Seasoning timber and managing dockyard fire risk

Some yards cut timber near its source or built ships under cover from green wood, while British yards followed a different practice. Covered construction could season a hull on the frame and shorten the interval between laying down and launch. British yards preferred seasoned timber and open slips partly because the Great Fire of London reinforced fears that wooden covered facilities could let fire spread between ships, buildings, and stores. The policy demanded deliberate firebreaks and accepted a slower construction process. It also required the Navy to hold large stocks of timber before a specific ship order consumed them.