142 NEW BRUNSWICK FORESTRY CONVENTION 



it burns itself out or through the intervention of a favorable wind or pro- 

 tracted rain it is extinguished. 



Such being the case, it is quite clear that our action lies in taking steps 

 beforehand. While we may not be able to prevent every fire, we can at least 

 prevent the repetition of the cause of many past fires. 



It might be that an efficient fire force could be formed an efficient 

 force of fire rangers for service in the dry season. This force should be 

 mounted and along the lines of railway supplied with velocipedes. They 

 should keep posted in conspicuous places copies of our Forest Laws ; they 

 should issue passports to parties going into the woods in the dry months ; 

 they should report frequently to their chiefs, hold a rigid investigation into 

 the cause of all fires and report them to the Government. They should be 

 active, alert and constantly on duty to detect any outbreak and check it at 

 the start. They should be familiar with their district, knowing all the roads 

 leading from their settlements, the trails and streams, and be able to keep 

 in touch with all parties going to and returning from the forests. 



There might be lookout towers erected on elevations commanding an 

 extensive view of the surrounding timber areas. They could be so placed 

 as to keep the whole timber area under the eyes of the lookouts during the 

 most dangerous months in the season. They could be cheaply erected, and 

 our country is especially adapted to it, affording suitable sites for the erec- 

 tion of these, towers. 



The clearing away of old works and removal of tops of trees and boughs 

 is another important matter, but it might be expensive and probably difficult 

 to enforce. However, as we grow and go on I predict that in time we will 

 see that even this will be done in our forests. The Expense of this might 

 very reasonably be borne, or divided between the government and the lum- 

 bermen and the railways. 



I have just briefly referred to the wealth of our country in forests and 

 to the cause of the very great destruction therein, and also suggested some- 

 thing that might be the means of preventing their destruction through fire. 

 A great deal more might be said, but it would be only recalling to your minds 

 what you have already heard. There are many questions I might touch up- 

 on that are more local in character and some in dispute between different 

 parties interested in the industry, but all these no doubt when our conven- 

 tion meets and talks the matter over again will be settled and adjusted, so 



