The Forests of British Guiana. 213 
as has been done to a great extent. These squatters, 
having no capital wherewith to employ sufficient labour, 
only cut small timber, beams, and spars, which can be 
easily transported ; and the ownership of a small patch 
of land with little or no wood worth cutting on it gives 
them the opportunity of stealing timber &c. from lands 
belonging to the Government and other respectable pro- 
prietors. The law proposed would so restrict these men 
that they would have to turn their attention to some 
more honest and respectable way of earning their liveli- 
hood, and would thus be rather a blessing to them than 
otherwise. 
Another great cause of the destruction of our forests 
is the burning of charcoal. It is a well-known fact, that 
where this is carried on everything is cut ; and nothing 
but brushwood grows there afterwards. This industry 
cannot be forbidden ; but to prevent its practice to a 
larger extent than the demand for it in the colony re- 
quires, a heavy export duty, prohibitive indeed, should 
be placed on it. 
It is unnecessary to take fire-wood into consideration, 
as nearly all wood for that purpose is cut on the lower 
banks of the rivers and creeks, where scarcely any 
valuable trees grow. I would further suggest that the 
committee should decide how many years should elapse 
before persons be allowed to re-occupy a grant from 
which timber has already been cut. 
Persons in charge of craft bringing any wood, beams, 
or spars, which have been classified, should be com- 
pelled to take such craft, say to Bartica Grove on the 
upper Essequibo, to Aurora and Vergencegen on the 
DD 
