SHIP TIMBER. 
53 
2. Ditto, ditto cured*. On the dura* 
3. Dry rot, and sound timber (English and Canada oak and melioraSon o 
pitch pine) of ditto in its common state. timber for 
4. Counter part pieces of ditto, preserved .*— The above were naval ? on " 
, . r , . . , , „ structions, 
put into bottles, and sealed up by the Navy Board j one 0 f 
which was afterwards cracked, and the wood put into another 
bottle, which, with its counterpart, was resealed as at present. 
5. A piece of English oak, broke with 228lb. — This was said 
to be a bad specimen, but it was a counterpart of what the 
Queen Charlotte was framed with. 
6. A piece of sound English oak prepared and preserved 
boreSlOlb. 
7- A piece of Canada oak ; of the Queen Charlotte, in its 
natural state, broke with 528lb. 
8. A piece of ditto, prepared and preserved , bore 66olb. 
g. A piece of pitch pine, in its natural state, broke with 
6721b. 
10. A piece of ditto prepared and preserved , bore 8341b. 
As from V. to X. were broken by a lever of 5 powers, 23lb. 
should have been added to each. As the weight of the scales, 
&c. was = to 5§. 
These pieces were sealed up at the Navy-office, and remain 
in that state. 
Upon this principle, increased duration and strength was 
given to teak, sissoo, and saul j which would be a great acquisi- 
tion to the auxiliary aid required for our Navy. But the most 
important result is, that trees of our own growth that succeed 
on the poorest soils in Great Britain, which will not produce 
corn, are rendered very superior to any foreign oak imported, 
and preferable to the best English oak in common use for hull 
timber j and although some species are naturally weaker and 
heavier than foreign spars, they may be so prepared as to admit 
of being made into masts, yards, &c. smaller , lighter , stronger , 
and infinitely more lasting , than those made of American or 
even Russian fir. 
Thus furnishing the means to construct durable ships of 
British materials from the keel to the truck. 
* I must here repeat what I observed at the Navy Board at the 
time, “ that prevention is better than cure.” 
In 
