best, good, or common middling, but is placed upon the market unsorted, and without any particular distinguishing brand upon it.
The selected spars generally come to us in a round state, under the name of Hand-masts. These are classed by the brackers at Riga alphabetically A to N, according to their size, the smallest being A, or 6 hands; that is to say, it measures 6 hands of 4 inches each, or 24 inches in circumference, taken at 4 feet in length from the butt-end of the spar: the largest being N, or 18 hands, or 72 inches in circumference. The lengths of these two sizes are respectively 36 and 74 feet. The following very plain rule prevails by which the established length to the number of hands is calculated, viz., rough spars for masts, of 6 to 9½ hands, the number of hands multiplied by 3, and 18 added, gives the length in feet; and spars of 10 to 18 hands, multiplied by 3, and 20 added, gives the length in feet; there being a small proportional increase of length required for vessels carrying the larger sizes.
The straightest and best spars have simply the bark taken off them, and the knots dressed smoothly, with perhaps a few feet in length at the butt-end hewn, to remove the swelling which often occurs at the base of the tree. Beyond this, owing to their generally fair and even growth, very little is required, and, as the alburnum or sap upon this description of timber is not usually more than about 1 inch in thickness, the waste sustained in their conversion into masts is altogether insignificant. These Riga spars (their generally small and medium sizes being considered) are about the best to be met with, and are in great favour with the mast-makers of the royal dockyards, though somewhat less so in the private trade.
