XIII 



THE EFFECT OF SIX MONTHS' WAR ON THE TIMBER 

 SUPPLIES 



The outbreak of the Great European War inevitably 

 brought about an immediate and considerable dis- 

 location to trade in all departments. That a war in 

 Europe, even on a small scale, given that certain of 

 the Great Powers were the belligerents, would result 

 in such a check had, of course, been anticipated for 

 years ; but some of the direct causes for this diminu- 

 tion could scarcely have been foreseen. For instance, 

 the shortage in freight steamers was perhaps not 

 expected to the degree which has actually taken place 

 owing to the large number of vessels taken up by the 

 Government for military and naval purposes. The 

 First Lord of the Admiralty told the House some 

 months ago that a considerable portion of the British 

 mercantile fleet was being so used.^ This action on 

 the part of the Admiralty, whilst quite necessary, has 

 resulted in a shortage of vessels which has had a direct 

 bearing upon the shrinkage in imports both of timber 

 and other produce of the forests — for shiinkage there 

 has been. Then, again, the removal from the ocean 

 of Germany's entire mercantile marine, plying as it 

 did on every sea, has naturally still further assisted 



* This article was written in February 191 5 and published in the 

 Nineteenth Century in July 1915. 



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