The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-08-04
PROSPECTS OF A LUMBER FAMINE.

II
European commercial centers are beginning to con
cern themselves with an almost threatened famine
IN timber for constructive purposes 1t must be re
membered that almost all the European countries
together with Asia and Australia and the South
American continent, import more timber than they
export; therefore they consume more than they pro
duce.
Among the few that export more than they inn
port are Norway Finland and Romania, and they
are really going on their capital and using up
more timber than the yearly annual growth warrants
ASIA outside of British India is an insignificant pro-
ducer The forests Of Siberia are unavailable on ac-
count Of the expense of transportation; and al
though those of Japan are numerous, yet they fur
nish only enough material for the home consumption
The enormous virgin forests of equatorial Africa con-
tain but few trees available for Industrial purposes
and on account Of the rapids and the vast distance
from the sea they could be exploited only at loss
In northwestern Africa the Atlas range contains
some unexhausted forestlands but the local demand
Is equal to the supply.
South Africa is more noted for its sheep runs and
its gold mines than for its forests, and Cape Colony
does not produce one-ffteth of the lumber that it
consumes. Central and South America, for the same
reasons as in the case of equatorial Africa cannot
be depended upon. Mexico imports one hundred
times as much lumber as she produces and exports
none. The Argentine republic imports more than
double the amount of its exports in this ne and as
to Australia and New Zealand their timber lands
already restricted enough, viii soon be thing of
the past owing to the unrestricted destruction caused
by the sheep.
There remain, says the Gazette Commercale'' of
Paris discussing this subject the great resources of
the United States and Of Canada As to Siberia,
that huge country holds anything worthy of the name
Of forests only in the mountain chains to the south,
which extend east to the Baikal No expectation has
taken place from there to western Europe, and the
increase Of population brought by the Vladivosok
Moscow railroad will certainly utilize all its avail
able resources.
The T" Gazette" remarks that, as regards the for
ests of the United States and Of the Dominion they
are not really exploited but wasted and ravaged
Wood is taken from them as water from the river,
without any rule, any method, any moderation They
are laid bare by powerful machinery that tears up
both the stlmps and the very roots of the trees
Sometimes fire is set to them to turn them into
pasture land, or by careless tourists who wish to
enjoy good blaze. Laws and regulations are in
efectual custom and public manners are the
stronger and defy all restraint The forests Of the
union cannot indefinitely Withstand this exhausting
treatment.
The devastation Of the forests of Canada has not
been marked, being Of more recent date; but it is
advancing with even greater rapidity It's seven
hundred million acres principally Of cOniferous pine
are being exploited without any moderation; no
new trees are being laid down, and in cases of fire
the old ones are specially favorable material, whose
districts often being burned down. The end cannot
be far off at this pace
Statisticans compute that within so years the
want of lumber for construction and other purposes
will make itself felt A serious economic crisis isl
bound to occur sooner or later from this deficiency
IN the worlds available supply