THE COMMITTEE ON COMMONS. 33 



than submit to unabated evils. It was found that some 

 of the Commons, such as Wandsworth, Mitcham, and 

 JSarnes, had been intersected by railways, which greatly 

 interfered with their beauty and value. The Railway 

 Companies apparently had discovered that it was cheaper 

 to engineer their lines through such open spaces, than 

 through private property. There was no authority whose 

 duty it was to secure that, in the consideration of such 

 schemes, the interest of the public in the maintenance 

 of Commons should be properly regarded. 



Confining themselves to the cases of Commons 

 within fifteen miles of London, the Committee reported 

 as to the supreme necessity of preserving all that still 

 remained open, for the health and recreation of the 

 people and for the training of volunteer corps. With 

 respect to the proper method of preserving these open 

 spaces, there was great difference of opinion. The 

 Lords of Manors, through their agents and lawyers, 

 contended that they were practically masters of the 

 position ; that the rights of Commoners were so few in 

 number and so limited in value, that they might be 

 disregarded ; that most of these rights had lapsed 

 through non-user; and that under the Statute of Mer- 

 ton or under customs of their Manors, they could 

 inclose without regard to the interests of the public, to 

 whom they denied any right, no matter how long or 

 how extensive and long-continued had been the user 

 for recreation. 



On the other hand, it was contended with equal 

 confidence, on behalf of the commoners and residents 



D 



