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CHAPTER V. 



WOOD-TEANSPORT BY WATER. 



Transport of wood by water-carriage consists either in floating 

 logs, scantling or firewood, piece by piece, dow^n streams, or in 

 rafting tbem, after they have been bound together in rafts. 



This is the oldest form of transport known, and is referred to 

 in the Bible in 1 Kings, v., when Solomon rafted large cedar 

 logs from Tyre for the construction of the Temple at Jerusalem. 

 In the Roman provinces (Gau) of Germany, only logs were floated, 

 the floating of firewood being a more recent industry. At present, 

 timber-floating is carried on more or less in many streams, 

 especially in mountain-regions where timber-transport by water 

 is most highly elaborated. 



Section I. — Floating. 



Under this section the floating of single pieces of wood to 

 their destination will be discussed. 



The section describes : — the natural suitability of any stream 

 for floating ; artificial improvements of streams ; erection of the 

 necessary w^orks for the maintenance of a proper supply of water 

 and for catching the wood at its destination, and the methods 

 employed in floating wood. 



All streams cannot be used for floating wood : they may be too 

 weak or too strong, with too narrow or too wide beds ; they are 

 sometimes too winding ; bad banks, rocks, boulders, &c., may 

 interfere with the floating in an otherwise suitable stream, or 

 floods may efi"ect serious damage. In the most favourable cases 

 similar protection must be aftbrded to the floating-channel, as to 

 a stream driving water-mills or other hydraulic w^orks, and 

 manual labour is required to conduct the floating. Floating 

 has hence become a highly elaborate undertaking, in the 

 carrying out of which many costly constructions and protective 

 works are needful. 



