The principal stock of young timber from which any expectation can be formed at present, is in the Lea Baily, and Liningwoods, which in general are well planted and preserved; but it is apprehended that of the inclosures which have been made within the last 35 years, of upwards of 2800 acres, only 323 will produce any great advantage from the almost total demolition of the fences. In the Buckholt inclosure, made about 100 years since, are some fine large oak, and young beech in abundance.

The general demand of timber for the use of the navy of England is said to be 25,000 loads yearly; of which 2000 only are supplied from all the King's forests. The forest of Dean furnishes about half of the 2000, while the remainder is made up from Dantzic, in plank about 1000, and 21,000 purchased from individuals. It has been stated by surveyors that the forest is capable of furnishing an annual supply of 1500 loads for 70 years in constant succession from the present stock, (1788), and by proper management, and regular inclosures it may be made perpetual.

From 1761 to 1786, (both inclusive) the total quantity and value of timber felled for the use of the navy was as follows:

This balance divided by the number of years in the stated period, produces an annual profit to the crown of nearly £1066, and the annual quantity of oak timber supplied in the same period was about 637 loads, bearing little less than a fortieth proportion to the quantity regularly required for the use of the navy. It is obvious, therefore, what dependance is to placed on this resource for the support of our naval armament, without some vigorous means being adopted for the planting and protecting nurseries for timber. It has however been stated by the surveyors, that the forest of Dean may be made a very valuable nursery of timber for the navy, and productive of a considerable revenue. The soil is unquestionably in a high degree favourable to the production of oak, but unremitted care and attention are necessary on the parts of those who are intrusted with the superintendance of this great national

concern.

THE PRESENT STATE OF THE FOREST.

The forest is divided into six walks, called by the several names of the Speech-house walk, Ruerdean walk, Worcester walk, Latimer walk, Blakeney walk, and Park-end walk; which are under the care of six keepers, each of whom has a lodge and other buildings, and from 30 to 50 acres of land, inclosed from the forest. In the three first of these walks the whole of the lands belong to the crown; in the three last upwards of 1185 acres are claimed by individuals as freehold. These in general are encroachments made at different times, and now not easily to be reclaimed. In 1712 there was not one cottage in the forest; there are now 696, and 1798 patches or small inclosures of land, containing about 1385 acres, which are occupied by 3325 inhabitants. It is not perhaps easy to calculate the injury

which arises from this circumstance: but it is worthy of being remembered, that in 1800, during the extraordinary scarcity and dearness of provisions, these numerous intruders, having from their settlement in an extra parochial district, no legal demand of relief, were assisted by the crown, at the expence of 1000 pounds.

RIGHTS AND CLAIMS.

The 11,000 acres which were inclosed 20 Cha. II. are freed and discharged from all rights of common whatever. In the remaining quantity of 12,888 acres, the crown has different interests; in 10,816 it has the property of the soil, and of all the wood and timber, with a power to inclose any part thereof for the growth of timber, on throwing open an equal quantity of the original inclosure. In Abbot's wood, the herbage and mines are reserved to the crown; and in a detached part of the forest called Hudnalls, containing 1025 acres, the privilege of taking, cutting, and enjoying the wood growing thereon, is reserved to the inhabitants of St. Briavels. On the whole of the uninclosed, the neighbouring parishes have a right of common from May 4, to June 20, and from July 20, to November 22. The first interval is the Fence or Fawning month, and during the winter Haining, no animal, except 800 deer, which the crown has a right at all times to keep, ought to abide in the forest.

The crown may grant leases on the uninclosed part, but the right has not been exercised during the last century, and no lease now exists.

2

DEER.

It

appears that the usual annual demand for deer on account of the crown, is four bucks and four does, but it

frequently happens, that the number is not completed, and the warrants are sent back unexecuted, in consequence of the scarcity of these animals.

COAL.

The free miners and colliers claim a right not only to dig for coal and ore, with the consent of the gaveller, but to be supplied with wood and timber for their works; and on an average of seven years, 1478 trees are annually delivered to them. In 1788 there were one hundred and twenty one coal-pits, (thirty one of which were not worked;) in these were employed 662 men, who are freeminers. The quantity of coal raised was about 94,432 tons in the year, which are conveyed to the lower parts of the county on the east side of the Severn, Monmouthshire, and Herefordshire. There are three sorts of eoal, which at the pit were at that time delivered at the following prices: house-coal at about 4s. per ton: smith's-coal at about 3s. 6d. and lime-coal at about 2s. but the prices now are greater2.

The miners, generally speaking, gain little more than a mere subsistence from their labours: to this circunstance, and perhaps a jealous anxiety about their rights, it is owing that the usual methods adopted in collieries, of drawing off the water by steam and other engines, are not introduced here. Hence new mines are frequently opened, as they cannot pursue the old ones to any considerable depth, on account of the water.

IRON.

In 1788 there were eight mines of iron, in which were employed twenty men. The following sorts of iron-ore

are found here :—

Minera ferri chrystallizata, of a chrystalline form, not much attracted by the magnet.

Minera ferri nigricans, magneti amica, called by the miners brush ore. The colour is dark, and the forms are infinitely various, striated, radiated, and tesserated or broken into dice, very strongly attracted by the magnet.

The pipe ore is a collection of small cylindrical columns, standing close together, and issuing at one end from a lump of the same kind of matter, occasioned, it is supposed, by the metal falling like icicles in a state of fusion from the mass to which the pipes are affixed.

There is another rich and valuable ore, being a fine dark-coloured gravel, when washed by the rains, which is known by the name of smithy ore among the miners. This probably received its name from the smith works, as they are called, in the code of Forest Laws. The men who were employed in working them were called smith men, or smithy men; and the masters, smith holders.

CINDERS.

The CINDERS, which have been found in different parts of the county, and particularly about the forest of Dean, are the scoria of iron, so are the shining glass-like cinders of which great heaps, or mounts are to be seen at every iron furnace now in use, as well as the sites of those which are gone to decay. These are called scruff; the former having been called cinders before any of the latter were seen. Scruff is the scoria which rises upon the surface of the metal by the present mode of melting the ore in large furnaces: but the cinders were produced by the works of the ancients, before the use of the furnace was known. The scruff is a mere scoria, generally destitute of metal, and consisting of a vitreous substance, more or