California redwoods and warship material selection

How might the Royal Navy have used California's giant redwoods if it had encountered them during a stronger early Pacific presence?

It would probably have tested and seasoned the timber, but its brittleness made deck planking more plausible than hull construction.

The exchange asks how the Royal Navy might have reacted to California's giant redwoods if it had operated more heavily in the Pacific. Naval authorities would probably have tested the wood instead of assuming that very large trees automatically made good hull material. Redwood is recalled as comparatively brittle, with seasoning necessary before use. A tentative answer gives it a possible role in deck planking, with hull structure looking less suitable.