1^2 BRITISH POSSESSIONS IN ASIA. 



(8.) A trained and experienced officer to be appointed 

 Conservator of Forests with trained Rangers to assist him. 



These recommendations are being acted on. An Indian 

 forest officer of experience has been appointed Conservator 

 who is gradually getting together a trained staff of assistants, 

 two probationers being at tbis momenc under training at the 

 Oxford Forest School. 



The exports of timber are not given in the returns. Those 

 of gutta-percha were valued in 1900 at il,43'2,443, and in 

 1904 at ,i;292,936, indicating a decline in five years of 80 per 

 cent. The average annual exports of rubber during the same 

 five years amounted to a value of £168,512, but, as the imports 

 are not given, it is not possible to state how much of the 

 rubber was produced in the Colony. The cultivation of rubber 

 is vigorously prosecuted. Tbe value of the exported gums 

 came to : Gum Benjamin = =647,455 ; Cop(d = £146,443 ; 

 Lac = £32,571 ; Gamhier, net export, £24,050. 



On the whole, the Colony offers excellent opportunities for 

 the production of the above-mentioned articles. Of gutta- 

 percha it is the main source, and the Forest Department 

 will, no doubt, take measures to bring up the production to 

 what it was some years ago. 



THE FEDERATED MALAY STATES. 



Estimated area = 26,350 square miles ; population 

 678,595, or 26 to the square mile. 



Another report by Mr. Hill, also of 1900, deals with these 

 States. It appears that they are as yet heavily wooded, and 

 it is proposed :^ — ■ 



(1.) That all unalienated lands shall be treated as one 



property, whether reserved or not ; 

 (2.) that a forest law be enacted providing power to con- 

 stitute reserved State forests and to reserve certain 

 species of trees in the unreserved forests ; 

 (3.) that in the choice of reserves the following points be 

 taken into consideration : — 



{<() to protect hill sides against denudation; 



