Tlie Beginnings of Liwibering in the New World 19 



Unfortunately this extract does not give the date of the paper, 

 but from other statements in it we infer that it was written soon 

 after Maine was annexed to Massachusetts in 1652. About this 

 time there were three saw-mills running at Newichwannock. 



From the representations made in 1681 by the King's Council, 

 by which Council New Hampshire was then governed, to the 

 lords of trade pursuant to their order, we learn something of 

 the magnitude of the lumber business on the Pascataqua at that 

 time.* " The trade of the Province" say they, " is in masts, 

 planks, boards and staves and all other lumber, which at present 

 is of little value in other plantations to which they are trans- 

 ported, so that we see no other way for the advantage of the 

 trade, unless his majesty please to make our river a free port." 



' ' Importation by strangers is of little value : ships commonly 

 selling their cargoes in other governments and if they come here, 

 usually come empty to fill with lumber — ' ' 



By an account of the entries in the port annexed to the above, 

 it appears that from the 15th of June, 1680 to the 12th of April, 

 1681, were "entered twenty-two ships, eighteen ketches, two 

 barks, three pinks, one shallop and one fly-boat, in all forty- 

 seven." This for ten months. If the ships, ketches and barks 

 were all loaded with lumber, we can form some idea of the im- 

 portance of this business. 



At that time ' ' taxes were commonly paid in this province in 

 lumber or provisions at stated prices, and whoever paid them in 

 money was abated one-third part." The prices in 1680 were as 

 follows : 



"Merchantable White Pine Boards per M. 30s. 



White Oak pipe staves per ditto £ 3. 



Red Oak dito per ditto 30s. 



Red Oak Hhd. ditto 25s. 



Indian corn per bushel 3s. 



Wheat per ditto 5s. 



Malt per ditto 4s. 



Silver was 6s and 8d per oz." (Belknap's Hist, N. H. , p. 95). 



The number of lumber-laden ships sailing from Portsmouth 

 that year shows that the Piscataqua was at that time the center 

 of the lumber trade of the colonies. It continued to be the 

 center of this business for many years, or until the virgin forests 

 of the territory drained by the Piscataqua and its branches had 



*Belk nap's Hist, N. H., p. 94. 



