The discussion moves from dry timber stores to the fires that struck Chatham Dockyard. A major naval yard held huge stocks of wood as well as pitch, oil, tar, and other inflammable supplies needed to build and maintain ships. That concentration made logistics efficient but turned a fire into a serious threat to naval capacity. The point is a reminder that the wooden navy's industrial base was as vulnerable as the ships it produced.
Notable Point · 1:17:49-1:20:49
The fire risk inside a timber dockyard
Seasoning and stockpiling naval timber created enormous dockyard stores that were essential to construction but dangerously combustible.