British Timber Harvesting Practices in Federal Honduras

Abstract

Since the colonial period, the British showed a remarkable interest in Honduran wood, for its quality and resistance, representing an important raw material for the manufacture of a variety of artifacts. In this sense, Great Britain undertook expeditions to dispute the Spanish Crown for this important resource. At first they were successful, but the diversions at the end of the 18th century caused by events such as the independence of the United States and the French Revolution momentarily deviated the lumber interest of the British.

It was not until the 19th century, during the federal period, when the British again became interested in the exploitation of timber, especially in the Honduran North Coast, as a result of the depletion of raw materials from the industrial revolution and the growing imperialist policy directed towards Latin America. Key figures in the internal politics of the nation such as Francisco Morazán and Diego Vigil, as well as British like the merchant Marshal Bennett and Consul Frederick Chatfield played a crucial role in the development of this dynamic that had both political and economic implications.