2&4 MObERN ^OllEST 



sion all the benefit possible, without detriment to those 

 who are to follow. 



Such I understand to be the principles of modern scien- 

 tific forest economy followed on the Continent of Europe. 



But this improved system of forest management cannot 

 be carried out without the assistance of men who are, by 

 education, instruction, and training, able to take into view 

 the whole case, with all its circumstances and all its con- 

 ditions. In France, the wasteful destruction of forests 

 which gave occasion for the preparation and promulgation 

 of the famous Forest Ordinance of 1669, was consequent 

 on the administration of the State forests by so-called 

 noblemen and ecclesiastical dignitaries of high position ; 

 and it was traced to a great extent to their malversations, 

 peculations, and illegal exactions. Amongst those who 

 were found guilty of these were monks and bishops, sieurs, 

 barons, marquises, and at least one duke, a peer of France, 

 Procureurs de Roi, lieutenant-generals, superintendents, 

 and at least one Grand-master des Eaux et Forets, the head 

 of the staff. And some idea may be formed of the magni- 

 tude of the malversations committed by them from the 

 penalties to which these officials of high social position 

 were subjected : besides restitutions, pecuniary penalties 

 to the amount of 275,000 livres were exacted. All the 

 officers and officials of Mouliere had to demit their offices, 

 and they were declared incapable of holding any office, or 

 discharging any function in the forests of the king ; one, 

 an official of a contractor, was ' condemned to do penance 

 in his shirt head and feet bare a rope round his neck, 

 followed by the public executioner, and holding in his 

 hand a torch two pounds in weight, before the gate and 

 principal entry of the Palais Royal of the city of Poictiers, 

 and to be banished for ever from the county of Poictou 

 and Guyenne/ A sergeant of the forests of the province 

 of Alenson was condemned to the galleys ; and the Master 

 des Eaux et Forets of Epernay was condemned to death.* 



* Details are given in French Forest Ordinance q/" 1669, with Historical Sketch, ifcc. 

 (pp. 13-34). 



