Re: Perspective about the Vikings & logs

[DJHSMFS@aol.com]

Dear Neil,
              Your observations have undoubted merit re source of timber.  
The Logs we towed were made up as I described and were named 'flat booms'  
They could not withstand rough weather.  On the coast of British Columbia, 
North of Vancouver Island with its protected Inland Passage, lie the Queen 
Charlotte Island. These are heavily forested, but due to being in open sea 
flat booms were impossible to use. The answer was the Davis Raft. This 
consisted of logs bundled together by wires and these were towed for a while. 
 They of course had limited use due to being very deep in the water and high 
cost of labour to produce.  The answer to this was the introduction of barges 
which could be loaded with loose logs and towed to any destination.  This 
eventually evolved to ships being loaded with logs cut to any desired length 
and being shipped overseas from Canada to destinations with cheaper labour.  
No doubt Prince Henry and his ilk had similar endeavours in mind. 
                                                                              
 Donald J.H.
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