CATALOGUE OF THE TIMBERS OF THE WORLD 107 



should be used, but in practice sufficient care has not been taken either 

 by the shipper, merchant, or contractor. Probably the most prevalent 

 cause for this, and also for doubtful foundations, is the system of com- 

 petitive tendering and the endeavour to get work carried out at the 

 lowest cost. 



These difficulties have militated against the use of jarrah for block 

 pavement, and it is not so eagerly sought for as it was a few years ago ; 

 but considering the cost of labour and the inconveniences of more frequent 

 stoppage of traffic, jarrah pavement should be much more largely used 

 in the future. In 1899 Hornsey Road northward from Shaftesbury 

 Road was paved with samples of jarrah, white oak, creosoted deal, 

 and red gum blocks. The white oak and red gum mostly failed, but the 

 jarrah and creosoted deal were in good condition, practically nothing 

 having been spent in repair, after over six years' traffic. 



According to a report of Mr. W. N. Blair, Surveyor for the Borough 

 of St. Pancras : 



Park Street was paved with jarrah in June 1893, and in 1907 was in 

 good condition, very little having been spent in repair. Pancras Road, 

 in front of the Town Hall and round into Great College Street, was paved 

 with jarrah in 1892, and, excepting the tramway tracks and margins, was 

 in good condition in 1907, very little having been spent in repair. Mr. 

 Blair speaks of the hfe of jarrah blocks under very heavy traffic as nearly 

 four years and considers it satisfactory, and also that the life is about 

 50 per cent longer than that of creosoted deal. In his report he makes 

 this very significant statement, which should receive the very greatest 

 attention of all pavement engineers : "It was not until some of our 

 earliest laid jarrah pavement had worn into holes that the cause of the 

 holes was discerned to be due to the presence of blocks with certain 

 characteristics in their grain, which for several years past we have been 

 rejecting, with the result that more recent work will wear more evenly, 

 and, therefore, will have longer Hfe than the earlier work. . . . The 

 following may be taken as conditions characteristic of the two timbers : 



"Jarrah. — Easily cleansed ; very durable ; good foothold generally ; 

 becomes noisy by wear on edges of blocks. 



" Creosoted Deal. — Holds the dirt, and becomes greasy ; less secure 

 foothold ; takes frost readily, therefore slippery ; wears evenly, but 

 quickly ; more silent under traffic. Exudes an oily film, causing slipperi- 

 ness, and an unpleasant odour for some time. The effect of creosoting 

 at first reduces porosity, but this protection diminishes." He con- 

 cludes by sa}^ing that all the motor omnibus companies were unanimous 

 in favour of jarrah pa\ing for safe travelling for rubber-tyred vehicles. 

 In a later note in 1914 he thinks that " having regard to their relative 

 prices and life and to certain characteristics attaching to each, such, for 



