i 
S T R AITS S E T T L E M E N T S 
Paper to be laid before the Legislative Council by Command 
of His Excellency the Governor. 
Report on the Forests of the Straits Settlements, 
INTRODUCTION. 
1. Having received instructions from His Excellency* tlic 
Governor to draw up a Report on tlie Forests and Forest Lands 
of the Colony, and malce recommendations for their better 
management, I commenced, in March 1882, a tour of inspection 
of the various districts comprised within the Settlements in 
order to make myself fully acquainted with the special circum- 
stances and conditions prevailing in each. 
2. With a view to giving a clear idea of these conditions, 
I have divided my Report into two parts ; in the former will 
be found detailed the present state of the forests and circum- 
stances which affect forest growth ; and the latter contains my 
recommendations. 
3. It is apparent that no sufficient attempts have been 
made to conserve the Government forest lands, and that 
nothing has been done towards utilising the extensive grass 
wastes that are to be seen throughout the Settlements, The 
present state of affairs is the result of a reckless, migratory 
cultivation carried on by the Chinese, and this extensive 
deforestation has brought with it its attendant evils. Our 
Timber supply has fallen far short of the demand, and the 
climate of the Colony is becoming sensibly affected. 
4. It is not, contended that the total Rainfall of the year 
has decreased, but owing to the removal of the tree covering— 
that great equaliser of Rainfall— showers have become less fre- 
quent and more local than formerly ; and droughts of unpre- 
cedented length have occurred, thereby increasing the possi- 
rrlily of epidemics. Those fertilising showers which once 
watered the whole surface of the Settlements are now confined 
more frequently to the hill tops and higher elevations, the soil 
and the prospects of agriculture being thus impaired, and the 
temperature of the plains being raised. The hill streams run 
w it i greater irregularity and many of the smaller streams have 
become entirely dried up. 
5. It has been said that, at home as well as in their Colo- 
nies, oilier nations pay earlier attention to the conservation of 
meats, than the English ; and it is hard to conceive a more 
8 01 Lsighted policy than that which has suffered these Settle- 
ments to diift into their present condition of scarcity of forest 
and torest produce. 
era or 
l>. It has, however, remained for His Excellency the Gov- 
i to propose the inauguration, of those remedial measures 
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