56 THE GREAT WAR 



views on reclamation expressed in the foregoing 

 pages, and should be read by all who have 

 doubts on the subject of reclamation. One 

 witness, Mr. E. L. Kobinson (Question 1145 and 

 following), states that there are 20,000 acres in 

 the eastern counties, and 40,000 acres in Dorset 

 and Hampshire well fitted for reclamation. 

 Mr. E. S. Cheney, Assistant Secretary to the 

 Board of Agriculture, than whom there is 

 probably no higher authority, in his evidence 

 before the committee states that " there is no 

 doubt that there are considerable areas in this 

 country which are capable of being reclaimed 

 from their present condition and put to profit- 

 able uses." Among other examples he mentions 

 a Welsh bog near Aberystwyth of 18,000 acres, 

 and states, " I see no reason whatever why that 

 should not be reclaimed on the Fen system." 

 Here we have about twenty-eight square miles 

 of worthless bog, which, according to the best 

 authority, could be turned into fertile land, 

 yielding annually great wealth to the nation. 1 

 In his evidence given before the Select Com- 



1 Besides the wealth accruing to the nation generally, 

 there are the local rates and taxes for which the reclaimed 

 land would be liable. The total county rate for the county 

 of Cardiganshire for the present year is 2s. 8d. in the . 



