he dockyards were busy
places and we need not be surprised that good prices were paid for
masts, yards, bowsprits and ship timber in general. In the contract
signed by Francklin, Hazen and White the prices offered by government
are stated in detail, but the table of prices is too long to quote in
full. The sums paid varied with the size of the tree as will be seen
from the following examples selected from the table in the contract:

Masts of 36 inches diameter, 36 yards long, L136.
Masts of 35 inches diameter, 35 yards long, L110.
Masts of 34 inches diameter, 34 yards long, L95.
Masts of 32 inches diameter, 32 yards long, L68.
Masts of 31 inches diameter, 31 yards long, L61.
Masts of 26 inches diameter, 28 yards long, L25.
Masts of 18 inches diameter, 23 yards long, L10.
Yards of 25 inches diameter, 35 yards long, L52.
Yards of 23 inches diameter, 32 yards long, L40.
Yards of 21 inches diameter, 29-1/2 yards long, L20.
Yards of 14 inches diameter, 22 yards long, L4.16.
Bowsprits 38 inches diameter, 25 yards long, L42.10.
Bowsprits 34 inches diameter, 23 yards long, L32.10.
Bowsprits 30 inches diameter, 20-1/2 yards long, L30.
Bowsprits 25 inches diameter, 17 yards long, L10.2.

The rapid increase in price as the maximum dimensions were neared was
due to the fact that timber of such size was exceedingly rare.

The certificate of the naval storekeeper, George Thomas, shows that on
the 6th July, 1782, Francklin, Hazen & White had delivered under the
protection of his Majesty's Post at Fort Howe, in pursuance of their
contract of the 9th of August, 1781, 37 masts valued at L1098.16.3; 65
yards valued at L1502.13.4; 8 bowsprits valued at L181.1.11-1/2 and 20
M. feet white ash oar rafters valued at L156.5.0; so that the firm
received upwards of $14,000 from government on their first year's
masting operations. Some of the sticks obtained were of very large
size, including one mast, 35 inches in diameter and 91-1/2 feet long,
and a yard 26 inches in diameter and 108 feet long; for these two
sticks they received respectively $450 and $350.

It was essential to the success of the masting business that a
good practical man should be at the head of it, and Mr. White's
brother-in-law, Samuel Peabody, was selected for the position. He
was given an interest in the contract and was also allowed "seven
shillings and six pence per diem in consideration of his care and
trouble in taking upon him the ma