234 THE FORESTS OF ENGLAND. 



"The 6th of George I, chap. 16, is another Act for the 

 encouragement of planting and preserving woods. By it 

 damage done to woods is made recoverable from the parish, 

 unless within a certain time it discovers and convicts the 

 real offender. 



" Sect. 3 of chap. 12 of the 8th of the same king directs, 

 that the inspecting officer shall grant no certificate, unless 

 the articles, of which tar is particularly mentioned, are of 

 good quality. It has been said, that this act was a repeal 

 of the acts of Ann above-mentioned : yet there appears no 

 other repeal than of what relates to cutting or destroying 

 the white pine in America ; the rest, being temporary, was 

 left to expire in due course. In it, however, many sorts 

 of timber are enumerated as being imported from America ; 

 among them oak, wainscot, pine, &c. ; and, in consequence 

 of these being imported from foreign countries at very 

 advanced prices, particularly in time of war, it is enacted, 

 that due encouragement be given to importation from the 

 colonies. The law respecting the pine is nearly the same 

 as enacted by Ann, but the penalty is reduced. 



"In the 6th of George III., chap. 36, is an Act for the 

 better preservation of timber and trees. It is enacted, that 

 every person, not being the lawful owner, who shall lop or 

 top, cut or spoil, split down, damage, or otherwise destroy, 

 any kinds of wood, underwood, poles, stack of wood, green- 

 stubs, or young trees, or carry or convey away the same, 

 or shall have in their custody any such, and shall not be 

 able to give a satisfactory account how they came by them, 

 shall be convicted before a magistrate on the oath of one 

 or more credible witnesses, and be fined, for the first 

 offence, any sum not exceeding 40s., with all costs ; for the 

 second, not exceeding 5 ; and for the third offence be 

 d eemed an incorrigible rogue. Oak, beech, ch esnut, walnut, 

 ash, elm, cedar, fir, asp, lime, sycamore, and birch, to be 

 considered as timber. 



"This Act was confirmed by chap. 33 of the 13th of 

 George III., which farther enacted that poplar, alder, larch, 

 maple, and hornbeam, should be deemed timber trees. 



