under your Government; and for this purpose it is necessary that the Conservators should keep him thoroughly informed of all circumstances connected with the forests under their charge, otherwise I do not see how he can be in a position efficiently to advise your Excellency in Council on all points connected with the administration. And although the forests of Madras and Bombay are not under the Inspector-General's control, I think it very desirable that the Conservators of the forests of those Presidencies should freely interchange communications with him. Such an intercourse cannot but tend to an improved administration of the forests, and, in as far as it is suitable to the condition of the several Presidencies, to a uniform system throughout all India."

The attacks on the system of training the Forest Probationers advocated by Brandis, and which thus received the approval of both the Government of India and the Secretary of State, were revived by Memorials addressed to the Secretary of State and by deputations to that Minister (in 1869 and 1870) from three different societies, the Institution of Surveyors, the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland and the Royal Horticultural Society of England. These Memorials, the terms of which were almost identical, and the views expressed by the deputations sufficiently display the ignorance existing at that time in Britain on the subject of what really constituted a scientifically trained Forest Officer.

The Memorial of the Royal Horticultural Society was signed by its President, the Duke of Buccleuch; that of the Institution of Surveyors by Mr. John Chitton; and that of the Highland and Agricultural Society by the Marquis of Tweeddale. The Memorials represented that the societies had effected much for the improvement of arboriculture, a claim which was granted. The difficulty lay in the fact that the Memorialists had not the requisite knowledge to distinguish between arboriculture and scientific forestry. After stating that they noted with pleasure that the "India Board" had thrown open to competition "the appointments of forest managers in India," they deprecated the necessity of these men being trained on the Continent, "owing to the absence of any recognised system of forestry in England. There can be no doubt that an inspection of some of the great continental forests must be advantageous to the candidates; but with great respect your Memorialists submit that for the following reasons anything more than a brief inspection is inexpedient and unnecessary." The reasons given

were that the subjects allied to practical forestry, viz. botany, zoology, surveying, etc., could be equally satisfactorily studied at home; that the system removed the young men from their families and their guardianship; in the event of a continental war the system would break down (as for a short period actually happened); that the valuable experience of those in Britain who had previously served in India would not be available to the students. This experience was not, however, available, since there were at the time no scientifically trained Forest Officers at home with previous Indian experience. That the students would not have a sufficient acquaintance with the foreign language to enable them to profit by the courses. After stating that the probationers would more usefully employ their time in studying in Britain the general land laws of India than in learning the continental forest laws, the Memorialists continued: "The knowledge, experience and other requisites for education in forestry, already exist in this country. The 2,000,000 acres of woodlands (of which 125,000 belong to the State) are amply sufficient for all educational purposes, and there are special advantages enjoyed in Britain which are not to be had on the Continent. Although we have no recognised system of education for agriculture, horticulture, or engineering, still a far higher standard of knowledge, and greater variety of systems, is to be found in England than in any other country of the world; and in particular the system of forestry followed here is decidedly superior to that of France or Germany, probably owing to the practice in these countries being necessarily directed to an inferior aim, the growing of timber for firewood. It is, moreover, for that very reason, better adapted to the requisites of the Indian Service." Comment is superfluous.

The Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland added that their Charter of 1856 prescribed a curriculum for agricultural education and the grant of a diploma. They considered that a visit to continental forests was unnecessary, and drew attention to the fact that for more than sixty years the society had devoted its attention specially to the advancement of practical forestry generally and had contributed largely to the introduction into this country of many valuable trees; and that recently it had instituted an examination in forestry and granted certificates of merit.

The claims of this society were quite justified. But what they and the other Memorialists failed to understand was the

fact that the matter in question was not the training required by the foresters in subordinate grades, but that of the Forest Officer of commissioned rank. Such training did not exist in Britain, nor were the woods capable of providing the objectlessons required. The Highland and Agricultural Society, however, exhibited a shrewd foresight in their last clause, "That while your Memorialists consider the organisation of a system of forestry education in Great Britain as a matter of the greatest importance for the education of Forest Officers for India, they deem it also a question of vast importance to this country, as well as to her various Colonies."

The Duke of Argyll was Secretary of State for India. The Under-Secretary of State in replying to the Memorials recapitulated some of Brandis' reasons for training the probationers on the Continent, and continued :

"A mere inspection of continental forests, such as is proposed in the Memorial presented by Your Grace (Buccleuch), would not answer the objects which the Secretary of State in Council and the Government of India have in view.

His Grace is not prepared to admit that the same results could be obtained in Great Britain as are gained by the training in France and Germany. He would regard it, therefore, as most unfortunate, should the present outbreak of war between France and Germany lead to an interruption of the present system; but as Her Majesty is at peace with the Sovereigns of both these States, the Duke of Argyll does not anticipate that any such interruption will be necessary.

I am to add that although the knowledge of the French and German language is required of candidates only in order to enable them to receive the teaching imparted to them abroad, it is a knowledge, nevertheless, which cannot fail to prove of the highest service to them in their subsequent career, as the best books on the science and practice of forestry are undoubtedly written in those languages."

This latter point is very nearly, if not quite, as true to-day as it was when it was written half a century ago.

In forwarding the Memorials and his replies to the GovernorGeneral the Secretary of State, in his No. 27, dated 10th August, 1870, wrote as follows:

"You will see that I am not able to admit the justice of the conclusions arrived at by the promoters of these Memorials. I regret, however, to be obliged to add that the unfortunate

outbreak of war between France and Germany has caused interruption to the studies and training of the young men sent for training in 1869 and this year.

The accompanying correspondence will place Your Excellency in Council in possession of the steps that have been taken in regard to these young men. With respect to those at Nancy, you will observe that the sudden break-up of the École Impériale Forestière only anticipates the usual vacation of August by a very few weeks. In regard to Hagenau, the preliminary training would have lasted till November. The Directeur-Général at present only contemplates a temporary interruption, but has promised as early an intimation of the intentions of his Department as can be given."

It is curious but inexpressibly sad to reflect how history repeats herself. Once again, in August, 1914, the Nancy Forest School suddenly broke up. It was hoped on that occasion that the interruption would be a brief one only. It lasted four and a half years! The Despatch continued:

"I shall be happy to receive from Your Excellency in Council any suggestions that may occur to you for completing the training of these young men, and also for training those that were to have been sent to the Continent in March next."

The outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war caused an inconvenient interruption of the system of continental training, but once again the breach was filled by the man who had done so much to start forestry organisation in India, Hugh Cleghorn. Cleghorn was at home. In a Despatch, No. 2, dated March 4th, 1869, the Secretary of State notified the Government of India that he had selected eight young men as Forest Probationers to be sent to France and Germany for training, and that he "had availed himself of the presence of Dr. Cleghorn, the Conservator of Forests at Madras, to request that officer personally to inspect the applicants for admission to competition for these appointments. Dr. Cleghorn has executed the task with his wonted zeal for the Service, ability and industry."

On the 15th July, 1869, the Secretary of State addressed (Rev. For., No. 10) the Government of India asking how many probationers should be selected in March, 1870, pointing out that the annual number had been fixed at four, as it was not thought that more would be forthcoming; but that the success of the

last selections and examinations had shown these fears to be groundless." The growing exigencies of the Forest Department of all India render it most important that a sufficient number of trained persons should be annually sent out until the establishment of the (proposed) Forest School in India has become possible."

The Governor-General's letter (No. II, Forests, dated Simla, 26th August, 1869) is of interest, as it touches on several points dealing with administrative details on the proposed management of the forests :

"In reply, we have the honour to report that the necessity of supplying sleepers and wood fuel on a large scale for the State railways, the construction of which has been determined upon, will require a considerable expansion of forest establishments in the North-Western Provinces, Sind and the Punjab, and that eventually the requirements of these railways will necessitate an increase of officers in the forests of the Central Provinces, Oudh and British Burma. At the present time the forest establishments are but ill-prepared to meet this expansion; and under these circumstances it appears to us right not to decline Your Grace's offer to select a larger number of candidates this year than had originally been agreed upon. Eventually we hope that the introduction of native apprentices into the Forest Department, regarding which we had the honour of addressing Your Grace in our Despatch of the 3rd instant, will provide a valuable source from whence to recruit the superior establishments, but the full effect of these measures cannot of necessity be felt for a long series of years to come.

Under these circumstances we consider it desirable that twelve candidates should be selected at the next examination, provided that so large a number of fully competent young men can be found. These probationers will not arrive in India until the end of 1872; but the expansion of the Department must, if possible, be gradual, and we have no doubt that the number asked for will be required when the time for sending out these young men shall have arrived."

The Secretary of State gave his full approval.

For the reasons given in the above-quoted Despatch the Governor-General informed the Secretary of State in September, 1869, that he proposed to appoint the seven probationers selected in 1867, who were expected to arrive in India at the