VII 



BRITISH TIMBER SUPPLIES AND RUSSIAN FORESTS 



In previous articles brief allusions have been made 

 to the forests of Russia, the vay considerable impor- 

 tance they have enjoyed in the past in the European 

 timber markets, and the immensely larger influence 

 they are likely to exert in the future. The question 

 is one of very serious moment to this nation. How 

 serious and how important it is the aim of this and 

 succeeding articles to demonstrate. 



It has been already mentioned that our timber, etc., 

 imports increased by £12,000,000 between 1909 and 

 1913.* 



A more significant factor than even the rapid increase 

 in the imports is the fact that 67 per cent, of them came 

 from European countries, chiefly Russia, Sweden, and 

 Norway. France sent us annually considerable 

 amounts of pit props for the coUieries, the cutting off of 

 which supply so seriously hampered us during the first 

 few months of the war. The produce from the other 

 European countries is negligible for our present purpose. 



The Board of Trade Returns show that Russia sent 

 us about £15,000,000 of timber and other products 

 during 1913, or approximately 35 per cent, of our whole 



1 This subject is fully dealt with in Article XII. 

 67 



