THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



No. 138.] JANUARY, MDCCCLXXV. [Price 6d. 



Recovery of Epping Forest. 



At a late meeting of the Coal, Corn and Finance 

 Committee of the Corporation of London, Mr. R. Cox, 

 Chairman of the Committee, presented a report of the 

 judgment of the Master of the Rolls in the suit instituted by 

 the City Commissioners of Sewers against all the lords of 

 manors of Epping Forest. It was received with cheers. 



Mr. J. T. Bedford, a leading member of the Court, addressing 

 the Lord Mayor, said, as he had been looking forward to 

 that day for the last two years, he might be allowed to inform 

 the Court what the Corporation had actually done in this 

 matter. In May, 1871, the Corporation, on his motion, 

 unanimously agreed, at any cost, to try by all legal means 

 to preserve Epping Forest for ever as a recreation ground for 

 the people. His committee had an interview with the 

 Government, and were referred to Mr. Ayrton, who showed 

 them a Bill he had prepared, appointing a Commission to 

 prepare a scheme for preserving the Forest. He [Mr. Bed- 

 ford] suggested the propriety of introducing a clause 

 preventing further enclosures or waste until the commission 

 had reported. This Mr. Ayrton flatly refused to do. The 

 Bill was passed, and Parliament rose for the recess. Mean- 

 while, in August, the Corporation filed their first Bill in 

 Chancery, and then the vacation stopped further progress. 

 Directly it was discovered that the Bill contained no clause 

 preventing further enclosures, the lords of the manor went to 

 work with a will, and recommenced felling timber, building 

 houses, cutting turf, and even ploughing up some of the most 

 beautiful parts of the Forest. Then the Corporation set to work 

 with its customary vigour, and, although it was vacation time, 



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