9 
lowing from them—translations of documents and enact- 
ments, showing what legislative and executive measures 
have been taken by the Government of France in connec- 
tion with réboisement as a remedial application against 
destructive torrents—and details in regard to the past, 
present, and prospective aspects of the work. 
Extract From Prerace.—‘In a treatise on the Hydrology of South 
Africa I have given details of destructive effects of torrential floods at 
the Cape of Good Hope and Natal, and referred to the measures adopted 
in France to prevent the occurrence of similar disastrous floods there. 
The attention of the Legislative Assembly at the Cape of Good Hope 
was, last year, called by one of the members of the Assembly to the 
importance of planting trees on unproductive Crown lands. On learn- 
ing that this had been done I addressed to the editor of the Cape Argus 
a communication, of which the following is a copy :— 
‘ *“T have before me details of destructive effects of torrents which have 
occurred since I left the Colony in the beginning of 1867. Towards the 
close of that year there occurred one, the damage occasioned by which 
to roads and to house property at Port Elizabeth alone was estimated at 
from £25,000 to £30,000, Within a year thereafter a similar destructive 
torrent occurred at Natal, in regard to which it was stated that the 
damage done to public works alone was estimated at £50,000, while the 
loss to private persons was estimated variously from £50,000 to £100,000. 
In the following year, 1869, a torrent in the Western Province occa- 
sioned the fall of a railway bridge, which issued in loss of life and loss 
of property, and personal injuries, for one case alone of which the rail- 
- Way proprietors were prosecuted for damages amounting to £5000. In 
Beaufort West a deluge of rain washed down the dam, and the next 
year the town was flooded by the waters of the Gamko; and the next 
year, 1871, Victoria West was visited with a similar disaster. Such are 
the sums and the damages with which we have to deal in connection 
with this question, as it affects the case; and these are only the most 
remarkable torrents of the several years referred to. I have spoken of 
millions of francs being spent on réboisement in France, and some may 
be ready to cry out, ‘ Nothing like such an expenditure can be under- 
taken at the Cape!’ Perhaps not; but the losses occasioned by the 
torrents seem to amount at present to about a million of francs in the 
-year. This falls in a great measure on individuals, that would fall on 
the community ; and the community in return would benefit by water 
retained to fertilize the earth, instead of being lost in the sea, and by 
_firewood and timber being grown where now there is none. These are 
facts well deserving of consideration in the discussion of the expediency 
of planting Crown lands with trees.” ; : 
Towards the close of last year, 1874, still more disastrous effects 
were produced by torrential floods. According to the report given by 
one of the Colonial newspapers, the damages done could not be esti- 
mated at much less than £300,000, According to the report given by 
