Aliceholt and Woolmer Forest. 45 



done in the fall of 1,000 loads in 1784, be would, npon every fall made 

 for the navy, have considerable quantities of useful timber which 

 could not be comprised under the description of boughs and branches. 

 It is equally necessary, " continue the Commissioners, " that this point 

 should be settled before any farther wood sales are made in this 

 forest, as few persons would choose to become purchasers subject to 

 such a claim, before it is determined what part they would be obliged 

 to leave for the grantee." To us it seems that the meaning of the 

 clause relative to boughs and branches could only be to give such 

 boughs and branches as might be left, after taking out all that could 

 be useful for house or shipbuilding. In 1G08 there were growing in 

 this forest 13,031 trees fit for the navy, and so many dotard or 

 decayed trees as were computed to contain 23,934 loads. In 1635 the 

 timber was valued at £10,247, reckoning the value at 10s. per load, 

 underwood and thorns included. In 1783 the total number of oak trees 

 was 38,919, measuring 15,142 loads, and 6,119 saplings of one and 

 two feet each, besides beech, ash, and elm timber, valued altogether at 

 £45,862 8s. 9d. These were days when it was an important matter 

 to have a good supply of native oak for naval purposes ; now, like 

 other British forests, old associations make its principal value, although 

 it still supplies good timber, and will doubtless continue to do so for 

 long years to come. 



