap from the inland counties as by land-carriage 

 from the nnaritime counties, there will be no danger 

 of want of oak timber, either in the King's or the 

 merchants' yards; or that the price of it will rife 

 higher thao its real value, compared with the value 

 of other timber. 



But admitting the fcarcity of oak ever to be real, 

 1 beg leave to ftate to the fociety my reafons for 

 thinking that larch will never be a fubftitute for pak 

 in (hip-building. 



The flrength of a ihip depends on the tightnefs 

 and folidity of its conftru6lion. The flrait pieces of 

 timber ufed in a (hip are very few, the greateft part 

 are crooked. And to attain the necefTary tightnefs 

 and folidity of the whole, thofe crooked pieces muft 

 grow in the very (hape they are to form in the (hip. 

 No Englilh timber admits of that variety of (hape 

 but oak; and if there were any that did, there is no 

 other that will (land wet and dry. 



Larch is a Jlrait-gra'med tree, and cannot be 



broiTght into any of the crooked ufes of a fhi'p, nor 



trill it ftand wet and dry for planking. It may fup- 



. ply the place of deal for flooring j but the price of 



foreigh deal at the fea-ports will probably be always 



lower 



