32 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
this state of things, to possess themselves of the various rights 
without any further claim than that of usurpation, upon which it 
is to be feared the original title of nine-tenths of these claims 
rests, Precisely the same state of things existed during the earlier 
part of this century, and the commoners seem to have multiplied 
exceedingly, so that we may take it that while some of the rights are 
very ancient, and held by grants from the Crown—as, for instance, 
the Charter of the Abbey of Beaulieu, given by King John—yet 
that most of them came into being during the one hundred and 
fifty years from 1700 to 1850, and were acquired by simple 
usurpation, which in time became a prescriptive right. This 
explanation will show what is the nature of the right claimed by 
the commoners, the extent to which it has grown, and the great 
impediment which it presents to anything like arboriculture, even 
in such form that the Forest might be handed down to posterity 
as a possession similar to that which we have inherited. 
To return to the legislation of 1850, which, as I have said, was 
eminently utilitarian. One of the first steps was to institute a 
survey to ascertain what amount of timber fit for the navy was 
standing in New Forest. It appears that none had been supplied 
since 1833, and consequently a large amount was found ready for 
use. During the next few years a very large quantity was felled, 
both to supply present wants and to clear the ground for the 
planting of the area prescribed by the Deer Removal Act. A 
second proceeding was to complete the planting of the William IIT. 
legislation, and to do this some 6000 acres had to be cleared and 
planted. As the commissioners were bound to select, in the first 
place, land suitable for the growth of navy timber, their choice 
was restricted to the better land, all or nearly all of which had, 
at some time or another, been enclosed and planted. It was at 
this time that the majority of the William III. woods were felled 
and replanted. Much blame has been showered on those in 
charge of the Forest for acting thus, but it is difficult to see what 
other course they could pursue. The plantations had been 
formed solely in order that when mature they might supply the 
navy; they had arrived at the mature stage, and contained a 
large amount of valuable timber of which the navy stood in need. 
It was impossible to resist the claim of the dockyards, although 
to grant it involved the sacrifice of many acres of beautiful woods, 
which were a source of pleasure to the inhabitants of the locality, 
who loudly protested against their removal. There was the more 
