NATIONAL AFFORESTATION 



only during the past century that coalfields 

 were developed. Large quantities of the 

 finest oak and other timber from the Sussex 

 forests were also converted into charcoal to be 

 utilised in the production of the far-famed 

 Sussex iron, which had a wide reputation and 

 was largely manufactured until the requisite 

 timber for producing the charcoal run out. 

 It may be of interest to mention that the 

 massive iron railings which partially surround 

 St. Paul's Cathedral were amongst the last 

 production of these Sussex ironworks. With 

 the disappearance of the timber, the charcoal- 

 burner was unable to follow his occupation, 

 and so one of the earliest and most interesting 

 of our woodland industries came to an end. 



At what date timber merchants appeared 

 on the scene would be difficult to say, but 

 we know that pine- wood was imported from 

 Norway to this country in 1656, though only 

 in small quantities, as we find from the 

 Geographical Directory that even as late as 

 1815 the annual value of deal sent from 

 Norway did not exceed 175,000. The home 



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