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LEITH AND EDINBURGH.

REPORT BY CONSUL WALLACE BRUCE.

There are about 400,000 superficial feet of staves used in the manufacture of herring barrels, 20,000 barrels being manufactured annually, each thousand superficial feet producing about 50 barrels. The value of the staves and heads used in each barrel is about 30 cents, or $30 per $100. There are about 3,000 casks for whisky manufactured annually, holding from 30 to 100 gallons of whisky. There are about 50,000 beer barrels made annually, holding from 9 to 108 gallons, and the average price for the staves and heads of these barrels is about $4.50 to $5.

There is little or no demand for staves apart from those used for herring barrels, whisky barrels, and beer barrels.

The sources of supply for staves for herring barrels are Norway, Sweden, and Russia, and they are brought to the port of Leith in sailing vessels from these countries. The staves for the whisky barrels are of white oak and come from the United States. Beer barrels are made from Baltic oak.

The wood for herring barrels comes sometimes in billets, the staves being made here. In some cases they come cleft, but not finished. Much of the timber comes sawn in proper lengths, somewhat scored. There does not seem to be much preference in the market as to the wood in lengths or completed staves. The main thing seems to be to get the best wood at the cheapest figures. The staves for whisky barrels come from America in bulk, unpacked, in sizes as below. They are of the same general quality as those used for Bourbon whisky barrels in the United States. They come cleft and dressed by machinery.

Staves for herring barrels are 32 to 33 inches long and five-eighths of an inch thick. The heads for these barrels are three-fourths of an inch thick. The principal lengths for whisky barrels are 42 to 46 inches and 34 to 46 inches. The different staves are known in the trade as pipe staves, 66 to 70 inches long, 1 and 1 to 3 inches thick, cleft and undressed, worth about $300 for 1,200 pieces. West Indies (so named because of the kind once used for shipping rum to the West Indies), 42 to 48 inches long, 1 and 14 inches thick, cleft and dressed, worth about $100 for 1,200 pieces. Barrel staves, 34 to 40 inches long, 1 to 14 inches thick, cleft and dressed, worth about $75 for 1,200 pieces.

The various kinds of timber most desirable for herring barrels are birch, larch, ash, elm, and in fact all woods that can be worked easily which have sufficient closeness of fiber to hold brine. Swedish and Russian spruce is cheaper than birch. The best kind of timber for whisky barrels is American white oak. The most desirable for beer barrels is said to be Baltic oak. It is claimed that the American oak would be in demand here for beer barrels if the taste of the wood was not imparted to the beer. I am in formed that several attempts have been

made to extract or remove the flavor, but that they have always failed. I understand that the Bass Company have recently made a new attempt, but with no better success.

The demand for herring barrels depends entirely upon the catch of herring. The figures herein given are applicable to the last two or three seasons, which have been considered good. The demand for whisky and beer barrels is less fluctuating.

There are very few American staves used in this district, except in the manufacture of about 3,000 whisky barrels annually, as before noted. The white wood for packing barrels is grown in this country and is said to be too cheap for the competition of Denmark, Sweden, or Russia.

The fishery board of Scotland issues the following regulations as to capacity, thickness of staves, etc., for barrels and half barrels of herrings:

Capacity. Every barrel shall be capable of containing twenty-six gallons and twothirds of a gallon, imperial measure, being equal to thirty-two gallons English wine

measure.

Every half barrel shall be capable of containing thirteen gallons and one-third of a gallon, imperial measure, being equal to sixteen gallons English wine measure. Thickness of stares and ends.—The staves and ends of every barrel and half barrel shall be not less than one-half part of an inch and not more than three-fourths part of an inch in thickness throughout of made work.

Breadth of staves and ends.—The staves ofevery barrel and half barrel shall not exceed six inches in breadth at the bulge.

The pieces of the head or bottom ends of every barrel and half barrel shall not exceed eight inches in breadth.

Quality, etc., of staves.-The staves of every barrel and half barrel shall be well seasoned and well fired, so as to bring them to a proper round. The staves shall not be cracked, broken, or patched, and there shall not be a double croze. The chine shall not be less than one inch in length outside of the croze.

Tightness.—Every barrel and half barrel shall be perfectly tight.

Ends.—The ends of every barrel and half barrel shall fit properly in the crozes, and shall not be turned inside out, nor bent outwards nor inwards, so as to endanger the sufficiency of the barrel or half barrel.

I am informed that the number of herring barrels manufactured throughout all Scotland ranges annually from 850,000 to 1,000,000 barrels.

WALLACE BRUCE,

Consul.

UNITED STATES CONSULATE,

Leith, April 20, 1891.

LIVERPOOL.

REPORT BY CONSUL SHERMAN.

The number of staves used in this district is estimated to be 400 to 500 mille of all kinds. About 3,000 mille, other than fir and elm, are annually imported, one-third of which is shipped to other Europ

ports. Of fir and elin, probably 10,000 mille per annum are imported. A mille, according to the custom and trade of this country, represents 1,200 staves.

The kind of staves in greatest demand are white oak, red oak, fir, elm, and birch.

For the manufacture of porter and stout brewers' and distillers' casks, palm-oil casks, and butter firkins, the staves have been obtained from the white-oak forests of the United States and Canada; but as the Canadian timber suitable for staves is now almost exhausted, the recent shipments of these classes of staves have been almost exclusively from the United States, shipments being made principally from the ports of New Orleans, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston, and occasionally from Mobile, Savannah, and Norfolk. For ale and beer brewers' casks, staves from the forests in the neighborhood of the Black Sea are altogether used. The fir staves are imported from Norway and Sweden, the elm and red oak from the United States and Canada. The following gives a fair idea of the cost per mille to the consumer of the different classes of staves:

Canada butts, principally used in the manuafacture of porter and stout casks...

$486.00 to $583.20

New Orleans (extra heavy double), principally used in the manufacture of butter firkins and brewers' casks.......

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New Orleans (extra heavy), principally used in the manufacture of butter firkins and brewers' casks.....

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New Orleans (heavy single), principally used in the manufacture of butter firkins and distillers' casks....

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New Orleans hogshead (extra heavy), principally used in the
manufacture of butter firkins and distillers' casks......
New Orleans hogshead (heavy), principally used in the manufac-
ture of butter firkins and distillers' casks ....

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New Orleans barrel (heavy), principally used in the manufacture of butter firkins and distillers' casks.........

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New York W. O. W. I. hogshead (heavy), used for palm-oil and distillers' casks.....

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New York and Baltimore hogshead (light), used for palm-oil and molasses casks.....

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New York barrel (heavy), used for brewers' and distillers' easks..

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As a rule, Canadian butts, New York hogsheads, and barrels are required in their unseasoned fresh state, straight cut and free from knots. This is also the case with a few New Orleans extra heavy pipe, but the large quantity of New Orleans pipe, hogshead, and barrel are preferred in a seasoned condition.

*Per bundle, containing sufficient to make a hogshead.

The dimensions of the staves in use are as follows:

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Elm staves from 22 to 32 inches long, 4 inches (average) wide, three eighths of an inch thick.

For all brewers' and distillers' casks, also casks which are to contain palm oil, and firkins for butter, the very best white oak is required. For chemical barrels, staves made from red oak, birch, elm, and Norway fir are suitable.

As a rule the supply is fully equal to, and frequently rather in excess of, the demand.

It is well to add that the terms given above to designate the different kinds of staves are those by which they are commonly known in this market, and indicate rather their dimension and manufacture than the country of origin or port of shipment. For instance, "Canada butts” are now largely manufactured in the United States, and shipped to a great extent from New Orleans; also hogshead staves, which are termed "New York hogshead," are frequently shipped here from Philadelphia and Virginian ports. The tannic acid in American white oak staves is said to injure the color and taste of ale and beer, hence Memel (Russian) and Bosnian staves are preferred for casks for ale and beer. THOS. H. SHERMAN,

UNITED STATES CONSULATE,

Consul.

Liverpool, May 18, 1891.

LONDON.

REPORT BY CONSUL- GENERAL NEW.

It is impossible to estimate the number and value of staves used in this consular district, as no records are kept.

Most of the staves used in London are imported from Memel, Dantzic, Trieste, Fiume, Libau, and other European ports. The demand for American staves is comparatively small.

The cost of American staves is usually about the same as in Philadelphia, New York, Boston, New Orleans, etc., with freight added. In London, Liverpool, and other centers, consignments of butts, pipes,

wine pipes, hogsheads, barrels, kegs, and other sizes are constantly arising and they are sold off to the best advantage by the brokers. Values, therefore, fluctuate somewhat as demand and supply occasion.

The market for European staves is regulated to a large extent by the price in Memel. The present price is about £195 to £200, ex ship London per mille of 1,200 pieces reduced to full size pipe.

Staves should be shipped fairly dry, say six to nine months after being manufactured; a green stave is objected to.

Staves used are various. Memel and Danzig sizes are as follows:

Extra size, lengths, 12-4 by 6 inches and up-pipe, 66 inches and up.

Full size, lengths, 11-4 by 54 inches and up-brandy, 54-65 inches and up.
Ten-fourths size, lengths, 10-4 by 5 inches and up=hogshead, 46–53 inches and up.
Nine-fourths size, lengths, 9-4 by 44 inches and up-long barrel, 38-45 inches
and up.

Eight-fourths size, lengths, 8-4 by 4 inches short barrel, 34-37 inches and up.
Seven-fourths, six-fourths, five-fourths, four-fourths, etc., lengths-long head-
heading, 26-33 inches and up.

Seven-fourths, six-fourths, five-fourths, four-fourths, etc., lengths short heading, 18-25 inches and up.

The greatest demand at present is for long and short barrels and long headings, in 9-4, 8-4, 7-4, 6-4. In American staves the demand now is good for hogshead staves, 1 inches and up, also for barrels and wine pipes, and especially for Canada butt staves, 3 inches and up, thick. The demand for American staves is decreasing.

The above answers have been furnished by the leading stave-brokers in Great Britain, and in consequence of pressure of business they have only just been able to give me the information to enable me to answer the circular.

UNITED STATES CONSULATE-GENERAL,

London, July 18, 1891.

JOHN C. NEW,
Consul-General.

NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE.

REPORT BY CONSUL METCALF.

I am unable to give the value of staves used, as it is not obtainable in this city. The following is the quantity of staves and headings imported into the Tyne for the year 1890, as given in the "River Tyne Commissioners' returns," the staves and headings being classed together in loads of 50 cubic feet each.

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