A. EF. Verrill—The Bermuda Islands. 605 
In 1671, the Company complained that three vessels, not belong- 
ing to them, had been allowed to take away cargoes of oranges, 
packed in some hundreds of boxes made from young cedars, and 
therefore made an order that no one should cut cedars less than 8 
inches in diameter, or else forfeit 40 shillings for every tree so felled. 
All persons were also forbidden, at the same time, to consign any 
boxes or casks made of cedar to any person not a member of the 
Company, or to “colour” any such boxes of cedar. 
The condition of the cedars on the islands about 1660-70 may be 
understood from the following documents. The first is part of a 
remonstrance sent by the Council to the Bermuda Company against an 
anticipated law (adopted subsequently) prohibiting the building of 
any vessels of more than five tons.* After giving weighty arguments 
for the benefits to be derived from building vessels, the remonstrants 
say as follows: “ But it may be objected : 
first. The Plantacon is bare of Timber and some Planters want 
wood to burne 
2ndly. If shipping should be built they would have neither timber 
nor plantes for fortification. To the first wee answer that covetious- 
nes was the first cause of the desert, by ther sale when time served, 
or burning to make roome for Tobacco &c. and the remedy for this 
disease did much more increase it (videlzt), the Prohibition, ffor who 
would be soe weake to plante and preserve that which will yield noe 
present profitt neither could enjoy that to dispose of, the which, 
instead of pservation hath caused the destruction of abundance 
of young Cedars and of much good timber, beside the great number 
of good old treese blown-downe by winds, which perish and lie rot- 
ting on the ground in many places, soe that of Treese of great 
bigness can scarce be gotten sixe inches of Coopers Timber. More- 
over our late Governr hath given good example, if followed wee 
need not feare want of firewood, or of Timber to build with, ffor in 
Twentie yeares a plant well preserved may be good building timber.” 
In 1663, the Bermuda Company enacted the law, referred to in 
the previous remonstrance, forbidding the building of vessels larger 
than five tons at the Bermudas. But perhaps this was more for the 
purpose of preventing trade with the other colonies than to save the 
cedars, as pretended. At least that seems to have been the way it 
was viewed by the Bermudians, and it was in accord with the 
general policy of the Company. This law was enforced, so far as 
* This law continued in effect till the dissolution of the Company in 1684, but 
was not strictly enforced. 
