Timber supplies 1918 Board of Trade Special Article - 7 March 1918
The writer chanced upon this report which highlights the massive readjustments in timber supply, procurement and use of timber in World War I. The above diagram shows the dramatic fall off of timber imports plotted through from 1909 to 1917. Of interest also is the shortage of shipping to carry timber as well as the submarine threat that cut off supplies from Scandinavia and the Baltic. There is mention of Sir John Stirling Maxwell as assistant controller for Scotland, the Canadian Forestry Corps and their numbers of personnel plus a brief mention of 450 women doing timber measuring and for ‘light felling’! This must be the early Women’s Forestry Corps whose numbers reached about 2000 by the end of the war. Not mentioned are the timber companied that arrived from Australia, America, Newfoundland, New Zealand and the West Indies who all worked in various parts of the nation.
Below is a transcript of the report:
THE PROBLEM OF TIMBER.
I.—DEVELOPMENTS DURING THE WAR. There was, in regard to the control of timber supplies, no sudden change over from trade freedom to Government supervision. The Timber Control Department was not established until May, 1917, but there had been growing up since the early months of the war more and more direct Government buying and Government control through H.M. Office of Works and the Board of Agriculture. What happened in May, 1917, was that the then existing Departmental organisations were consolidated and strengthened and placed in charge of a Controller of Timber Supplies, under the general direction of the Board of Trade.
The Demand for Timber for Training Camps.
By October, 1914, the New Army had grown so large in size that the provision of sufficient timber to build the necessary hutted training camps had become a serious problem. The War Office, whose hands were full, approached the Office of Works, and requested that Department to make the purchases of wood required for the rapidly expanding camps. The Office of Works agreed to discharge this urgent duty, and, in order to make the purchases in the most economical manner, appointed a timber merchant to be the official Government Buyer. The timber was practically all imported, and purchases were made direct from the shippers’ agents. In order that there might be no competitive buying between the War Office and the various Government departments which required timber, the arrangement between the War Office and the Office of Works was gradually extended, until the greater part of the Government requirements in soft woods were purchased by and supplied through the Office of Works. The purchase of hard woods was from the beginning in the hands of the Admiralty.
The Home-Grown Timber Committee.
For nearly a year the Government relied upon imported woods, but in the autumn of 1915 the increasing war demands upon tonnage, and the early submarine campaign against merchant ships, revealed the importance of developing our home resources in timber. We were during 1915 importing hewn and sawn timber at the monthly rate of 620,000 loads (of 50 cubic feet, reckoned approximately as tons), and little was known of the United Kingdom’s capacity as a producer of woods. In Scotland, where the industry was well organised, the output of timber, including pit wood, amounted to about 500,000 tons a year, and Scotland was providing at least as much as the rest of the United Kingdom. There was a large amount of standing timber in England, but neither the quantity nor the uses to which it could be put were known. In order to obtain accurate information, and to bring our native woods into the service of the country at war, the Home Grown Timber Committee was set up by the Board of Agriculture. This Committee purchased standing woods, and erected sawmills, which were operated by labour directly employed. In May, 1916, the specially enlisted Canadian Forestry Battalions began to arrive in this country and to put down Canadian type mills. The pro¬ ducts of the mills were supplied to the various Government Departments, to the Armies in the field, and to the railway companies, through the medium of the Office of Works.
Compulsory Powers.
The Committee had not been at work very long before it became obvious that powers must be taken to acquire standing timber compulsorily. Accordingly, on 12th April, 1916, an addition to the Defence of the Realm Regulations was made empowering the Army Council, or any person duly authorised by them, to enter on land, take possession of and fell, convert, or remove standing timber. This power was also vested in the Board of Trade by Order in
Council of 22nd August, 1917.
Department of Timber Supplies.
In February, 1917, submarine activity became intensified and shipments of timber from Scandinavia temporarily ceased. The Government at once commandeered portions of the stocks of soft woods in this country, and, in order to check undue inflation in values, an Order was issued fixing prices at those which had ruled during the last week in January. A Department of Timber Supplies came into being—as a branch of the War Office—and took over the functions and powers exercised by the Office of Works and the Home Grown Timber Committee. The Director was Sir Bampfyide Fuller, K.C.S.l. Three purposes were aimed at in the organisation: (1) to control supply, (2) to secure economy, and (3) to make the utmost use of home-grown timber. In May, 1917, the Department was transferred from the War Office to the Board of Trade, and Mr. J. B. Ball, M.I.C.E. (Chief Engineer of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway), was appointed Controller of Timber Supplies.
Drastic Restrictions on Imports.
There had throughout 1916 been considerable reductions in imports of hewn, sawn, and split wood—an average of 520,000 loads a month were brought in against 620,000 a month during 1915— and it was decided by the War Cabinet that there must be farther drastic cutting down during 1917 of the quantities of soft woods allowed to be carried to this country. Timber, still one of the heaviest of our imports, demanded more shipping tonnage than could be spared for it. An Order was accordingly issued in May prohibiting imports of timber except under licences which were issued by the Department of Import Restrictions on the recommendation of the Timber Supplies Department. During March, April, and May of 1917 the amounts of hewn, sawn, and split timber imported had been about 250,000 loads (approximately tons of 50 cubic feet) a month less than for the corresponding months of 1916; in June and July, under the new licensing system, the reduction was nearly 500,000 loads a month, and for the remainder of the year the average monthly reduction on the 1916 figures was about 270,000 loads. The following diagram shows in striking fashion the reduction in the imports of timber which the Government have been obliged to effect. As soon as the Timber Supplies Department had been formed steps were taken to control the consumption of imported soft woods and to secure economy in its employment. Two Army Council Orders were issued in April, 1917, one to prohibit the purchase of imported soft timber, except under permit from the Department, and the other to prohibit the packing of various articles in wooden cases and crates. When wood is required in connection with Government contracts, the applicant for a permit has to obtain a Certificate signed by a responsible officer of the Government Department concerned. This very considerably helps the Timber Department to keep wood for the most urgent war and national requirements. Government Departments have now appointed specially selected officers, who scrutinise all applications for timber on their behalf before they grant the requisite certificates.
In order to help other Departments as well as private firms to economise in the use of timber for packing, the Department of Timber Supplies have secured the services of experienced packing experts, who inspect the packing arrangements of the Government as well as those of private firms, suggest revised methods of packing, and prepare designs and specifications for the most economical cases and crates. Their efforts have led to very considerable savings, which will continue after the war is over. It was found necessary to assist small timber merchants to carry on their business, as well as to give to the public facilities for securing small quantities of wood for urgent minor needs, and this was done by allowing small lots, not exceeding £5 in value, to be sold without a permit.
Wood for the Armies in France.
Early in 1916, in order to prevent the competitive buying of timber by the British and French Governments for the use of their armies, a joint purchasing Committee was set up, called the Commission Internationale d’Achats de Bois (“ C.I.A.B.”). The Belgian, Italian and United States Governments subsequently joined this Commission, and the C.I.A.B. now consists of the official buying agents of the British, French, Belgian, Italian and United States Governments and a representative of the Department of Timber Supplies. Under the original Convention negotiated between the British and French Governments, the British Government were given facilities for cutting timber in France, and the French Government were assisted to ship necessary timber from overseas. The effect of this arrangement has been largely to increase the production of hewn and sawn timber in France, to reduce considerably the demands upon cross-Channel tonnage, and to lessen the congestion at the ports in France of the British Expeditionary Force.
Timber Supplies Department: Its Three Tasks.
The problem set before the Controller of Timber Supplies and the Department over which he presides has divided itself into three parts. There is, first, the necessity for saving tonnage by reducing the importation of soft woods to the lowest possible point; secondly, there is the provision of supplies to take the place of those cut off; and thirdly, there is the need for restricting the use I of wood and securing its most economical employment when use is authorised. Some indication has already been given of the reductions made in imports, of the restrictions upon use, and of the measures taken to secure economy. New supplies can only come from the woods already growing in these islands, and upon these woods, usually decorative and protective in design rather than commercial in purpose, has fallen and is falling the unanticipated burden of supplying timber for the most urgent of national necessities. One example will show how vast is the quantity of wood needed to carry on the business of the country. It is calculated that for every 70 tons of coal raised one ton of pitwood has to be provided to shore up the galleries in the mines. During last year there were raised in Great Britain 247,000,000 tons of coal: consequently pitwood to the amount of 3,500,000 tons had to be found for the mines. An imported ton (load) of pitwood consists of 50 cubic feet, while : one ton of home-grown sawn pitwood, owing to its much greater density, is the equivalent of three fifths only of a ton of imported wood. It follows, therefore, that to take the place of every million tons of pitwood previously imported the Department has to find 1,667.000 tons of home-grown wood.
In a second article the problem of securing home grown supplies will be dealt with in some detail. For the moment one may refer to the organisation set up to ascertain and control the home resources, and to associate with the Department the experience of owners of woods, foresters, and merchants. England and Wales have been divided into eleven areas, each with a local organisation comprising a divisional officer and assistants, foremen, workmen, and clerical staffs. Scotland and Ireland are decentralised as far as possible. The Controller has secured the services of Sir John Stirling Maxwell, Bart., as Assistant Controller for Scotland. Mr. A. C. Forbes, lent by the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction, is Assistant Controller for Ireland. The total administrative staff, exclusive of foremen and workmen, numbers over 500 and includes a considerable proportion of men with expert knowledge of timber and the timber trades.
Advisory Committees.
Advisory Committees have been formed as follows:—
(1) An Inter-Departmental Consultative Committee for co-ordinating the demands of the various Government Departments.
(2) The advice of the following Committees is sought before any action is taken with regard to the fixing of prices or extension of control of imported or home-grown timber:— Forestry Advisory Committee,
Home Grown Timber Merchants’ Advisory Committee,
Merchants’ (Importers’) Advisory Committee,
District Pitwood Committees.
(3) Advisory Committees of Chambers of Commerce (with special reference to economy in the use of wood for packing) have been formed in London, Leicester, Nottingham, Manchester, Bradford, Glasgow, Dublin, Belfast and Cork.
Labour.
The backbone of the labour organisation for dealing with home-grown timber is the Canadian Forestry Corps. It is a military organisation, specially recruited, and forms part of the Canadian Forces. The Canadian Foresters began to arrive in Great Britain in the course of May, 1916; by January, 1917, they numbered 2,400, and at the present time consist of twenty-six companies, or about 5,000 men. It is hoped that this Force will he increased to forty companies. The Corps is under the command of Brigadier-General A. McDougall, C.B., who is also in command of the fifty-six companies of the Canadian Forestry Corps now working in the French woods and sawmills. The number of men, including the Canadians, who were at work in England, Wales, and Scotland at the end of February was in round figures 17,000. Some women—about 450—are also being employed as timber measurers and for light felling.
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Groups: Canadian and Newfoundland sawmillers in Scotland, War time constructions and defence structures in woods and forests, Women's Timber Corps - Timber Jills