INTRODUCTION. ^ 



i)ufinefs of planting and cultivating timber at home 

 as necefiary and as permanent as that of agricul- 

 ture ; of which, in truth, k certainly is ,a irioft 

 important branch. There is, and long will be, 

 an ample fufficiency of wafte land within the Bri- 

 tifh Iflands, for all the purpofes of planting, ex- 

 clufive of what may be moft advantageoufly ap- 

 propriated to the raifing of grain, and the rearing 

 of flock. 



The letter of the late LORD MELVILLE, to 

 Mr PERCEVAL, on the fubject of Naval Timber, 

 ,publifhed in July 1810, is fo much in point here, 

 and contains fo much important matter, on this 

 fubjecl:, that we cannot forbear making fome ex- 

 tracts from it. Flowing from the pen of fo able 

 a writer, and dictated by a judgment fo found, 

 and a knowledge fo extenfive, thefe remarks muft 

 carry convi&ion along with them ; and it is not 

 likely that any reader will think them too long. 



His Lordfhip, after recapitulating, in his letter, 

 the heads of the Report of the Commiffioners of 

 Land Revenue, appointed by Parliament in 1792, 

 to inquire into the condition of the woods and 

 forefls of the Crown, Hates their general conclu- 

 fion to be -" That if the profperity of this coun- 

 try fhould continue, the confumption of oak tim- 

 ber, for its internal purpofes, and for the fhipping 

 neceflary for the whole of our trade, including 

 that of the. Eaft India Company, would, at no 



very 



