270 DOCKYARD TIMBER. 



angili stands in estimation next to the teak, and the demand 

 for this wood for ship-building purposes has of late years in- 

 creased. The market price of the wood a few years ago was only 

 from Es. 3 to 4 per candy. It has since risen from E. 6 to 8 ; 

 and if I may venture an opinion, will still further rise. If, 

 however, the timber required by H. M. Govt, is expected to 

 be free of the heart of the tree, comparatively little wood 

 will be secured, since in that case the wood will have to be 

 taken from between the heart and the sapwood ; and to admit of 

 such selection, the trees must be upwards of 44 in. in diameter. 

 Only a small number of such sized trees will be found, and the 

 attendant expenses and labour will be proportionately increased. 

 But if no objection to the core exist, and the Government are 

 willing to take such timber as is generally considered merchant- 

 able in the markets of this country, doubtless, on an average, 

 about 2000 logs might be procured annually of the specified di- 

 mensions, by entering into contracts with merchants, and making 

 the necessary advances ; and to effect this the Government should 

 appoint an agent. But as it is presumed that all the wood for 

 H. M. navy will not be required in thickness of 16 in., I beg to 

 observe, that timber-merchants are in the habit of bringing down 

 planks from 25 to 35 ft. long, 15 to 20 in. wide, and 2\ in. thick ; 

 and they might be got to supply planks of greater thickness, as 

 may be agreed upon." 



The Collector of Malabar writes : — " The price of ayni or angili 

 at present is about Es.7per candy; but what quantity of the 

 timber could be supplied at this rate must, I conceive, be learnt 

 from experience, once a demand in the export trade has been 

 created." 



