ITS LESSONS AND ITS WARNINGS 55 



reclamation was from 13s. to 45s. an acre ; and 

 the freehold value as tested by actual sales was 

 from 21 to 46 an acre. On the Kiver Kibble 

 about 300 acres of land had been reclaimed. It 

 was rich soil and readily let at 3 10s. an acre 

 rental. One of the Commissioners, Mr. Nicholson, 

 claimed that the work was a national one, 

 because, he said, " land is the nation's greatest 

 asset it is the source of the nation's wealth it 

 is the foundation of the nation's greatness." 

 These are truthful words and sum up the con- 

 tention in favour of adding all the land possible 

 to the nation's territory. 



The Commissioners in their Report, after 

 hearing all the evidence given before them, 

 recommended that " The Board of Agriculture 

 should be charged with the duty of scheduling 

 and obtaining detailed reports upon lands in 

 the United Kingdom, capable of profitable 

 reclamation." 



A Departmental Committee has been recently 

 appointed to consider the question of the 

 " Employment of Belgian Refugees." A volume 

 containing the evidence given before the com- 

 mittee has already been published (Cd. 1779, 

 1915). The evidence completely confirms the 



