92 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 



The diverse forms of forests named above, under the permanent 

 management of the State, are seen in Switzerland, Germany, France, 

 Russia, Japan, and India, not to mention Nigeria, so that it cannot 

 be called an isolated system. 



The cocoa industry has quite overshadowed that of collecting 

 palm fruit, making palm oil, and cracking of palm nuts to obtain the 

 kernels, with the result that these exports are small compared with 

 Sierra Leone even, which is a much smaller colony, with a climate 

 less propitious for palm-trees. 



The following table shows the exports for the last five years : 



Tons. £ 



1909 14,553 113,784 



1910 14,252 185,058 



1911 13,254 175,890 



1912 14,629 205,365 



1913 9,744 159,128 



In the year 1913 forest produce, in the shape of logs, etc., to 

 the value of £3,327,743 was exported. It would be disastrous to the 

 country if a few loud-voiced, narrow-minded people were to prevent 

 proper measures being adopted for the welfare of the country. Con- 

 sidering their previous education and small experience in these wide 

 economic matters, it is only natural that they should take this view, 

 but, on the other hand, that is no reason why the Supreme Govern- 

 ment should not do what is necessary for the future permanent benefit 

 of the country. A child is not allowed to play with fire, although 

 it may very much like to see the flames ; in the same way the British 

 people, as locally represented by the Gold Coast Government, cannot 

 allow the inhabitants of the district to play fast and loose with their 

 priceless treasures, the African forests, well knowing that the country 

 will be permanently injured thereby. Examples are to be found to-day 

 of countries which have allowed their forests to be destroyed. Spain 

 and Portugal are typical of this, and even in Africa one has the 

 spectacle of France putting untold millions into Forestry in Algeria 

 in order to restore the rainfall. Morocco and Mesopotamia are further 

 examples of countries in a similar condition, where the forests have 

 been destroyed. Palestine, with its ancient forests of Lebanon, is 

 the most drastic example of forest destruction, quite apart from 

 Turkish misrule. A similar process has taken place in the Soudan, 

 and this locality is only now being laboriously re-afiforested by the 

 Forest Department there. In India, European countries, Canada, 

 Australia, and in the United States it has been proved that it is only 

 by a central Government Agency that the forests will be properly 

 preserved both for this generation and the next ; therefore, before it 

 is too late, it behoves the Gold Coast people to recognise their responsi- 

 bility to future generations and allow the necessary legislation, so 

 that the forests may be preserved and rightly utilised. 



