— 140 — 
most fertile in the waters of Africa, it will only undergo the 
fate which universally attends the destruction or absence of 
forests in countries exposed to great solar heat.” 
We may here, without digressing too much bring in Mr. 
Bernard’s memoir pointing out the destruction which threa- 
tens the species of fish fit for food. The mode of fishing 
which spares neither the spawn nor the sra all fry, and the 
best means to be employed in order that sea may not soon be 
as empty of fish as the island will be of wood. 
But however great the interest attached to the memoir, 
however good the means suggested to remedy the evil, what 
can the Society do ? It is not mere preventive police regula- 
tions that can stop such abuses ! Such measures moreover 
are very difficult to carry out with a daily increasing popula- 
tion naturally attracted to those places where life is easy and 
living cheap. 
W e can do no more than express our approbation to the 
author and thank him for his courage in encountering a host 
of private interests and even recommending that they should 
be sacrificed to public interest. 
It would be cruel indeed, one day to see Mauritius, with 
her millions of sugar, dependent on foreign countries, for the 
means of existence of her inhabitants, not onlv their meat and 
* * 
their drink, but their fuel also. 
We have had the regret to see our President, the Hon. G. 
Fropier leave our shores. His absence it is hoped, will be 
short and we may expect soon to see him again among us. 
Capt. Mann on the eve of his departure left us an interest- 
ing souvenir, viz., an excellent memoir entitled “ Observa- 
tions on the water supply of Mauritius ” containing elevated 
and sound views. His ideas suggest high intelligence blended 
with principles of great liberality. Setting aside the question 
of the destruction of woods with reference to our forests, he 
insists upon the urgent necessity of advantage being taken of 
our watercourses for the public utility — at the same time he 
is unable to understand the situation of the proprietors who 
are interdicted the use of the rivers bordering their estates. 
“ Protective laws, he says, might be applied with vigor to 
preserve from waste or polution the water of the Reservoirs 
