aa SECOND REPORT OF THE 



5th Rep., p. 23. Commiffioners of Land Revenue, that in thofe fchemes no other means were con- 

 ceived of renewing the growth of Timber within the plamations, but by a re- 

 petition of manual labour, which firll eftablifhed them. To infure fuel) a ivnewal, 

 Government mud at all times fleueud upon a very peculiar defoliation of dili- 

 gence and judgment of its 'Foreft Officers; not on a diligence and judgment which 

 every Officer is at all times called upon to exercife raid apply, and tlicrt-fcre, 

 among the other ordinary duties of fuch Officers, are at once known to bu re- 

 quired of everyone as fooii as he is appointed to the truft, but which only be- 

 comes nccefl'ary once perhaps in half a century. There is this further rcafon asjainft 

 the iuccfrfs of their former fchemes, that every replanting of the Wood muft be- a 

 matter of finance, and in many refpefts of troublefome confidcnttion. From 

 th^fl' circumfhmce's, which have attended every former fche'.Tir- adopted for Forefl 

 culture, the Commiffioners do not admit the conehlfion, that Gdvernmeiit cannot 

 fucceed in fome more iimple plan, upon the principle of affifting the fpantaneous 

 production of trees, as the moft probably effectual metliod of iufuring valuable 

 Timber in the Forefts. 



The means of procuring a Home Growth of Navy Timber, am moft important 

 fubjects for Parliamentary confideratlon, inasmuch as they mutt be piirfued oa 

 an extenlive fcale ; too extenfive to admit of trufting to a hope, expectation, or 

 even promife of equal fnpply from private individuals, who mult and will at all 

 times, from various caufes, change their plans of making profit of their lands ; 

 befides that, the land-owners are not to be found who combine in themfelvcs 

 funds, extent and iituation of land, circumftarices of property, and the genius 

 to conceive and execute the project, and who can at the fame time forego prcfent 

 income to eftablifh Woods calculated to a/ibrd a profpoct of fupply for the con- 

 tinued consumption, of Naval Timber in this Country. 



It is conceived alfo proper to ftate fome peculiar advantages that Windfor 

 Forefl affords for an extended plan of planting for the purpofe of rearing Timber. 

 The great remaining Wafte of 20,000 Acres, over which fuch a plan might be 

 extended, is not worth the expence of cultivation for any other purpofe than for 

 Timber.- Had the Commiffioners no other ground for giv ing your Lordmips this 

 polltive aflurance, the opinion would be warranted by fome fmall fpots of ground 

 in the middle of it, planted many years ago, which fhew, by the large Trees of 

 Oak and other kinds now {landing on them, that the furface foil, poor as it is, 

 and fcarce capable of being made ufeful for any other purpofe, have fubftratum 

 which will bear Timber of the firft growth, and of great fize and value. The cir- 

 cumftances, of the Forefl being bounded on one fide by the Thames, and the 

 Bafingftoke Canal communicating with that River, leave no part of the Wafte of 

 the Foreft that might be improved, diftant more than ten miles, and many parts 

 of this much lefs diflant from the moft convenient and leaft expenfive conveyance 

 for their produce. 



The Foreft itfclf, by the fale of detached pieces of Wafte Land, and of fuch 

 Timber as is decreafing in value and is not fit for Navy purpofes (after fupplying 

 what would be neceiTary for inclofures and other needful works) would fupplv .ui 

 .ample fund, not only for the firft expence of planting, but for providing annuajly 

 for fuch management and fuperintendance as will be neceffary to infure 

 advantage for fuch an undertaking. 



If any doubt mould be entertained, how far the Foreft will in itfelf furnifh 

 fufficient refources to meet the expence of fuch an improvement, it might be 

 limited to fuch a gradual progrcfs of it as would not exceed the resources that 

 might be derived from the Foreft. 



If it iliould be thought proper to purfue a more extended Plan of Improve- 

 ment, it would not be unreasonable, for the attainment of fo good a National 

 objeft (which has been done in moft great undertakings) to compel thofe, whole 

 rights now Hand in the way of it, to accept a juft and reafonablc compenfatiou 

 for them, many of which are of very inconfiderable value ; or, if that mould not 

 be thought expedient, the Commiffioners have conceived that a fufficient induce- 

 ment might be found in permitting thofe perfons or communities who fhail 

 waive thofe rights, to participate (in proportion to the extent they mail concede 

 them) in the future profits of the undertaking, which would have an additional 

 advantage, that it would give a large clafs of perfons an intereft in the improve- 

 ment of the Foreft, and difpofe them to facilitate and protect, rather than-obftruct 

 or deftroy, the cultivation of Timber. 

 " 



