NOTES ON THE HISTORY OF TIMBER, ETC. 7 
the first mentioned wood doubtless largely predom- 
inating. With the rapidly increasing needs of a growing 
community these timber resources were freely and 
‘rapidly drawn upon up to the sixteenth century. 
Material for the construction of bridges was needed 
and for the making of galleys and, later, for the ships 
by which communication with oversea countries was 
obtained: much was also consumed for domestic 
uses, for the building of dwellings, for fuel and 
many other purposes. With a growing population 
there also arose a greater need for agricultural acreage, 
and a consequent clearance and grubbing up of much 
wooded land took place; moreover a large supply was 
needed for smelting, as the increasing use of iron began 
to arise. 
England’s naval supremacy, which at this time began 
to be asserted, not only was due to the inborn fighting 
qualities of her seamen, but was assisted by the 
capabilities of her shipbuilders and by the virtues of 
her native-grown oak. So far-famed were its qualities, 
that it is most authentically recorded that one of the 
instructions given to the Duke of Medina Sidonia, 
who commanded the great Spanish Armada fleet in 
1588, was that he should, if he effected a landing in 
England, destroy the Forest of Dean area, oak from 
this locality being, it was understood, largely used in 
the building of English ships. 
The increased use of this wood for shipbuilding and 
other purposes and the first felt difficulty of obtaining 
supplies was experienced about this time, and a great 
outcry arose in regard to the prodigal waste that was 
rampant respecting its use. It was prophesied that its 
extermination would bring about the ultimate downfall 
of the English nation, and, as early as 1531, an Act to 
arrest the depletion was put into force ; another of more 
2—(14604) 
