IN THE MADRAS PRESIDENCY. 51 



but so much of it as is still unpaid for, appears in the accounts as 

 at the depot. Mr Miiller has been led, I am sorry to find, into 

 breaking through our forest rules, because otherwise unable to 

 meet the sudden and enormous demands that have been made for 

 timber. I however strongly object to this system of allowing the 

 agents of public officers to fell timber in our jungles. 



14. The people so employed are generally the very men whom 

 we have had so much trouble in getting rid of, and who are system- 

 atic plunderers. 



To return under any circumstances to a system which has cost 

 us so much, not only in timber actually stolen, but in wanton 

 waste, and to re-admit men into the forests who have every temp- 

 tation to tamper with our establishments, is indeed a false step, 

 and one against which I hope you will steadily set your face. 



15. Dr Forbes, I see, continues to obtain his hone-wood (Ptero- 

 carpus marswpium) at nominal rates, and I think this should be 

 put a stop to. Other public officers pay for the timber they take, 

 and charge for it in their accounts, and Dr Forbes should in my 

 opinion do so likewise. The Bombay Government manufacture 

 and sell cotton gins below cost price, with a view to encouraging 

 their adoption in place of the native instrument ; and however 

 praiseworthy or politic this may be, there can be no reason for 

 our breaking through our system, the fairness of which both the 

 Bombay and Madras Governments have admitted, when the only 

 point gained is a reduction in the cost price of the gins at the 

 expense of the Canara Forest revenue. 



16. Sales. — As the contractors employed failed in delivering 

 their timber in proper time, no coast sales have taken place ; and 

 Mr Miiller having postponed the Supah and Tellapur sales, but 

 one of any consequence has come off. The amount realised at 

 this auction in the Sonda taluk was Es. 22,465. 



17. The only other points which call for comment, are depots 

 and roads. 



18. As regards the former, Mr Muller urges, I think correctly, 

 that dep6ts above the ghats must from time to time be changed 

 according to the position of the forest being worked, and the 

 means of communication between it and the market. He would 

 not, therefore, go to any expense in protecting them with walls, 



