83 



^vas from Quebec alone. To meet this demand, 

 no difficulties were encountered in procuring 

 the necessary quantities, either with respect to 

 the number of hands to be employed in col- 

 lecting it, or any thing like a failure in the 

 forests ; and had it been as large again, it might 

 have been answered with proportionate facility. 

 Within the period cited, the increase of this 

 trade in the Canadas only was much more than 

 equivalent to the total consumption of the 

 West India islands, estimated at 142,000 tons 

 annually; and in the year 1810, the oak timber 

 shipped from Quebec was 28,165 tons, which 

 is but little less than half the quantity annually 

 required for the service of the royal navy. The 

 export of timber in this year is, perhaps, the 

 greatest of any that has taken place, yet the 

 ease with which it was procured is certainly an 

 argument that weighs strongly against the as- 

 sertion, that the North American colonies are 

 imable to supply the necessities of the West 

 Indies. 



With respect to the exportation of flour and 

 grain, the progress is certainly not so satis- 

 factory as that of timber; yet this circumstance 

 is far from being conclusive of inability to fur- 

 nish $uch quantities as are required for the use 

 of the West India islands, whose annual de- 

 mand for flour, grain, and biscuit, is computed 



G 2 



