264 FORESTRY IN FRANCE. 
by an inspector-in-charge, who is assisted by two or three other 
forest officers and a number of clerks. 
Ordinary Duties in the Forests.—The unit of administrative 
charge is the division (¢spection) which is held by an inspector ; 
but for purposes of executive management this charge is split up 
into sub-divisions (cantonments), under assistant or sub-assistant 
inspectors, who are also at the disposal of the inspector for any 
special work that he may require of them. Occasionally, when the 
division is a small one, the inspector himself holds charge of a sub- 
division. The divisions are grouped into conservatorships, and 
these again into six circles (régions), each of the latter being 
assigned to an inspector-general. The forests, State and communal, 
managed by the Forest Department are 11,508 square miles in 
extent, and they are divided into 414 sub-divisions, 192 divisions, 
and 35 conservatorships ; consequently, the average area of each of 
these charges is as follows, viz. :—Sub-division, 28 square miles ; 
division, 60 square miles; conservatorship, 329 square miles. The 
average area of an inspector-general’s circle extends over 1918 
square miles. 
The sub-divisional officer is essentially an out-of-doors man, who 
personally directs all work going on within the limits of his 
charge, in accordance with the instructions given to him by the 
inspector, whose assistant he is, and who can at his discretion 
employ him on special duties outside his sub-division. The 
divisional officer is the manager of the forest estates. He prepares 
projects for the various works that are to be undertaken, and 
directs the subordinate officers in their execution ; he is also the 
prosecutor in all cases taken into Court for the suppression of forest 
offences. The conservator exercises a general control over the 
divisional officers employed under him ; and it is his duty to see 
that all work is directed in accordance with the views of the 
Government, as they are from time to time communicated to him 
from the Central Office. He alone has control of the expenditure, 
and has power to issue orders on the public treasury. As regards 
his circle, the inspector-general is not an administrative officer ; but 
he makes an annual tour, and is required to become personally 
acquainted with all the work going on, and with the qualifications 
of all ranks of officers employed within it, seeing that each fulfils 
his duties properly. During the remainder of the year he is at 
headquarters, where he is able to make use at the council board of 
the information collected during his tour, by advising the Govern- 
