Cranes of appropriate strengths, and worked by hand or other motive-power, should be distributed in suitable positions throughout the shed. They should be placed so that they can, when required, lift direct out of a railway truck on the one side, and deposit into a cart or dray on the opposite side of the loading-bank. Goods-sheds may be built of stone, brick, iron, or timber, or a 281 combination of all of them. Where the requirements are well proved, and the traffic certain, it is better to build a substantial permanent structure. Iron sheds, with sides and roofs of galvanized corrugated iron sheets, will last for many years if not made of too light materials. There are many cases where it is more prudent to put up a goods-shed in timber than to incur the cost of one of more permanent character. Where the traffic is uncertain, or the foundations bad, or out in undeveloped districts abroad, a building of timber will serve the purpose for a number of years, or until the period of probation has passed, and the actual requirements are accurately ascertained. In a timber-built shed, the decay usually commences about the ground line, but if the nature of the soil will permit of the construction of a small dwarf foundation wall of masonry or concrete up to about nine inches above the ground line, the life of the building will be prolonged for several years. The best method of admitting daylight into a goods-shed is from the roof, and a liberal extent of roof-glazing should be provided for the full length of the building, and so distributed as to be well over the loading-banks. In tropical countries the amount of roof light must be reduced, on account of the great glare from the sunlight. An ample supply of artificial light will be necessary when working after dark or during the night. In some instances the goods-sheds in large and important business centres have one or more upper storys, in which goods are warehoused pending the owners’ instructions, the goods being transferred between the loading-banks and upper floors by lifts or cranes. A proper supply of weighing machines for carts, drays, railway trucks, and packages on the loading-banks will be necessary to facilitate the checking of the goods.