A DISCOURSE

book m.. cipal Officers, and Commifsioncrs of the Royal Navy , that where suchimprovements may be made, they be speedily and vigorously prosecuted;and where any defects appear, they may be duly reformed.

And what if, for this purpose, there were yet some additional Office.constituted, which should have a more universal inspection, and the chargeof all the Woods and Forests in his Majesty’s Dominions ?_ This mighteasily be performed by Deputies in every County; persons judicious andskilful in Husbandry, and who might be repaired to for., advice and. direc-tion : And if such there are at present, (as indeed our laws seem to-provide)that their power be sufficiently amplified where any thing appears defi-cient ; and as their zeal might be excited by worthy encouragements, somight neglects be encountered by a vigilant and industrious check. Itis ^Fabrorum" sbou ^ belong to their province to see that such proportions of timber, &c.Ceutonario- were planted and set out upon every hundred, or more of acres, as the Ho-rum.et Den ' nourable Commifsioners have suggested: or as might be thought conve-

drophororum, . . . r ° °

Navicularior. nient, the quality and nature or the places prudently considered^ It shouldratium exer- p e their office also to take notice of the growth and decay of woods, and

dicariorum, of their fitnefs for public uses and sale, and of all these to give advertise-tant" l lnscr!p" ments > tbat ab defect in their ill governing may be speedily remedied ;tiones apud and the superior Officers or Surveyor should be accountable to the LordLipsium in 'treasurer, and to the principal Officers of his Majesty’s Navy for the timeantiq.' quaies being. And why might not such a regulation be worthy the establishingBergomersi- p v some folemn and public Act of State, becoming our Glorious Prince,

umBrixianor. J 1 . ^ „ , . , ^ i

Comensium, SOVEREIGN OF THE SEAS! and his prudent Senate, the presentLugduncns. p arliament ?

Araricorum etKhodanicor.

eorumquecor- p ut to s p ow how this Xilotrophia; Studium for the preservation of tim-porumetCol-

legiorum pa- her was honoured,tronis curato-

etiamHiCTon 6 We find in Aristotle’s Politics, the Constitution of Extra-urban Magi-Eubeum, l. i. strates to be Silvarwn Cuftodes ; and such were the Considares Silva, whichimt ifem^e the Great Csesar himself (even in a time when Italy did abound in timber)Dendrophoris i ns ituted; and was one of the very first things which he did, at the set-dostoib to^et ding of that vast Empire ) after the Civil Wars had exceedingly wastedii. iisdem ver- the country. Suetonius relates it in the Life of Julius; and Peter Crinitus,Morisot. C Orbi in h5s fifth book De Honefto Difciplma, cap. iii. gives this reason for it, UtMarit. lib. i. m atcries, faith he, non dee/set, qua videlicet, Navigia publica pofsent d pra-«ip. xxiv. fed ur is fab rum, emtfid, True it is, that this Office was sometimes called