The following table shows the value of imports, by countries of origin, of unmanufactured wood into the United Kingdom during the year 1925:

The following table shows the value of unmanufactured wood received in the United Kingdom from the principal countries during 1925 as compared with 1913:

The British Empire is well provided with forests; but, with the exception of Canada, India, and West Africa, their woods are not marketed in the United Kingdom to any great extent. The reason is that most of them are in the Tropics, where difficulties of manufacture and transportation are very great and where few large stands

of any one species are available. Most of them are hardwoods and not suitable for ordinary building purposes, so that a special demand has to be created for them.

Although during the past few years efforts have been made by several prominent import houses to develop a market for Dominion hardwoods, they can not yet have been said to have passed the experimental stage. The Empire Marketing Board, a governmental agency to encourage the purchasing of Empire products by the home market, has also been giving wood attention by means of advertising posters illustrating the various species obtainable from within the British Empire. In spite of all these efforts, however, it is very doubtful if, with the sole exception of Douglas fir, any impression has been made on the import trade. According to official statistics, while the value of the total imports of unmanufactured wood increased 37 per cent from 1913 to 1925, the proportion supplied from the Dominions increased less than 3 per cent.

Douglas fir, however, is in a somewhat different category from other woods. Considerable pressure is being brought to bear on official and semiofficial bodies, such as railroads, dock builders, and municipal authorities, to purchase their requirements of this species within the Empire; and, although no official figures are available, it is the general opinion of those in close touch with the situation that, while imports of this species are undoubtedly increasing, the greater proportion of that increase is being placed with British Columbian exporters.

PRINCIPAL PORTS OF ENTRY

The principal ports of entry in the United Kingdom for lumber are London, Liverpool, Manchester, Hull, West Hartlepool, Cardiff, Glasgow, Grimsby, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Preston, Bristol, and Belfast. Through these ports over 76 per cent of the imports of unmanufactured wood were entered during 1925.

It will be noted from the table on page 50 that certain classes of imports, such as pit props and staves, are limited to a few ports. The reason for this is their proximity to the consuming industries. Railroad ties constitute another item handled through a few ports, these being determined by the facilities for treating either by the railroad companies themselves or firms who specialize in that business.

Of the above-named ports London, Liverpool, Glasgow, Manchester, and Bristol are the most important to the United States export lumber trade.

LONDON

London, the capital of England, is the world's greatest seaport, and during 1925 there entered and cleared vessels having a tonnage of 24,717,055 and 22,347,920, respectively. The ocean trade during the same year was valued at £745,425,872. The city is situated on the River Thames about 50 miles from the seaward limit on the southeast coast. The whole of the dock undertakings are vested in the Port of London Authority, which was established by act of Parliament in 1908 for the purpose of administering, preserving, and improving the port of London.

The Surrey commercial docks are at Rotherhithe, on the south side of the river, and cover an area of 1912 acres of water, 69 acres of which are covered with deep water and 96 with ponds for the storage

of timber. At these docks are handled the great bulk of the wood imports to the port of London. The lumber storage grounds are about 57 acres in extent, and sheds with an area of 50 acres are provided for the storage of lumber under cover. In addition to the Surrey commercial docks, wood imports are also handled at the West India and Royal Victoria and Albert Docks. These docks are inconveniently situated and, with the exception of Millwall, have no lumber storage facilities and, for that reason, most importers dislike receiving at them and in many cases they are specifically excluded in contracts. Methods of delivery.-Wood imports arriving at the port of London are delivered either overside, ex quay, or landed. Îf overside, no dock dues or charges are paid by the consignees, who make their own arrangements for taking delivery. A great quantity of lumber and timber is delivered overside, and the barging of it to consignees' yards is an important business. When, however, shipments are delivered ex quay or landed certain charges must be paid; a list of the more important, as applying to American woods, will be found in the following paragraphs.

SOFTWOOD

Definition of contents. For the definition of contents, the following are used:

Tariff discounts.—The rates mentioned in the schedules that follow are subject to the discounts shown in the following statement:

Softwood and softwood goods landed:

Rent charges_

All other charges..

Floated timber: All charges other than rent_

Per cent

212

10

10

Quay rates. When lumber is landed on quays for convenience of discharge and removed within three days of notice of being ready for delivery, the rates shown in the following table, known as quay rates, apply. If, however, it is intermixed with other stock, or if delivery is not taken within the three days, the full "prime" rate is charged. This rate includes wharfage, sorting to dimensions (except where otherwise provided) or to marks in accordance with the specification supplied by the consignees, piling, and delivering.