THE

TIMBER MERCHANT'S

AND

BUILDER'S COMPANION,

CONTAINING NEW AND COPIOUS

TABLES

OF THE

REDUCED WEIGHT AND MEASUREMENT OF
DEALS AND BATTENS

OF ALL SIZES, FROM ONE TO A THOUSAND PIECES,

ALSO

THE RELATIVE PRICE THAT EACH SIZE BEARS PER LINEAL FOOT TO
ANY GIVEN PRICE PER PETERSBURG STANDARD HUNDRED, AND A
VARIETY OF OTHER VALUABLE INFORMATION USEFUL TO ALL PARTIES
CONCERNED OR INTERESTED IN THE BUYING OR SELLING OF FOREIGN
TIMBER.

BY WILLIAM DOWSING,

TIMBER MERCHANT, HULL.

THIRD EDITION, REVISED AND CORRECTED.

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·RODI

CROSBY

LONDON:

LOCKWOOD AND CO.

7 STATIONERS'-HALL COURT, LUDGATE HILL.

LONDON: PRINTED BY

SPOTTISWOODE AND CO., NEW-STREET SQUARE AND PARLIAMENT STREET

INTRODUCTION.

FROM MY EARLIEST CONNECTION with the Timber Trade, it has been to me a matter of surprise that no Book similar to the one I have now published has previously made its appearance for the benefit of that large and important class of society who rank as Contractors, Builders, Carpenters, Joiners, Cabinet Makers, Wheelwrights, &c., &c., and which would also be of equal value to every one identified with the Business of a Timber and Raff Merchant, and to Vendors of Wood Goods in general. To each of those Branches of Trade this Book will be found exceedingly useful, giving, as it does, a copious mass of valuable information on various matters requisite for every one connected with either the Buying or Selling of any description of Foreign Timber, a species of information which is at present possessed, and that only in part, by a very limited number of those who are associated with the Wholesale Timber Business.

I have given in Table No. 1 a comprehensive scale of the reduced weight of all widths, lengths, and thicknesses of Deals and Battens, from one to a thousand pieces, or a Ready Reckoner, whereby any person, though totally unacquainted with the method of Reducing Deals to the Standard Hundred, can ascertain at one glance the precise weight or reduced measurement of any quantity or size of such Deals and Battens above mentioned. This Table supplies, therefore, not only a ready mode of checking or ascertaining the precise measurement or the correct reducing of any invoiced goods on the part of the Buyer, but one equally valuable as a check or an assistant to the Vendor of the said Goods.

Useful as this Table will be to all parties concerned or interested in the Timber Trade, there are other Tables of equal importance, particularly Table No. 2, wherein I have shown

what the exact price per standard will be of all sizes of Deals and Battens, at any given figure per lineal foot, from one farthing to ninepence. To every purchaser of Wood Goods such a Table will prove to be invaluable, as it shows at a glance what the cost per foot will be of Deals and Battens of various dimensions, from 1 to 4 inches in thickness, and from 6 to 21 inches in breadth, when the value of those goods is rated at any given price per standard. The table at the same time gives the number of lineal feet, &c., contained in one standard hundred.

In Table No. 3 I have shown what the price of square timber will be per load of 50 feet, at so much per cubic foot, varying in price from 1/0 to 4/3.

The Book contains other useful information, which cannot fail to be appreciated by every importer, retailer and consumer of foreign timber, the whole of which I have compiled in different Tables, headed by explanatory remarks, enabling readers fully to understand the true meaning of the information given.

The compilation of this Book has cost me a considerable amount of labour, but if in its circulation it should, as I anticipate it will, prove to be of considerable use to that class for whom it is expressly intended, I shall have the satisfaction of knowing that my labour has not been in vain, and shall feel amply rewarded for my trouble.

WILLIAM DOWSING.

HULL.

TABLE No. 1.

In this Table the REDUCED WEIGHT or Petersburg Standard Measurement is calculated and given of all sizes of DEALS and BATTENS, from 1 to 1,000. For Example-60 Deals, 21 feet long, 3 inches thick, and 11 inches wide, is precisely 1 c. 3 q. 0 odd, as shown in the table; thus at one glance it can easily be ascertained what is the precise weight or measurement of any quantity, size, or description of Foreign Deals, &c.

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