CANADIAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION. 47 



"Achilies," Captain Pike; the ''Admiral Parker," Captain Skinner, and the 

 ''Queen," Captain Davidson. In 1792, two cargoes, the "Friends Adven- 

 ture" and the "Beackitt," shipped by Messrs. Eraser & Thorn, the succes- 

 sors of Mr. Davidson, contained the first square timber ever exported from 

 the Miramichi such was the humble begnining of a trade that has since 

 acquired so extensive a character." 



This beginning, humble as it was, however, soon experienced a check, 

 which, for one reason or another, has been the periodical characteristic of 

 the trade ever since. In 1793, owing to the declaration of war by the 

 French Republic against Great Britain, the colonial timber suffered a great 

 depreciation. The following statement shows how 7,000 tons of timber 

 brought to market in the summer of 1793, were disposed of: Shipped in 

 1797, 1,150 tons; 1798, 800 tons; 1800, 650 tons; 1801, 200 tons; total 

 shipped, 2,800 tons; sawed into lumber and split into lathwood, 1,000 

 tons; reduced by rehewing, 400 tons; lost in the ice, 600 tons; sunk, rotted 

 and stolen, 2,200 tons. 



Thus we see that of these 7,000 tons of timber, but 2,800 tons were 

 shipped, and that as low as 10 shillings per ton, and not until eight years 

 after it had come to market. We can scarcely imagine the difficulties and 

 expense undergone by those early operators in getting out this pine timber. 

 If, at the present time, we think our difficulties are great, and the distances 

 we are obliged to go for our spruce are long, what, taking into consideration 

 the changes that have taken place in the methods and transportation facili- 

 ties, must have been the conditions in old times? And as for distances, in 

 the most remote districts now being operated, are found to-day the decayed 

 stumps of those former Kings of the Forest, bearing silent witness to the 

 fact that some one has been there before us. 



The new form of forest production to which attention was directed, 

 was ship-building. This industry continued for several years, during which 

 a large number of splendid vessels were constructed on the Miramichi and 

 other rivers in this section of the Province, giving employment to a very 

 large number of skilled workmen, as well as laborers and woodsmen. 

 Perhaps no other branch of lumbering industry was more satisfactory to 

 the country than ship-building, as the work in connection therewith was di- 

 vided over a large portion of the population. Almost every one w r ho so 

 desired it, could obtain employment in one form or another in connection 

 with this work. Besides the mechanics and laborers employed in the yards 

 during the winter season, others got out ship planks, some foot hooks, some 

 knees, some tree nails, and even some made wedges. 



Time, however brought changes over this industry, and in due course 

 the necessary lumber became scarce and expensive to procure. Iron super- 

 seded the use of wood, and steam that of canvas, and finally the industry 

 became a matter of history. 



With the decline of the timber supply, and with the necessity of fur- 

 nishing outward cargoes for their new vessels, the attention of the operators 

 was turned to spruce. And fpr the purpose of converting the logs into 

 deals, boards, etc., small mills, driven by water power, sprang up on almost 



