674 A NATIONAL SCHOOL OF FORESTRY. [Mar. 



provision for the attainment by foresters of this knowledge might be 

 made at less expense than would be incurred in the establishment 

 of a School of Forestry, by extending our forest literature so as to 

 embrace in it information on the points mentioned. There are 

 great advantages secured by the self-educated man who, by observa- 

 tion, conversation, reading, and thought, fits himself for his work. 

 But such literature as is referred to exists in the English language 

 only to a very limited extent. By the establishment of a School of 

 Forestry, a demand for the production of such literature beyond what 

 at present exists might be created ; and thus again directly, though 

 not immediately, the condition of our woodlands and forests might 

 be improved. 



But I am disposed to look still further afield. It is possible, 

 and I anticipate that it would be the case, that the colonies 

 would derive from the establishment of a National School of 

 Forestry perhaps more benefit than would Great Britain and 

 Ireland. And we are taught that, as in the body so in the Church 

 of Christ throughout the world, all is so constituted that there should 

 be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the 

 same care one of another, and whether one member suffer all the 

 members suffer with it, or one member be honoured all the members 

 rejoice with it. Whether we hold or deny that the Church should 

 be co-extensive with the State, and the State co-extensive with the 

 Church, or whether we reject that statement, either as a view of 

 what is, or of what should be, we may recognise in the benefit done 

 to the colonies a benefit to the empire, and what benefits the whole 

 may be considered as benefiting all. 



Again, the benefit to the United Kingdom, whether it be equal, be 

 nearly equal, or be greatly inferior to that received by the colonies, 

 may be shared largely, so largely as to appear to be almost engrossed 

 by the teachers and officials employed, by the students, and by the 

 landed proprietors of the country, more especially, tliough not ex- 

 clusively, those possessed of woodlands and forests ; but even these 

 first charges may not exhaust the direct benefit to the State to be 

 expected from such an institution ; and with such knowledge of the 

 subject as I have, I have no doubt that the direct and indirect rever- 

 sionary benefit to the country would far exceed even in money value 

 the expense incurred, if this be confined to what is really necessary. 

 As it is with this, so is it, as if by a law of necessity, in every 

 organization connected with the government of the State — the 

 army, the navy, the legislature, the executive, the courts of justice, 

 the ecclesiastical and educational establishments inclusive of 

 churches, primary schools, and universities alike — the first to reap 

 pecuniary benefit are the officials employed; the next to do so a 



