4 INTRODUCTION. 



mitted to suggest that if it were made the duty of some 

 Government officer, to whom "forest matters" are entrusted, 

 to watch our scientific and technical societies' publications, 

 and to purchase a few copies whenever essays or papers 

 appear relating to forests and their products, for distribu- 

 tion to conservators of forests, whose duty it would be to 

 circulate to their district officers, much good would result. 

 Perhaps if these papers were collected into one volume 

 once a year and distributed, it would be a better plan, as 

 they would form a complete record of the year's informa- 

 tion on the subject, and remain a record, not easily lost, 

 in our public offices. 



" 10. I trust that the interest I feel in all connected 

 with the progress of forestry in India, and my natural 

 anxiety to obtain for myself and officers every kind of 

 information which will assist us in the administration 

 of the immense charge entrusted to us, will be deemed 

 sufficient reason for having, perhaps, stepped beyond my 

 province in addressing Government direct on the eve of 

 my return to duty." I have, <fec 



"HEN^t LEEDS, 

 "Conservator of Forests, Lower Provinces, Bengal. 



" The Under Secretary of State for India." 



The receipt of this letter led to the following cor- 

 respondence: 



" India Office, 2d April, 1870. 

 " GENTLEMEN, 



" You were kind enough to comply with the request of 

 his Grace the Secretary of State for India, conveyed to you 

 in the letter from this department of the 16th of July 

 last, and enable Mr H. Leeds, the Conservator of Forests 

 in Bengal, to inspect the systems and operations carried 

 on in the management of the Crown forests, and I am now 

 directed to transmit to you a copy of a letter from Mr 

 Leeds (who has now left this country on his return to his 

 duties in India), enlarging upon the benefit which would 

 accrue to this country, as well as forest officers in India, if 



