184 TIMBER 



by insects than the Rangoon timber and is not so well con- 

 verted ; it is, however, much cheaper, not running to much 

 more than half the cost of Rangoon, and obtains a ready 

 market. Some of the better quality of Java teak is very 

 suitable for certain classes of work where mild-natured 

 teak is not essential, but a large quantity of poor stuff is 

 exported. Logs and planks are also brought from Bangkok 

 and the price is much the same as Moulmein or Rangoon. 

 Great quantities of teak railway keys are now imported. 



The total quantity of teak exported from Burma in 

 1904-5 was 135,385 tons, as against 156,039 tons in the 

 previous year, and of this 87,068 tons were shipped to 

 British India and 34,407 tons, or 25 per cent, of the total, 

 were exported to the United Kingdom. The supply of 

 Rangoon teak is not equal to the demand ; all that can be 

 got is quickly bought up. Teak is classed highest of all 

 timbers at Lloyd's. 1 



Weight, well seasoned, from 37 to 52 Ibs. per cubic foot. 



In connection with teak may be mentioned the curious 

 circumstance that much emphasis is laid by different forest 

 officials on the damage to the timber caused by careful 

 protection of the forests from fire, which is in contrast 

 to what is the case in America and shows that like causes 

 do not produce like effects. From much evidence bearing 

 on this point, the following remarks made by Mr. Troup in 

 the Indian Forester will suffice: " It is impossible by mere 

 figures, however accurate ... to give any idea of the 

 terrible destruction which is being wrought in our once 

 valuable moist mixed forests by prolonged fire protection. 

 . . . We are most certainly exterminating our teak by fire 



1 Although such a large quantity of teak is used for constructive 

 purposes in India, the author cannot find any carefully recorded series 

 of experiments on large pieces of timber. The modulus of rupture is 

 generally assumed as between 12,000 and 13,000 Ibs. per square inch. 



