nised; they lose the half foot if they fall short of it, even by less than a quarter of an inch, which is frequently found to be the case at the shortest corners, from the ends of the Log not being cut off square, or at right angles with the sides. It should also be borne in mind, that the Logs should be cut according to the above directions in the first instance. Trimming gives wood a dead or dull exterior-prevents some of its better properties being seen—and consequently prejudices the sale.

MEASUREMENT OF THE PORT OF LIVERPOOL.

In measuring, it is the custom to allow one-eighth in every inch on thickness as well as depth, or 12 per cent. diameter each way, so that the difference between the extreme measurement, at the place of shipment, and the measurement for sale, cannot be less than 25 per cent., exclusive of other allowances for round-edged, decayed, shaken ended, or taper logs; therefore a cargo shipped strictly in accordance with these instructions, would not lose for sale more than 25 per cent. off the freight or extreme measurement, but unless these remarks are attended to by the shipper, the additional falling off will be from 2 to 7 per cent. In round numbers, the sale measure, as compared with the freight measure, may be rated as in the proportion of 2 to 3, that is to say, one-third off the latter gives the former.

RELATIVE NUMBER OF FEET TO WEIGHT.

Although there no longer exists the necessity for weighing Mahogany for the payment of a duty, nevertheless that operation is still required for ascertaining the freight, which is paid by the ton, gross weight. Returns are, however, made to the Custom-house, for statistical purposes, upon the estimated ton. The ton weight, if from the City of St. Domingo, in Logs, usually yields for sale

from 290 to 310 feet, and from 270 feet to 290 feet in Curls; from other parts of Hayti, from 300 feet to 320 feet in Logs, and from 290 to 300 feet in Curls-in all cases varying as they are cut in accordance or not with these directions. From Cuba, the average is 290 to 300 feet to the ton; and from Honduras 330 to 350 feet to the ton.

The Wood being hard or soft has a material influence on the quantity of feet to the ton weight; the richer Wood, both Logs and Curls, being the heavier; and plain, soft pieces, in all cases the lighter. Thus the finer Wood gives the fewer feet to the ton weight; but by cutting Logs and Curls strictly in conformity with these suggestions, many more feet than the above to the ton weight would be yielded for sale measurement.

In the appendix, No. 6, will be found a table of imports of Mahogany into the United Kingdom, as well as into Liverpool, from the year 1838 to 1849, inclusive.

It will be seen by this table, that the Mahogany trade was languishing, with only a limited home consumption, when it was labouring under the absurd system, so long prevailing, of imaginary protection for the woods of home growth, not one of which had the least resemblance to, or could in any manner be a substitute for, the peculiar qualities and natural beauty of Mahogany. But no sooner had the duties been entirely removed, in 1845, than the trade revived with extraordinary elasticity, more particularly in Liverpool, where the imports of the year 1849 became nearly four fold of what they were in 1842. At first sight the diminished imports, in the years 1847 and 1848, would seem to contradict this position, but it will be easily understood that the causes were only temporary, when it is remembered that the demand in 1847 throughout Europe for grain, suddenly advanced the rate of freight, rendering it unprofitable to import so bulky an article as timber, the freight on which forms so large a part of its cost; and

secondly, the universal commercial difficulties of that epoch were naturally felt in the Mahogany trade, as well as in all others. Happily these causes have now ceased to operate.

But there is still unfortunately another discouragement to the Mahogany trade, unjustly inflicted, chiefly on our own Honduras merchants, by the regulations of the Lloyd's Committee of Registry, which, as already pointed out, deprive Mahogany of its true rank in their tables for timbering and planking ships. The objections raised are not founded upon any inherent defects in the nature of Mahogany, but are solely based upon the alleged incapacity of their own officers (who nevertheless charge fees for their inspections) to prevent the introduction of sappy or unsound pieces of wood into a ship; an objection in itself applying with equal force against any other species of timber named in the tables, which cannot boast of being so universally known as Mahogany; for instance Teak, not seen in England until after the Burmese war, though Mahogany has been used for ship-building for three hundred years.

A strange anomaly also exists to the prejudice of British ship-building, paradoxically contrary to the axioms of free trade, and repulsive to common sense, inasmuch as a duty is still paid upon nearly all foreign timber wanted by the British ship builder to compete with his rival abroad; and yet a foreign ship, constructed of these same materials, is itself admitted for sale in this country free of all duty whatsoever! It is to be hoped that such a palpable absurdity may be removed in the ensuing Parliament, now that the Chancellor of the Exchequer can no longer argue for the continuance of this grievance under the plea of a deficiency of revenue.

Could the British ship-builders hope to see a remedy for all these impediments to their launching first-rate ves

sels, (in the outports, as well as in London, to the particular advantage of which the Lloyd's regulations seem to have a tendency), and constructed of timber possessing the superior qualities of the fine woods of the Tropics, as well as of those produced in colder regions, they would attain every possible perfection in their art-and the countries herein enumerated, as well as our own possessions, could furnish an inexhaustible supply of every material for the accomplishment of this desirable purpose.