JARRAH WOOD, the product of a large tree (Eucalyptus marginate) found in south-western Australia, where it is said to cover an area of 14,000 sq.m. The trees grow straight in the stem to a great size, and yield squared timber up to 4o ft. length and 24 in. diameter. The wood is hard, heavy and close-grained, with a mahogany-red colour, and sometimes sufficient "figure" to render it suitable for cabinet-makers' use. The timber possesses several useful characteristics ; and great expectations were at first formed as to its value for shipbuilding and general constructive purposes; these expectations have not, however, been realized. Its greatest merit for marine purposes is due to the fact that it re sists, better than any other timber, the attacks of the Teredo navalis and other marine borers, and on land it is equally exempt, in tropical countries, from the ravages of white ants. When felled with the sap at its lowest point and well seasoned, the wood stands exposure to the air, earth or sea remarkably well, on which account it is in request for railway sleepers, telegraph poles and piles in the British colonies and India. The wood, however, frequently shows longitudinal blisters, or lacunae, filled with resin, such as may be observed in spruce fir timber; and it is deficient in fibre, break ing with a short fracture under comparatively moderate pressure.
JARROW, port, municipal borough, Jarrow parliamentary division, Durham, England, on the right bank of the Tyne, 62 m.
below Newcastle, and on the L.N.E. railway. Pop. (1931) 32,018.
The parish church of St. Paul was founded in 685, and retains portions of pre-Norman work and good Decorated and Perpen dicular details. Close by are the scattered ruins of the monastery begun by Biscop in 681, and consecrated by Ceolfrid in 685. Within the walls of this monastery the Venerable Bede spent his life. The town is wholly industrial, devoted to ship-building, chemical works, paper mills and the neighbouring collieries. It owes its development very largely to Sir Charles Mark Palmer.
Jarrow Slake, a river bay, 1 m. long by m. broad, contains the Tyne docks of the L.N.E. railway company. A great quantity of i coal is shipped. Jarrow was incorporated in 1875.