58 THE MANAGEMENT OF EPPING FOREST. 



the action of the Conservators, and a large share of the criticism has been bom by 

 our esteemed vice-president, Mr. Edward North Buxton, one of the Verderers, 

 who has, in conjunction with his brother Verderers, given you full explanations on 

 the ground. If the explanations which you have heard are not deemed satis- 

 factory by all of you — and in such a gathering as this it is impossible to expect 

 uianimity of opinion — the Verderers are here to give further explanations. The 

 Chairman of the Epping Forest Committee, Mr. James Salmon, is also with us. 

 But in offering criticisms upon the operations of which you have witnessed the 

 results this afternoon, criticisms which I am sure the Verderers will be only too 

 glad to meet, we must never lose sight of the fact that the final aim of these 

 gentlemen, as of the Conservatois as a whole, is precisely the same aim as that 

 for which you and we all are contending, viz., the preservation of the Forest in its 

 natural condition. 



The opener of a debate is of course expected to state his own views. I have 

 done so already elsewhere in brief ("Times" March 31st) with the effect of 

 diverting some of the fire of the critics on to my own person. Having been 

 charged with inconsistency and with holding contradictory views, I must in 

 justice to myself and to those who coincide in my opinions take the present oppor- 

 tunity of giving a brief explanation to the Essex Field Club as an impartial body. 

 It is to be regretted that the correspondence was allowed to proceed for a certain 

 length, and no opportunity given for a complete explanation in the columns of 

 that leading journal which exerts such a healthful influence upon the public mind. 

 But t!ie Editor of " The Times " no doubt had stronger claims upon his space, and 

 we must be grateful for the publicity which was given to the question, and above 

 all, for the temperate and just summary of the position given in the leading article 

 interpolated (March 30th) in the midst of the correspondence. 



And now, with regard to my own views, I am in a better position to declare 

 them than I was a month ago. Five times within the month I have traversed this 

 Forest, and made a critical examination of the districts described as " devastated." 

 I have known the Forest intimately for a quarter of a century ; as a lover of its 

 picturesque features — as a disciple of the net and pill-box, as a wand'irer through 

 its glades in all seasons, I give way to nobody in my solicitude for its welfare. I 

 state as my deliberate conviction that on the whole a marked improvement is to 

 be seen in the condition of the Forest since the formal dedication by Her Majesty 

 on M.iy 6th, 1882. I state this as the result of my own observation and in the 

 full belief that there are many here ready both to confirm and to combat my state- 

 ment. Whatever this opinion may be worth I am most particularly anxious to 

 make it known that it is delivered on my individual responsibility, and not in any 

 way as an authoritative official utterance on the part of the Club. We have 

 simply made use of the Club as a scientific organisation for bringing together 

 those whose views, on one side or the other, we desire to hear. I think it right 

 to dwell upon this point because a paragraph has been inserted in some of the 

 papers (e.g., " Morning Leader" April 17th) to the effect that " the founders of 

 the Essex Field Club have — in a communication by one of their members to the 

 Central News — made clear their position in regard to the destruction of Epping 

 F"orest." I say that the founders, whoever that may refer to, have never 

 expressed any such opinions as are attributed to them, and that the member 

 in question has made his communication to the Central News without any 

 authority from the Club whatever. 



Within mj' recollection the Forest as a whole hR<:, I venture to think, bene 

 filed by the treatment adopteJ in the past by the Conservators. 1 will particu- 



