THE WILD FAUNA OF THE EMPIEE 31 



is very commonly the case, even for the general purposes we have 

 to rely upon Treasury grants, any question of an increase in 

 expenditure ou forest staff or forest officers must come up in the 

 ordinary course of business in the Estimates which we have to 

 submit to the Treasury ; and while I can safely say that anything 

 [ can do in the direction which this Deputation wishes will be most 

 willingly done, I cannot promise, without the assent of my friends 

 across the street, that funds will be available to do all that it 

 is desired should be done. 



That, really, gentlemen, is, I think, all that I can usefully say. 

 Like my predecessor, I wish to profess my great interest in the 

 whole of this subject ; I shall take care that the observations which 

 you have made in detail upon the reports which we have received 

 shall be submitted again to the local authorities and recommended 

 for their consideration, and everything we can do within our means 

 we shall be very glad to do to carry out the object which you have 

 come here to support. If anything further can be done, I can 

 safely promise you my sympathy, consideration, and assistance, so 

 far as it is in my power. (' Hear, hear.') 



Mr. E. N. Buxton: In thanking you, Lord Elgin, for your 

 kindness in receiving us to-day, and for your very valuable remarks, 

 may I call your attention to the Deputy Commissioner's remarks 

 in the report which you have sent to us, in which he says, ' I am 

 strongly of opinion that a steady increase in the revenue derived 

 from game licences and fines for breaches of the game regulations 

 since 1903 now justifies an appeal to the Secretary of State for 

 larger expenditure on the protection of the game.' 



Lord Elgin : That is the case of Uganda ? 



Mr. E. N. Buxton : British East Africa. 



Lord Elgin : I beg your pardon, British East Africa. 



Mr. E. N. Buxton : Then he proceeds to lay down for your 

 consideration an estimate for ranger, deputy ranger, assistant 

 ranger, and so on — as to what it would cost. 



Lord Elgin : Yes. 



Mr. E. N. Buxton: What we would ask you to do is to look 

 at it from the point of view of what will happen if you do not take 

 these steps : you will lose this revenue; the game will diminish, 

 and the attraction of the country will cease. So that, putting it 

 upon the lowest economical grounds, I think really we have made 

 out a very strong case for adequate expenditure, more especially 

 in British East Africa, where there is a more varied fauna than in 

 any other part of the world. 



With regard to your remark, my Lord, if I may detain you for 

 one moment longer, in the opinion of this Society the time when 

 a game reserve is of the most value is when it comes into contact 

 with civilisation ; when civilisation begins to impinge upon the 

 reserve, then it is of the most value, because it is then that 

 the game is apt to be killed out, and it is then that the settler of the 

 future will most appreciate the precaution of maintaining the 

 reserve where it is of most use. Take, for instance, British Bast 



