90 OF WOOD IN GENERAL. 



Laslett's Timber and Timber-trees, originally published in 1875, ol 

 which a new edition by Professor Marshall Ward appeared in 

 1894. The requirements of the dockyard are, however, very 

 varied, durability being generally necessary ; but great strength, 

 even if accompanied by weight, and freedom from decay on 

 contact with metal, being important for armoured vessels ; 

 resistance to ship-worms or termites for those not metal- 

 sheathed ; lightness for boats ; freedom from splintering for 

 planks ; extreme toughness for blocks ; evenness of growth 

 and great resistance to strain for masts ; flexibility for oars. 

 For general purposes, among the heavier woods, Teak (Tectuna 

 grdndis) is taken as a standard, and is far more used than the 

 Oaks, whether European or American, of former days, valuable 

 as these are, however, especially for exposed and compass 

 timbers. The Indian Jarul (Lagerstrcemia Flos-regince) and Thin- 

 gan (Hopea odordta), the Greenheart of Demerara (Neddndra 

 Rodicei), the Angelique (Dicorynia guianensis), African Oak or 

 Teak (Oldfieldia africdna) from West Africa, Stinkwood (Ocotea 

 bulldta) and Sneezewood (Pterdxylon utile) from the south of the 

 same continent, the Rata or Ironwood of New Zealand (Metro- 

 sideros robusta and M. lucida), and probably the Billian (Eusidero- 

 xylon Zwdgeri) of Borneo, are but little inferior. 



Lloyd's Register, classifying ship-building timbers in 17 lines, 

 places Teak alone in the first; in the second, English Oak (Qvdrcus 

 Rdbur), African Oak (Oldfieldia africdna), Live Oak (Quercus virens), 

 Adriatic, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and French Oak (Q. Cdrris, 

 JEsculus, pyrendica, Ilex, Suber, and Robur), Morung Saul (Shdrea 

 robusta), Greenheart (Neddndra Rodiad), Morra (Mora excelsa), 

 Iron-bark (Eucalyptus siderophloia, and probably E. leucdxylon, and 

 E. siderdxylori), and White Ironbark (apparently E. cr6bra, amyg- 

 dallna, and paniculdta) ; in the third, Cuba Sabicu (LysiUma Sdbicu), 

 Pencil Cedar (Junlperus Bermudidna, or perhaps Dysdxylon Mutlleri, 

 and D. Fraseridnum), Angelly (Artocdrpus hirsuta), Vanatica (Pithe- 

 coUbium sp ?), Jarrah (Eucalyptus margindta), Karri (E. diver sicolor), 

 Blue Gum (E. GUbulus), Red Gum (E. rostrdta), Box (E. hemipliUia ?), 

 Thingam (Hopea odordta), Puhutukawa (Metrosideros tomentdsa), 



