[ 24 J ai 
Newfoundland, and other fitheries, and the vaft in- 
creafe of thofe for commerce; the wonder would 
rather be, where or how a quantity of oak timber 
fufficient to anfwer demands fo immenfe fhould be 
found: add to all thefe, the conftant demand there 
is for domeftic purpofes, and the quantity appears 
to be truly aftonifhing. It is true, however, that 
for domeftic ufe, fir timber has greatly fupplied the 
place of oak; and as it works much eafier, and 
comes cheaper for infide work, it is moftly pre- 
ferred: but for timber conftantly expofed to the 
viciffitudes of weather, nothing yet difcovered is by 
any means equal to oak, or any way comparable to 
it, either for {trength or duration, or in the end for 
cheapnefs. The price of deal timber hath confi- 
derably advanced, and will probably continue to do 
fo; but fuppofing it fhould not, it would be neither 
politic or economical, to depend upon the uncer. 
tainty of foreign fupplies for an article fo neceflary, 
which might be fupplied with certainly at home, 
with fafety to the public, and much to the intereft 
of individuals. 
_ Whether oak timber, and timber and wood in 
general, has dimmithed, and is annually dimifhing, 
is a queftion which cannot be decided by mere opi- 
nion; for opinion is unworthy of regard, unlefs it 
be founded on experience and obfervation. Re- 
courfe muft therefore be had to faéts colle€@ted from 
general obfervation. Every man, be the place of 
his 
