82 TIMBER AND TIMBER TREES, [chap. vii. 



the principal action is to destroy all fungi and spores 

 present on the surface, and render the wood less liable 

 to infection. A trial of it was made at Cherbourg in 

 presence of the Director of Naval Works and numerous 

 other witnesses, and it is said this was crowned with 

 complete success. The absence of all danger from fire 

 was clearly proved, and this of course removed the 

 principal objection to its introduction in the dockyards. 

 The cost, it appeared from calculations made at the gas- 

 meter of the town, with the aid of an accountant, did 

 not exceed one penny per square metre for gas and 

 labour together. 



M. de Lapparent holds that, the surface being once 

 thoroughly dried, the juices of the interior will remain 

 inactive — or, more accurately, they are not so exposed to 

 the action of ferment fungi — and the durability of the 

 timber be thereby ensured. 



I experimented with this process at Woolwich in 

 1 862, by charring seven out of twelve pieces of winter- 

 felled British Oak, prepared to a scantling of 2" x 2" x 

 84", and disposed of them as follows : for instance, 

 Nos. 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, II, and 12 were carbonised, and Nos. 

 I, 2, 4, S, and 6 were not carbonised. Of the former, 

 Nos. 3 and 10, and of the latter, Nos. i and 2, were 

 suspended in a dry place in the store-room ; Nos. 7, 8, 

 and 9, and Nos. 4, 5, and 6, were put into a box of 

 manure; Nos. 11 and 12 were driven half their length 

 into damp earth, on the stacking ground. 



I examined these specimens in 1863 and 1864, and 

 they all appeared to be as strong and sound as when 

 first prepared ; they were therefore returned to their 

 places. I again examined them in 1867, and then 

 tested them for transverse strength. The results are 

 given in the following tables : — 



