this volume went to press ...", "After the preceding parts of this volume had gone to press ...", etc. This post hoc approach has created a distinctive halting flow and discontinuity between sections. Book structure The book is structured in an unorthodox way, as a result of the iterative process in assembling the content, and the reviews reflect this confusion. The gallery shows some of the features discussed later in the following sections on the book's structure. Featured are the two copies of Matthew (1831) held at the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh. The first is modern 3/4 leather bound, originally from the Adam Black stock (the Edinburgh publisher appears first), and the other in its original publisher's boards, part of the Longman et al., stock (London, first). The books occupy the same Satzspiegel (print space), but trimming has reduced the page spread of the modern bound copy. Production In 1831, the publishers Adam Black in Edinburgh and Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green of London split shares on publishing Matthew's book, On Naval Timber and Arboriculture: With Critical Notes on Authors who Have Recently Treated the Subject of Planting. This was a decision made by the publishers (not by the author as has been asserted), and was common practise as a form of insurance when sales might be poor. The only known number of copies is single print run of 200. These were printed by Neill & Co., in their "old, cramped quarters at Old Fishmarket Close". Of the books that Neill & Co. printed for Adam Black, there is no mention of "On Naval Timber", nor Patrick Matthew, in their in-house history, the surviving inventory, nor the memoirs of Adam Black, including a, "Chronological List of some of the Principal Books published by Adam Black, and A. & C. Black". Body text Matthew's book discussed at length how best to grow suitable trees for the construction of the Royal Navy's warships. He considered the task to be of great importance, as the navy permitted the British race to advance. Matthew noted the long-term deleterious effect that culling only the trees of highest timber quality from forests had on the quality of timber. The topic changed to Concerning our Marine, &c. for pages 130 to 137 of the book. Here Matthew promoted "a system of universal free trade", with the "absolute necessity of abolishing every monopoly and restriction