1884.] REVIEWS OF BOOR'S. 75 



Keviews of 3ooks. 



Forestry in the Mining Districts of the Ural Mountains in Eastern 

 Eussia. By John Croumbik Beown, LL.D., etc. Edinburgh : 

 Oliver & Boyd. 1884. 



ANOTHER of Dr. Brown's excellent compilations — in this case 

 relating to that laud of gold, platinum, copper, and iron, 

 which used to dominate and mostly supply the metallic currency of 

 the globe ; as well as of Siberia with its sad prison memories. Dr. 

 Brown, besides adducing a load of valuable facts relative to forest 

 science in these distant regions, has produced a most interesting as 

 well as entertaining book. In this instance, there is a thorough 

 relation of the numerous anecdotes depicting the social life and 

 moral character of the people and forests ; for the deplorable state 

 of these in the Ural appears to be as much due to the bribery and 

 corruption prevalent throughout the Government departments in 

 charge of them, as to the antiquated and defective system of 

 exploitation, known as Za Methodc a Tire et Aire, pursaied. Take 

 the following instance : — 



" Wood was being felled by a contractor for the work, acting on a 

 permit which had been properly attested, and was otherwise in 

 order. But a great deal more had been felled than was covered by 

 the permit, and an official went to him saying, ' Ivan, Ivanowitch 

 (John, the son of John), what is this ? Look here ! There's some- 

 thing wrong; the permit is for 300 cubic feet; you have felled 

 trees enough to measure 1000. You had no right to do so ; all this 

 must be confiscated.' And confiscated it was ; and the Government 

 mark was put upon it ; after which, to dispose of it would make 

 whoever did so liable to banishment to Siberia. But the official by 

 whom this was done went to the proprietor of the Zavod, on whose 

 permit it was being felled, and said to him, ' I find the contractor has 

 far exceeded the quantity mentioned in the permit, and of the excess 

 700 fathoms have been confiscated. According to the law, this 

 must be sold by public auction ; Ijut I will sell it to you for the 

 amount of Government dues which must be paid upon it, the 

 amount of which is 100 roubles (£10).' In such a case the Govern- 

 ment would never see a kopeck of the payment made." 



And thus Dr. Brown shows at some length how a country which, 

 from its climate and forest and mineral wealth, might compete with 

 Australia as an emigration field for our country, is sunk in apparently 



