Copy letter from Sir William Rule, commenting on the serious shortage of oak timber...

Copy letter from Sir William Rule, commenting on the serious shortage of oak timber in the counties he recently visited and certain wasteful practices, whereby large pieces of oak suitable for shipbuilding are converted into short lengths for use in barrel-making and for pipe staves because this gives the seller a higher return than selling whole trees to the Navy. He suggests that the duties on foreign oak, fir timber and pipe staves should be lifted to encourage their use in preference to English oak. He also suggests that the Act of Henry VIII, which enacted that 12 standels should be left standing, when each acre of underwood is cut, to be more rigorously enforced so as to encourage the continuation of supplies of oak.

Enclosure.