MANUFACTURES, ETC. 189 



more than twice as much labor and material as it would in 

 California. The total expenditure for permanent improve- 

 ments at Mare Island, has been perhaps $1,000,000. There 

 are some dwellings for officers, and buildings for workshops ; 

 but instead of having machinery and materials for construct- 

 ing half a dozen large iron-cladsat once, there is not enough 

 of either for the convenient building of a small wooden vessel. 

 In fact, we are almost helpless ; and such security as we enjoy 

 on this Coast against aggression is due, not to our strength, 

 but to the pacific disposition or interests of the great naval 

 powers of Europe. 



A Board of Government Engineers, in March, 1874, recom- 

 mended the following permanent improvements, viz : For 

 grading 100,000 cubic yards per annum, 15 years, $500,000 ; 

 the quay wall, 500 linear feet per annum, $2,500,000 ; for 

 extension of floating dock basin, and building and repairing 

 ways, 675 feet, to include Ways No. 8, and iron floating dock, 

 $1,750,000; for wood and metal work-shops for yards and 

 docks, $500,000 ; for carpenter and joiner shops for construc- 

 tion and repair, $300,000 ; for machine shops, storehouse, and 

 offices, 8700,000 ; for storehouse and office for yards and docks, 

 $250,000 ; for temporary erecting-shop for steam engineering, 

 $300,000 ; for sail-loft in store, $300,000 ; for general store 

 for ordnance, $250,000 ; for shell-house for ordnance, $250.. 

 000 ; for smithery, $200,000 ; for machine shop, $500,000 ; 

 for boiler shop, $250,000 ; for storehouse, $300,000 ; or foun- 

 dry, $250,000 ; for construction basin complete, $1,500,000. 

 Total for fifteen years' construction estimated at $10,600,000. 



138. Lumbering. Lumbering, or the preparation of for- 

 est timber for industrial purposes, is an important branch of 

 the industry of the State. Our houses are built of lumber, 

 our streets are planked with lumber, our fields are fenced with 

 lumber, and our flumes and sluices are made of lumber. Some 

 parts of the State are very rich in timber, and can readily sup- 

 ply the whole demand. Lumber is of three kinds, sawn, 



