124 THE FORESTS OF ENGLAND. 



the navy (including all trees down to 30 feet of timber), 

 containing by computation 3,745 loads of timber, square 

 measure; and only 194 scrubbed, dotard, or defective trees 

 of above 30 feet each, besides browse trees, of which there 

 were 8,266 oak trees, containing by computation 7,338 

 loads square measure, and 8,914 browse ashes; so that 

 the timber fit for the navy, according to this survey, was 

 little more than one-tenth part of the quantity fit for naval 

 use in 1608. This falling-off was not caused by felling 

 during the last century, but was the ruinous effect of 

 a mixture of opposite interests in the same property, and 

 of the system of mismanagement. Some of the trees called 

 browse trees, for instance, were found to be large and 

 sound trees, fit for the service of the navy. These were 

 lopped to feed the deer, and it is a significant fact that the 

 salaries of the lieutenant and keepers were defrayed chiefly 

 from the sale of browse wood. Again, the warden or deputy 

 warden had the privilege of cutting bushes and under- 

 wood in the plains, open ridings, and lawns; and a better 

 plan to prevent a succession of young trees could not be 

 devised, as these need the protection of the bushes to 

 prevent injuries from deer and cattle. The poundage of 

 five per cent, on all moneys coming to the hands of the 

 surveyor-general, and another poundage on the expen- 

 diture of those moneys, made it to the interest of that 

 officer to fell the timber and to promote and enhance the 

 expense and repairs and works in the forest. The whole 

 of the actual business of the forest used to be transacted 

 by deputies, and these deputies not acting upon oath, the 

 sales of the wood and timber being wholly under their 

 direction, without any adequate check or control, and the 

 deputies themselves being the buyers of the wood and 

 timber sold by themselves, it needs no further comment 

 to explain the difference in the above figures. These 

 deputies must have had profitable berths, for after they 

 had bought the timber of themselves, they undertook the 

 execution of works and repairs, and were paid according to 

 estimates prepared by themselves. Nor did the keepers 



