第81部分(第1/7 頁)

ds　a　year；　and　with　Becky　Sharp　who　remarked　safely　that　in　these　circumstances　it　was　easier　to　be　virtuous！

I　worked　hard　on　that　Royal　mission。　During　the　five　years　of　its　life；　indeed；　I　only　missed　one　day’s　sitting；　and　that　was　because　the　steamer　from　Denmark　could　not　get　me　there　in　time。　Shortly　after　the　mencement　of　its　labours　I　was　nominated　the　Chairman　of　the　Unemployed　Labour　and　Reclamation　mittee；　which　involved　a　good　deal　of　extra；　but　important　and　interesting；　business。　Also　I　was　the　Chairman　of　two　of　the　tours　that　were　made　by　mittees　of　the　mission　to　inspect　the　coasts　of　Great　Britain　and　Ireland；　during　which　tours　I　am　glad　to　say　there　were　no　differences　of　opinion　or　other　troubles；　such　as　have　been　known　to　arise　on　similar　occasions。

When　we　had　been　sitting　about　a　year；　finding　that　there　was　not　really　very　much　in　the　Coast　Erosion　business；　which　had　been　somewhat　exaggerated；　Lord　Ashby　St。　Ledgers　and　I　approached　Mr。　Lloyd　George　one　night　at　a　dinner　party　and　suggested　that；　as　had　been　originally　proposed；　the　question　of　Afforestation　should　be　added　to　our　Reference。　This　was　done；　and　some　experts　in　the　matter　were　appointed　to　the　mission。　After　this　we　investigated　that　great　subject　with　much　zeal　and；　being　pressed　by　the　Government；　presented　an　interim　Report。　It　was　drafted；　with　the　assistance　of　course　of　our　clever　and　industrious　secretary；　Mr。　Grimshaw；　of　the　Board　of　Trade；　by　the　Chairman；　Professor　Somerville；　and　myself；　quorum　pars　magna　fuit　my　extremely　able　and　learned　friend；　Professor　Somerville。　We　presented　a　scheme　for　the　consideration　of　the　Government；　under　which；　had　it　been　adopted；　enormous　areas　of　waste　or　poor　land　in　the　United　Kingdom　would　in　due　course　have　b