548 EDI S BURGH AND A FOllESTRY SCHOOL. [Jan. 



which might be supposed likely to bring the enterprise into notice, 

 and increase the interest taken in it. But again the reply was : " No 

 funds." And thus the year has passed without its being in the 

 power of the committee to carry out the second suggestion submitted 

 and approved by the meeting at which they were appointed. 



But the committee do not despair of the major scheme for which 

 such temporary arrangements could only have been subsidiary, and 

 were only designed to be so, being effected ; and again they have made 

 arrangements for bringing the matter under the consideration of 

 all whom it may concern. 



What is desiderated, and what is contemplated, is a National 

 School of Forestry. Tliere are British Colonies in which scientific 

 educated foresters are employed ; but it is only in India that there 

 exists within the British dominions a continuous demand for the 

 services of such. Hitherto the preparatory training for this ser- 

 vice has been an expensive one — expensive to the aspirants, being 

 prosecuted largely in France — and expensive to the State, a large 

 proportion of their expenditure being refunded, on satisfactory 

 testimony being supplied in regard to the attention given by them 

 to their studies, and a considerable expenditure being incurred in 

 the superintendence of their studies. But the results have not 

 jDroved satisfactory. 



Mr. W. G. Pedder, revenue secretary, India Office, in giving evidence 

 before a Select Committee of the House of Commons in Jnly last, 

 it is reported, stated, in regard to candidates for employment in the 

 Forest Department in India : "It was found that the young men sent 

 to France were not sufficiently well acquainted with the French 

 language to acquire knowledge through that medium. A change 

 had consequently been made. The young officers selected were 

 sent to undergo a course at the Royal Engineering College at West 

 Hill, where they were instructed in the ordinary engineering 

 education, and in addition were taught Forestry, and Botany, and 

 Forest Law, and Jurisprudence. ... No applications had been received 

 from other than the Indian Department; but no doubt other 

 students would be received, who would pay the fees of £180 a year, 

 including everything excepting pocket-money" (see Forestry, 1885, 



p. 310). 



At much less expense than this, then, might be provided in 

 Edinburgh, education, instruction, and training, equal to what has 

 hitherto been given to candidates for appointments as forest officials 

 in India ; and such, it may be assumed, would suffice for candidates 

 for similar appointments in our Colonies and at home. In the 

 former, importance is attached to the social position and social 

 tvainin'" of the aspirant being such as to qualify him for admini- 



