FORESTRY OF WEST AFRICA. 137 



mentioned, as indeed the others, is to be found in 

 the Gambia and on the Gold Coast. 



The foregoing Return must not be viewed as repre- 

 senting the total export trade, for there is a consider- 

 able trade done direct with France, Germany, and 

 America. From the Gaboon it has been reckoned 

 that of sandal-wood and ebony 40,000 tons are yearly 

 exported under French, English, and American flags. 

 An estimate of imports under this head annually into 

 Hamburg has been given as 300 tons. 



I am indebted to Mr. G. S. Saunders — of consider- 

 able timber experience — of 106, Fenchurch Street, for 

 some interesting information on barwood and cam- 

 wood, which I give as received : — 



" Barwood " used to be freely imported with ebony, 

 but the demand for it has much fallen off in conse- 

 quence of the increased use of dyes produced from 

 the coal-tar refuse ; and although occasionally this 

 wood is used for turnery purposes, by far the largest 

 proportion of it is consumed in dyeing. 



" Like ebony, barwood is also imported in billets, 

 only much smaller, split out from large logs, two 

 to two and a half feet in length, and frequently not 

 more than an average of 500 pieces to the ton, or 

 four to five pounds per piece. It is a porous, light 

 wood, long in the fibre, and when first cut, of a bright 

 orange red; but on exposure this red darkens to a 

 deep brown. Price varies from £2 los. to £4 per 

 ton. 



