92 WEST AFRICAN FORESTS AND FORESTRY 
The diverse forms of forests named above, under the permanent 
management of the State, are seen in Switzerland, Germany, France, 
Russia, Japan, and India, not to mention Nigeria, so that it cannot 
be called an isolated system. 
The cocoa industry has quite overshadowed that of collecting 
palm fruit, making palm oil, and cracking of palm nuts to obtain the 
kernels, with the result that these exports are small compared with 
Sierra Leone even, which is a much smaller colony, with a climate 
less propitious for palm-trees. 
The following table shows the exports for the last five years : 
Tons. £& 
1909 en on oe -. 14,553 113,784 
1910 «ss ni on oe -. 14,252 185,058 
1911 ex +e om os -e 13,254 175,890 
1912 ee #8 oe ee -- 14,629 205,365 
1913 on x oe ak = 9,744 169,128 
In the year 1913 forest produce, in the shape of logs, etc., to 
the value of £3,327,743 was exported. It would be disastrous to the 
country if a few loud-voiced, narrow-minded people were to prevent 
proper measures being adopted for the welfare of the country. Con- 
sidering their previous education and small experience in these wide 
economic matters, it is only natural that they should take this view, 
but, on the other hand, that is no reason why the Supreme Govern- 
ment should not do what is necessary for the future permanent benefit 
of the country. A child is not allowed to play with fire, although 
it may very much like to see the flames ; in the same way the British 
people, as locally represented by the Gold Coast Government, cannot 
allow the inhabitants of the district to play fast and loose with their 
priceless treasures, the African forests, well knowing that the country 
will be permanently injured thereby. Examples are to be found to-day 
of countries which have allowed their forests to be destroyed. Spain 
and Portugal are typical of this, and even in Africa one has the 
spectacle of France putting untold millions into Forestry in Algeria 
in order to restore the rainfall. Morocco and Mesopotamia are further 
examples of countries in a similar condition, where the forests have 
been destroyed. Palestine, with its ancient forests of Lebanon, is 
the most drastic example of forest destruction, quite apart from 
Turkish misrule. A similar process has taken place in the Soudan, 
and this locality is only now being laboriously re-afforested by the 
Forest Department there. In India, European countries, Canada, 
Australia, and in the United States it has been proved that it is only 
by a central Government Agency that the forests will be properly 
preserved both for this generation and the next; therefore, before it 
is too late, it behoves the Gold Coast people to recognise their responsi- 
bility to future generations and allow the necessary legislation, so 
that the forests may be preserved and rightly utilised. 
