The Sun.
London, England, 1821-03-21 00:00:00

America, we used to have all our yellow pine timber from thence twenty years
back ; that was of a softer nature ; a wore grown timber, a much inferior timber.
than what we have from the British settlements : it has been my opinion, that.
that has produced more prejudice against the timber, than the timber from the
British settlements. With respect to what comes from the British settlements,.
there is some that is overgrown timber, and that timber we always found to be
the most inferior timber; the timber of large scantling.
What do you mean by overgrown timber ? That the trees had not been cut
time enough ; and it is my opinion, that the more the timber is used here the
better we shall have it come into this country ; as the forests will be first cleared.
of the old timber, and then that in a fitter state for use in its turn, though of
smaller dimensions, will be cut.
Have you been in the habit of using the deals imported from Canada? Not
much. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

You do not feel yourselves sufficiently acquainted with the quality of them, to
give the committee any information upon them ? The quality is about the same
with the timber ; but they are often knotty and twelve feet only long ; that we
prefer cutting up out of the balk, as being more profitable.
That objection applies generally to all short deals, does it not? Yes.
Are you acquainted with the red pine of America ? Yes.
What opinion do you entertain of the red pine of America ? I have a good
opinion of the red pine.
Is it superior in quality to the yellow ? For the purpose of bearing timber, it
is superior.
Do you know, from your experience, whether it is more durable or less so ?
That I cannot speak to ; the time of; its coming into the port has not. been suf—
ficient to prove.
What difference of price does it bear in the Liverpool market, from other pine?
Fourpence.
Have you been in the habit of using pitch-pine in the course of your business?
Yes. _ _ _ _ . . _

Have you found pitch pine more durable than the yellow pine of America ?
The reverse, in some instances.
Point out the instances? Whenever pitch pine is confined from air, it will de-
cay sooner than the yellow pine, but not otherwise.
For what purposes has pitch pine been commonly used in Liverpool ? For
floors, we have used more of it since Riga timber became scarce.
Is it not used for ship-building purposes ? Yes, it is, for some purposes.
Can you state, within the last twenty-five years in which you have been in the
habit of using yellow pine, what difference has taken place in the comparative use
of Baltic and American timber ? I cannot state, except that the yellow pine tim-
ber has been much more in use every year, for ten, twelve, and fourteen years.
Do you conceive it to have been in a state of progressive increase, previously to
the year 1310 ? Yes.
It has been gradually increasing, subsequent to that time ? Yes.
Afore rapidly ? When the American pine timber was lower, of course there
was more of it used, in proportion to the difference.
Do you think that the increased use of it, subsequent to the year 1310, has been
owing entirely to the difference of the price between Baltic timber and American
timber, or to the effect of the experience they have had in the value of it ? I be-
lieve both, that the more experience they have had the prejudice has been less, and
also the difference of price.
In consequence of your having conceived a better opinion of this timber than
you had originally, have you been in the habit of using it in better descriptions of
buildings ? Certainly.
That you now use it in a description of buildings, in which you would not have
ventured to have used it some years ago ? Exactly so; and I mention as a reason
of my prejudice twenty years back, my noticing more particularly the gate-posts
in which we used it, and also the sashes and frames that we made in 1797.
You have compared the durability of Baltic timber with the durability of Ame-
rican timber, and have given some instances, state what the description of Baltic
timber was, with which you made the comparison ? It was with Riga of the best
quality.
Do you know from the communications yoir have had with other people in the
same trade, whether the same impression has been made upon their minds, by the
experience they have had in the use of the yellow pine timber ? It 11 generally
approved of, I believe that the opinion in favour of it is growing.
Do you happen to know whether any other persons beside yourself, have used it
recently in the higher descriptions of buildings ? Yes, it is more used in Liver.
pool by others, than it is by myself.
Do the present prices of timber bring in a great deal of very bad timber from
America? No, Ido not perceive that; only, as I observed before, and it is my
decided opinion, that if some plan was adopted to prevent the large scantling of
overgrown timber from coming to market, that would be a very great advantage
to the American trade.
That if some measure could be taken to produce greater care in the selection of
the timber, it would on the whole be more advantageous to the trade ? I have not
a doubt of it. •
Supposing, by alteration in duty, or from other causes, the difference in price
between Baltic timber and American timber, which appears to be now in the
Liverpool market about fifty shillings per load, should be reduced to half, or
twenty-five shillings, in what proportion would the consumption of each species
be affected ? I cannot speak exactly to what proportion, but Baltic would be more
Used than the American pine.
To what extent do you think it would be more used ? That I really cannot say.
You have stated that you conceive, and that it seems to be the impression- of
those at Liverpool in the same trade with yourself, that the American timber is as
good as the Baltic, for a great' many purposes? Yes.
That for some it is even superior ? Yes.
In those for which you conceive American pine to be superior at equal prices,
and for those purposes to which you consider it equally applicable, would not
a moderate difference in the price cast the balance in favour of the American tim-
ber ? For those purposes it would.
From those purposes, you have excluded all the purposes to which it is applied
for bearing considerable weights ? Yes.
Whabdo you conceive, in your own trade, to be the amount of wood used by
you for the purposes of honses, and various other purposes, exclusive of these
where it is used for purposes of bearing ? The most we use is for those purposes,
not for bearing purposes, it is about equal ; about the same quantity of pine as
Baltic, sometimes more in one year of Baltic than the other, and sometimes more
of American.
There are certain purposes for which you say they are equally good, from those
purposes you except those that apply to bearing in the use of the trade ; generally
speaking, what do you conceive to be the proportion of wood used by them for
those purposes which are not for bearing, such as beams, joists, and those things ?
I should say that as three is to four, that three parts of it are used for other pur-
poses, and one for bearing.
Would not, in your opinion, a moderate difference of price make the American
wood be preferred for those purposes in which bearing is not an object? I men-
tioned before, that the preference would be given, prOvided the price was in favour
of the pine ; but it should be observed, that though the persons that use this tim-
ber would be prejudiced in favour of it, yet the persons that it is used for, the em-
ployers, are still prejudiced against it, and there might not be if the price came
near the quantity of pine timber used in the same proportion as there is now, be-
cause the employers would still be in favour of Baltic timber.
Do you think that a difference of twenty-five shillings in the load, would be
sufficient to overcome that prejudice ? Yes ; it is my opinion that twenty-five
shillings would be a fair proportion ; but I think it is as much as ought to be laid
upon it.
What do you think would be the effect of a difference only of twenty shillings?
It would still be in favour of the pine.
Would a difference of twenty-five shillings throw out of use that proportion of
the pine timber which is now employed in bearing? No.
That would still continue, in your opinion, to be as much used in the purposes
of bearing as it now is, if the difference was only twenty-five shillings ? I cannot
speak exactly to that; in some instances it would, and in others it would not.
I have before observed, that where the better houses are built, the gentlemen who
have their houses built would sooner give more to have them made of Baltic, the
prejudice being in favour of it,' though the price is so much higher..