“ beft, both in point o f workman (hip and materials, o f any
“ that are conftruCted in I n d ia and although fourth rates only
“ are mentioned in the letter, there is no doubt but that third
• - “ rates may be conftruCted, as there is a choice of timber.. The
“ Spaniards build capital ihips in their foreign fettlements..
“ The Eajl India Company have a teek ill ip on her fourth
“ voyage at preienf, which fhip has wintered in England,
“ therefore any objection founded on the eifeCts of froft on the
“ teek timber, is' done away.
“ F r e q u e n t have been the opportunities I have had o f ob-
“ ferving how very rapid the decay o f ihips built of European
“ timber is in the Eajl Indies; and, on the contrary, how du-
“ rable the ihips are, that are built of the wood o f that country;
“ namely, the teek, which may not improperly be ityled In-
“ dian oak. The number o f ihips of war that were ruined in
“ thofe feas during the late war (1757 to 1762) may be admitted
“ as a proof of the former remark; and the great age of the
“ ihipshuilt in India may ferve to prove the latter. What 1 mean
“ to infer from this, for your Lordfhip’s ufe is, that ihips o f war
“ under third rates may be conftrufted in India, and with mo-.
“ derate repairs lait for ages; whereas a ihip of European con-
“ ftruCiion can remain there but a very few years; to which dif-
“ advantage may be added, that of lofing, in the mean time, the
“ fervices o f the Ihips. that are fent to relieve the worn out ones.”
T h e Britannia, of feven hundred tons, which was built o f
teek, made feveral voyages to Europe.
T h e Teek is an. evergreen, and efteemed a facred tree.
The Gentoos repair or build their pagodas with this timber
only, when other materials- are not iifed. A prince o f Calicolan