FORESTRY COMMISSIONER. 61 



In state and fund forests, on 1,393 acres; in communal 

 forests, on 328,487 acres; in private forests, on 1,003,342 

 acres. 



The statistics for the years 1891 to 1895 show that 

 there occurred 3,007 forest fires, running over an area 

 of 19,310 acres, and causing a loss of $163,904. On the 

 yearly average, 60 1 forest fires have run over an area of 

 3,862 acres, involving $32,781 damage. 



These fires were caused: By carelessness, in 1,210 

 cases; intentionally, in 181 cases; by sparks from loco- 

 motives, in 118 cases; by lightning, in 26 cases; by un- 

 known agents, in 1,472 cases. 



The officers of the state forest administration have a 

 general rank equal to all technical branches of govern- 

 ment administration. The forest officers in Austria are 

 divided into two groups, one of which is attending to the 

 administration of the Austrian state and fund forests, 

 while the other is charged with the control and enforce- 

 ment of all laws and rules enacted with reference to for- 

 estry. The latter forest officers are joined to the local 

 political administration. 



All government officers are allotted to different grades 

 or ranks, the rank depending on their merit and their 

 age, and being combined with a certain title and with a 

 definite income peculiar to that rank. Forest officers are 

 found in the following ranks: Tenth rank, forest assist- 

 ants engaged in the administration of state and fund for- 

 ests, drawing a salary of $364 to $405 per annum, to 

 which there must be added an additional pay varying 

 from $64 to $162, according to the time which the officer 

 has spent in government service; ninth rank, head for- 

 esters entrusted with the local administration, drawing a 

 salary of $445 to $526, with an additional pay varying 

 from $8 1 to $202 ; eighth rank, a forest master, or inspect- 

 ing officer, draws a salary of $567 up to $729 and an ad- 



