614 
The second case to which he referred was Invergordon. Two 
steamboat jetties were constructed at that place from designs by 
Messrs Stevenson. It was generally represented that there were 
little or no traces of marine insects in the Cromarty Frith, and it 
was resolved that it was a situation peculiarly suitable for employing 
timber pile-work protected by creosote. The timber used in the 
work was carefully selected at Leith, and dressed to the necessary 
scantlings and lengths, so as to avoid all cutting after it had under- 
gone the process of creosoting. It was then creosoted by an agent 
sent by Mr Bethell for the purpose, at the sight of a careful inspec- 
tor employed by the engineers. Every piece of timber was weighed 
before being put into the tank, and the process of creosoting was 
continued until each piece had received, as nearly as possible, the 
specified quantity of 10 lbs. of oil per cubic foot. Some experi- 
mental pieces were from time to time cut longitudinally, when it was 
found that the creosote had entered the ends of the logs 18 inches 
to 2 feet, and that it had saturated the timber some two or more 
inches all round. No greater precautions could possibly be used to 
insure perfection in carrying out the process, which involved an ad- 
ditional cost of about L.450. The jetties were erected in 1858, 
and now the Superintendent’s report was, (t that the blackened or 
creosoted portion of the timber is very much eaten and perforated. 
The timber perforated is just as it came from the creosoting tank, 
never having been cut. There is 1J inch wasted on some of the 
piles that have been perforated.’’ 
The third case to which he referred was Scrabster, which was also 
constructed under Messrs Stevenson’s directions. The timber employed 
in this instance was selected Memel of first-rate quality; it was 
carefully creosoted at Glasgow. On cutting up a timber that had 
been attacked by the Limnoria, it was found that the creosote had 
fully entered at the ends, and saturated the sides, and yet it was 
discovered to have been attacked after it had only been exposed 
thirteen months, — the insect perforating the blackened timber. 
The whole of the creosoted portion of the timber work was now more 
or less worm-eaten and destroyed. Mr Leslie had also directed the 
author’s attention to similar results at Granton and Stranraer, at 
both of which places the creosoted timber had been perforated. 
The author held that these instances were enough to prove that 
the failure was not peculiar to one spot or one isolated case. II it 
