Considerable public attention has of late years been directed 

 towards the management of the New Forest by Her Majesty's Com- 

 missioners of Woods and Forests, and their proposal to disafforest the 

 whole of this the most extensive and beautiful of all the famous 

 ancient royal forests of England, but which we hope will be most 

 effectually preserved from such ruthless vandalism in all time coming, 

 by the New Forest Bill lately introduced to Parliament by Mr. W. H. 

 Smith, in the name of the Government. We trust that this valuable 

 and much-needed measure may become law before the end of this 

 session, so that not a day may be lost in taking prompt action to 

 conserve what still remains in its natural state of this noble forest 

 and its grand old trees. In doing so, and putting the management 

 and practical superintendence of the forest on a proper footing, so 

 that its amenities may be carefully preserved, and the waste places, 

 heaths, &c., utilized in the best manner for the benefit of the country 

 at large, the Government will deserve and receive the nation's warmest 

 approval. 



The bill is founded upon the report of a Select Committee of the 

 House of Commons, which sat during the session of 1875, and was 

 instructed to inquire into and report upon the present condition of 

 affairs in the New Forest and their management, the Commissioners 

 of Woods and Forests' proposal for the complete disafforestation of it, 

 and also into the working of the " Deer Eemoval Act of 1851," and more 

 particularly into the exercise and effect of the powers of enclosure 

 given by that Act to the Crown. 



This ancient forest and hunting-ground of the Norman kings was 

 afforested by William the Conqueror and his immediate successors to 

 the extent of about 93,000 acres, stretching over a district of country 

 about twenty miles long from north to south, and sixteen miles broad 

 from east to west. That part of the forest at present the property of 

 the Crown comprehends an area of about 65,000 acres, lying in 

 the south-west corner of Hampshire, and consists in parts of poor 

 sandy and gravelly soil, rough pasture, moor or bog, heath and 

 woodland, considerable portions of which still retain all the charac- 



VOL. I. G 



