THE HILL FORESTS OF WESTERN INDIA. 669 



The review of Forest Administration in British India for the year 

 1896-97, by Mr. B. Ribbentrop, C. I. E., Inspector-General of Forests, 

 shows that, in that year, which is the latest for which I have any 

 report, the State forests yielded more than 47 millions of cnbio feet of 

 timber, nearly 100 millions of cubic feet of firewood, nearly 135 mil- 

 lions of bamboos, and minor produce to the value of nearly 3^ millions 

 of rupees. 



In the same year, the exports from British India to foreign ports 

 included 64,221 tons of teak wood, valued at nearly 7 millions of 

 rupees ; sandal-wood, ebony and other ornamental woods, worth 

 nearly 6,00,000 of rupees ; and such minor produce as Caoutchouc, Lac, 

 Lac-dye, Cutch and Gambier, Myrabolams, and Cardamoms, worth 

 about 21 millions of rupees. 



The total value of exports, which reached nearly 28i millions of 

 rupees, was less by Q\ millions than the totul value for the precedino- 

 year ; the decrease being due almost entirely to the disastrous effects 

 of plague and famine. 



The gross revenue realized from forests during the year 1896-97 

 amounting to nearly 18 millions of rupees, the surplus over expendi- 

 ture having been 8 millions. More than 1 7 per cent, of the gross revenue 

 represented the estimated value of forest produce given away free or 

 at reduced rates to right-holders and free grantees. When it is re- 

 membered that, before 1848, the forest revenue, which was treated as 

 a branch of the land revenue, was very trifling, the progress made 

 in the past 50 years is very remarkable. But, as most truly observed 

 by Sir George Birdwood, in the paper from which I have already 

 quoted, " the annual revenue which forest conservancy has as yet 

 provided is utterly insignificant when compared with the capital value 

 of the Indian forests redeemed by the British Government from cer- 

 tain destruction." 



It would be strange if such results had been achieved without 

 opposition. I have already spoken of the conciliatory course adopted 

 by some forest administrators towards those whose privileo-es were 

 affected by the stringency of the new regulations. Villagers on the 

 outskirts of forests had for generations cut firewood and grazed cattle 

 therein and cleared patches for cultivation without hindrance. The 

 policy aimed at has been to stop the exercise of privileges incompatible 



