1104 REPORT—1880. 
Section E.—GEOGRAPHY. 
PRESIDENT OF THE SEcrion—General J. T. Watxemr, C.B., R.E., LL.D., F.R.S. 
[For General Walker’s Address, see p. 1106.] 
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10. 
The following Papers were read :— 
1. The Indian Forest School. By Major F. Batuey, R.E., F.2.G.S. 
Tt is only within the last twenty-five years that a special State Department has 
administered the Indian forests. ‘The staff was at first composed of men who had 
received no professional education, but they were able to do all that was then 
needed, and they accomplished work of great value. Asa result of their work the 
State became possessed of large forest areas, from which a permanent supply of pro- 
duce had to be secured, and which had therefore to be managed systematically. 
But at this time nothing was known of systematic forestry in England or in India, 
and an arrangement was made in 1866 under which candidates for the Indian 
Forest Service were trained on the Continent. The arrangement then made with 
the French Government is still in force, but it has now been decided to undertake 
the instruction in England. Great progress has been made in Indian forestry, and 
this is mainly due to the professionally-trained men with whom the Forest Depart- 
ment has been recruited; but up to 1869 nothing had been done towards the 
education of the subordinate ranks, As work requiring professional skill became 
necessary over large areas, it was found that the ‘divisions’ must be broken up 
into a number of smaller executive charges under natives of the country, and that 
they must receive a professional education. In 1869 Mr. Brandis made proposals 
to organise the subordinate grades and to train men at the Civil Engineering 
Colleges, and several other attempts were made in the same direction, but without 
marked success. 
In 1878 Mr. Brandis proposed to establish a Central Forest School, and his pro- 
posals were accepted by Government. The chief object of the school was to prepare 
natives of India for the executive charge of forest ranges, and to qualify them for 
further promotion, but it was hoped that it might ultimately be used to train 
candidates for the controlling branch. The chief forest officers of provinces were 
to select candidates and send them to be trained at the school, none but natives 
of India being admitted. A number of forests near Dehra Dun were grouped toge- 
ther as a training ground and placed under a separate conservator, who was also 
appointed director of the school; a board of inspection was also appointed, The 
first theoretical course was held in 1881, and courses have been held every year 
since then, 
The present system is that the candidates, who must be in robust health, are 
selected by conservators of forests or by the director of the school. They must 
serve in the forests for at least twelve months before entering the school. Candidates 
for the ranger’s certificate must have passed the entrance examination of an Indian 
University on the English side; candidates for the forester’s certificate must have 
‘passed a lower examination. The course of training for these two classes extends 
over eighteen and twelve months respectively. Men who gain the certificates return 
