Forest Department, Singapore. 
22. A further reduction of the vote precluded very much being done, except pro- 
tection and planting the remaining bilian plants that were not big enough to plant out 
in 1893. About a thousand plants were planted at Bukit Timah and Bukit Mandai. 
The young trees planted in former years were attended to as regards clearing of 
weeds, &c. The boundary paths and fire guards have been kept in order. A consi- 
derable portion of the time of the forest guards was taken up patrolling those coast 
and river reserves in which licenses were issued for cutting timber, &c., the amount 
of revenue obtained from this source being more than sufficient to pay the forest 
guards during the year. 
Licenses. 
23. A still further increase in the number of applications to cut mangrove fire- 
wood, fishing stakes, rollers, tan bark, &c. was made during the year, indeed some 
had to be rejected, as more . applications were made than we could with prudence 
grant. Three hundred and thirty-five (335) permits were granted, as against 136 last 
year, yielding a revenue of $982.75, as against $416 in 1893. 
24. Fifteen fires occurred during the year in the various reserves. Very little 
damage, was done in any case, except the one that took place at Sungei Jurong and 
Pandan during the very dry weather that prevailed in February. On this occasion the 
lire swept over nearly 150 acres, and destroyed some good forest, and young plants. 
In every case it was found impossible to find out how they had originated. In one 
case some Chinese squatters were prosecuted on good circumstantial evidence, but 
the Magistrate did not think the case proved, and acquitted the prisoners. 
Prosecution. 
25. Three cases of illicit timber cutting were prosecuted, and fines inflicted in 
■each case, amounting in all to $30. 
26. Since Mr. Derry’S return in September, 'the Department has been without 
the services of an Inspector of Forests. Mr. GOODENOUGH who had been acting for 
Mr. Derry reverted to the salary of his own appointment, and as there was no pro- 
vision for the Acting Overseer, he was discharged. This explains the reason of • a 
balance appearing on the vote at the close of the year. 
General. 
27. In accordance with the recommendations of the Retrenchment Committee, 
the forests were handed over from the isb of January, 1895, to the charge of the 
Collectors of Land Revenue in Singapore and Penang, and the Collector of Land 
Revenue and District'Officers in Malacca. As this is probably the last Report which 
this Department will make on them, it would be advisable that this opportunity 
should be taken of putting on record the present state of the Forest Department, 
and reviewing briefly its work since its initiation and comparing it with what ex- 
isted before its creation. It will be remembered that it was in 1884 that the Govern- 
or Sir F. A. Weld commissioned the then Superintendent, the late Mr. CANTLEY, to 
prepare a Report on the Crown Forests of the Colony, and to make recommendations 
for the creation of a Department for their preservation.* Mr. CANTLEY was eminently 
fitted for the task entrusted to him, no more b‘y having just relinquished charge of the 
Gardens and Forests in Mauritius, than for his admirable powers of organization: and 
he threw himself into the ‘work with his characteristic energy, the result was a most 
elaborate and valuable Report, in which he discussed the subject in a masterly 'and 
complete manner, he shewed the urgent necessity for stopping the ravages of the 
wholesale destruction of the forests which had been going on ever since the foundation 
of the Colony, and made no less valuable suggestions .for the creation of a Depart- 
ment which would check those ravages, and carry out those principles of Forestry 
which have been shewn necessary in every country to be absolutely essential to its 
wel lbeincr. Unfortunately death prevented him from carrying out the task he had 
sketched out, nevertheless the thoroughness with which he laid the foundation have 
enabled his followers to bring the Department to the comparative state of efficiency 
'it is in at present. 
28. Durino- the last few years, however, the votes hatfe been so reduced as to pre- 
vent any work except almost that of protection, nor is this policy altogether to be re- 
gretted, for the comparative big votes of the. first few years, necessitated by surveys 
And demarcations, were no longer required, as owing to the limited area of the for- 
ests in Singapore and Penang, their utility as a source of revenue, was subordinated 
