332 REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON FORESTRY, 
forests, which are a large part of the British possessions, as much 
as India is, upon which much evidence has been already given.”— 
“The Committee looked forward with great interest to hear your 
evidence upon this subject; but we ought to try and confine 
ourselves as much as possible first, perhaps, to the necessity of 
such a school in view of the waste that is being committed daily ; 
and, secondly, as to what practical steps should be, and are possible 
to be taken to make up for that waste, and to raise up a class of 
men who will enable us to deal with our forests better than they 
have been dealt with hitherto?” ‘I will endeavour to give my 
evidence upon that aspect of the case.” 
‘You have had a great deal of experience in South Africa with 
regard to the forests there, have you not?” ‘Yes; I know the 
waste which has been going on, and the consequences which have 
followed that waste.”—‘‘ When the Cape authorities were in want 
of a forest officer they had to obtain the services of a French 
gentleman?” ‘They got a French gentleman to look after their 
forests, who, when he went to the colony, could not, it is said, 
speak a word of English.”——“ Naturally they would have preferred 
to have appointed an Englishman if they could have found one 
competent?” ‘ Decidedly ; but there was not such an Englishman 
to be found.” —“ And that would be the case at the present moment ?” 
“Tt would be the case at the present moment, excepting that there 
are officials from India who have returned to this country, who 
might be disposed to go to the Cape as being a healthy settlement ; 
but there is not, so far as I know, an English forester capable of 
taking the management of the Colonial forests.”—‘ And there are 
only a very few Indian officials who are at any time available?” 
“Apparently.” —“And these the Government would be sorry to lose?” 
“T have no doubt of it.”—“‘ So that there is great need for trained 
foresters in this country?” ‘Very great need.”—“‘ Youare of opinion 
that the management of our forests and woodlands would be much more 
successfully carried on if there were properly trained foresters to 
do the work?” ‘Tam satisfied that they would be, but simply upon 
this ground: according to the advanced forestry science of the 
day, there is no hard and fast rule laid down for the management 
of any forest; but the students in the various schools upon the 
Continent are thoroughly instructed in all that pertains to the 
healthful growth of trees, and then they make their own appli- 
cation of the science to the circumstances in which they may be 
called to act.”—“ In fact, the establishment of a forest school would, 
