422 COMPAEISON OF MODES OF TRANSPORT. 



it produces, in quantity or quality. The cost of transport 

 is affected greatly by the cost of construction of the neces- 

 sary works, their effectiveness and durability, and the cost 

 of their maintenance. It should be noted that the crucial 

 point lies rather with the actual current charges for trans- 

 port and maintenance of the works, than with the original 

 capital expenditure on construction. From these considera- 

 tions, however, it cannot be laid down as a general rule, 

 which method will be cheaper, or which dearer. 



If only the cost of construction when compared with current 

 charges were to decide the question in mountain-districts, a 

 well-designed network of cart-roads and slides must be 

 abandoned for ever, for such works, especially among high 

 mountains, require a very large capital expenditure ; also then 

 all ideas of constructing forest-tramways would be illusory. 

 Whilst, however, the original cost of other works, such as 

 wooden slides or wooden works on a floating-channel, is com- 

 paratively low, the cost of maintenance in their case is very 

 high. This is also the case as regards the cost of using wood 

 instead of stone in works on roads or floating-channels. In 

 most cases an estimate of the cost of the works will show, that 

 unless the price of wood is very low, the greatest attention 

 must be paid to solid construction and durable material. 

 Even where the prices of wood in the forest are locally and 

 temporarily depreciated, there can be no reason for neglecting 

 modern and rational modes of transport, improvement in 

 transport being followed always by higher prices. 



How illogical it is that a forest-owner should be frightened 

 by the prospect of large initial expenditure on durable means 

 of transport, is borne out by actual experience in the case of 

 forest-tramways. Independently of the great advantages they 

 ensure for expediting the transport of forest produce to the 

 centres of the timber-trade, for facilitating the sale of inferior 

 assortments, for a rapid clearance of the felling-areas, prevent- 

 ing a loss of wood, etc., the transport charges are actually 

 much lessened when compared with ordinary cart-traffic, so 

 that good interest is obtained for the capital which has been 

 invested. In the Grimmnig forest range near Potsdam, the 

 cost of transporting a cubic meter (35 '3 cubic feet) of common 



