There is a general feeling, I believe, that the working of this Ordinance is for the pub- 
lic good, but its good effect can be insured only by frequent inspection and insistance 
on the orders being complied with. 
Maintenance of Forest Reserves. 
20. No addition has been made to the Forest Reserves, and the work of the year 
has been mainly protective. The total area under protection is the same as last year, 
viz., 10,887 acres in nine separate blocks with boundaries aggregating 65 miles. 
2r. The cost of protecting small acres from fire and the inroads of illicit timber 
cutters must necessarily be comparatively much more expensive than larger ones, and 
the amount expended on this work ($966.62 as shown in Statement of Expenditure 
annexed) is the least with which efficiency can be expected, and any reduction of the 
present number of guards renders efficient protection impossible. 
22. Twenty-seven persons have been prosecuted during the year for cutting 
timber and causing damage by fire, and fines inflicted amounting to $215. 
23. In accordance with the recommendation of the Retrenchment Committee, it 
has been decided to transfer from 1st January, 1895, the management of all Crown 
forests in the Settlement to the Officers in charge of the Land and District Offices, 
and as this is the last Annual Report it will fall to my lot to write on these forests, it 
is desirable to point out the present position. 
24. From a direct revenue-producing point of view, there is no great scope for 
forest operations in a small and mountainous island like Penang, but at the same time 
the importance of preserving, and, as far as possible, especially by natural reproduc- 
tion, improving the existing forest cannot be overestimated. 
25. Previous to my arrival in the Settlement, in July, 1884, a general report on 
the condition of the forests of the Colony, and forest conservancy generally, had been 
laid before the Legislative Council by the late Mr. N. Cantley, then Superintendent 
of Botanic Gardens, Singapore, but no active measures had been taken to carry his 
suggestions into effect. 
26. After consultation with Mr. CANTLEY and a preliminary inspection of the 
area and contents of Crown forests in Penang, it was decided to demarcate certain 
areas, with a view to future revenue, within which no further cutting should be allow- 
ed for a number of years in order that the better class of timber-trees which were fast 
disappearing might have a chance of re-establishing themselves by means of natural 
reproduction. It was intended, if necessary, to artificially re-stock, where necessary, 
land within these reserves with high class timber, but this has not been done, except 
on a small scale, partly on account of the expense, but mainly because there is every 
reason to believe that efficient protection during a sufficiently long period is all that is 
necessary to effect the same purpose. 
27. Considerable improvement has already taken place in the character of young 
trees springing up within the reserved areas, but ten years is a very short period in 
the life of the best hardwood trees found in this Settlement, many of which require 
at least from 80 to 100 years to reach a serviceable size and condition. Really good 
seed-bearing seasons occur only at intervals of several years. The best since 1 have 
been in the Settlement was in 1887, and I can now point to thousands of young trees 
of the very best kinds such as Damarlaut, and Meranti ( Shorea and Hopea sp.) as 
the result of that year’s seed crop. 
28. The greater portion of the reserves are, however, on the crest and slopes of 
steep hill-sides, and their value, from a revenue-producing point of view, is not likely 
to be considerable, so long as timber is obtainable in much more easily accessible 
localities, but their maintenance for climatic purposes is most important. Whatever 
difference of opinion may exist as to the effect of forests on rainfall, there can be none 
as to their use in storing and regulating the water supply. 
29. At the time these hill reserves were demarcated, cultivation had already, in 
places, crept up beyond the limit at which, had there been any choice, the boundary 
line would have been carried, but it w r as decided from the beginning to interfere as 
little as possible with cultivation, which consists mainly of cloves and nutmegs, and 
consequently the boundary line was opened above these Gardens. I point this out 
now so that in case of these Gardens at an altitude of much above 1,000 feet being 
abandoned, as has already happened in two or three cases, the boundary should be 
altered so as to include these lots within the hill reserves. 
30. That protection from encroachment and illicit timber cutting by means of 
Forest Guards is necessary, is proved by the fact that from 1889 to 1894, 256 prosecu- 
tions were instituted by this Department for forest offences, mainly under these two 
headings, and I am satisfied that a very great number of cases escaped detection. 
