THE PRODUCE OF FORESTS. 179 



the eight years, 1894 to 1902, comes to 20 per cent. There 

 can be no doubt that we shall never again see the low 

 prices of ten to fifteen years ago, because the more 

 accessible forests in European exporting countries have 

 been heavily worked, if not exhausted, so that tlie timber 

 for export has, year by year, to be carried over longer 

 distances before it reaches the sea. 



But what about the non-European countries ? The following 

 table will illustrate the position of affairs : — 



Net Imports and Exports of Non-European Countries. 



The total net exports very nearly balance the net imports 

 of European countries as given above; the small ditference 

 could not be traced. It will be observed that the only 



N 2 



