FORESTRY IN THE BRITISH EMPIRE. 87 



recognised the necessity of determined action many years ago. 

 In many of the colonies the question has been taken up in 

 various degrees. In the mother country the forest question, 

 from the economic point of view, is still in its infancy. 



A detailed account of the state of affairs in the several parts 

 of the Empire would doubtless be interesting to the reader, 

 but unfortunately reliable information is not available in the 

 case of many of the colonies ; hence only the following can 

 at present be dealt with in some detail : India, South Africa, 

 Australasia, Canada and the United Kingdom. Short remarks 

 referring to some of the smaller colonies will be added. 



Of these, India has shown how the forest question should 

 be dealt with, thanks to the initiative of that great statesman, 

 Lord Dalhousie, sometime Governor-General of India, and 

 the able assistants whom he secured for the inauguration of 

 his policy. Of the latter. Sir Dietrich Brandis stands out 

 as the centre figure. He organised the Indian Forest 

 Department and started it on the right lines. 



