THE FORESTRY SUB-COMMITTEE. 81 



necessary timber and pitwood. It has been shown above that 

 during the period 1909 — 1913, the average annual consumption 

 of timber and pitwood amounted to about 11 milUon loads, of 

 which about 1 milHon loads were produced in the country. It 

 has also been shown that the future supply of the 10 million loads 

 of imported timber rests on a very unsafe basis even in peace 

 time. The great war, in proving that it was practically impossible 

 to obtain the necessary timber from outside, brought it home to 

 the nation that the time had arrived for the adoption of a decided 

 forest policy. This led to the appointment, in July, 1916, of the 

 Forestry Sub-Committee of the Reconstruction Committee, and 

 the passing of the Forestry Act of 1919, to be dealt with in the 

 following pages. 



SECTION III.— THE FORESTRY SUB-COMMITTEE OF 1916-17. 



The Forestry Sub-Committee consisted of fourteen members 

 with the Right Honourable F. D. Acland, M.P., as Chairman. 

 The terms of reference were : — 



" To consider and report upon the best means of conserving 



and developing the woodlands and forestry resources of the 



United Kingdom, having regard to the experience gained 



during the war." 



After strenuous work extending over 10 months, the Committee 



submitted their report in May, 1917. The following pages give 



a contracted account of the report, with such remarks as the 



author of this book (a member of the Sub-Committee) considers 



desirable to add. The report served as the basis of the Forestry 



Act of 1919, which lays down the future forest policy of Great 



Britain and Ireland. 



1. Introductory. 



Already in the Middle Ages attempts were made to protect 

 certain forests which, at that time, served principally as the 

 hunting grounds of the King. During a long period, however, 

 destruction of the forests was a prominent feature, and, as 

 mentioned above, it was not until towards the end of the eigh- 

 teenth century that the timber outlook became really serious. 

 Arrangements were then made under which over 50,000 acres 

 principally of oak woods were added to the Crown forests for the 



