xii INTRODUCTION 



end of a four-years war show that the quantity 

 of timber in English woods had been grossly 

 under-estimated. 



The public returns show that from 1914 to 

 1916 the imports of timber had fallen from eight 

 million loads to six million loads. Possibly 

 these figures do not include all the timber im- 

 ported into England by the Government, nor all 

 the foreign timber imported into France for the 

 use of the army. Whatever may be the precise 

 figures there can be no doubt that during the 

 war the timber used for pit-props and for army 

 purposes, both in France and England, was 

 mainly drawn from the woodlands of the United 

 Kingdom. There is also no doubt that the 

 country has taken this timber at very cheap 

 rates. No timber during this war, not even the 

 best qualities of ash, has made better prices 

 than were obtained during the Napoleonic wars. 

 Nearly all woods have been sold at a figure 

 which represents less than 4 per cent, of the 

 capital sunk in their production. If there are 

 any woods which sold for more than 4 per cent, 

 of the cost of production they must be extremely 

 exceptional cases. Most timber sold during the 

 war was taken at prices compulsorily fixed by 

 the Timber Controller or the War Losses Com- 



