EPPING FOREST. 143 



Lords of Manors, and that under it the public would 

 secure 600 acres, where now they had no legal rights 

 whatever. He also argued against the Government 

 expending the general taxpayers' money for the 

 benefit of a purely Metropolitan improvement. He 

 enforced this argument by offering to allow the 

 Metropolitan Board to make whatever use that body 

 might think expedient of the Crown rights, and saying 

 that he was at a loss to know in what other way the 

 Government could respond to the motion. In spite of 

 this speech, the Government was defeated in the division 

 by a majority of more than two to one 197 to 96 

 showing how strong was the feeling in the House that 

 steps should be taken to save the Forest. 



In consequence of this hostile motion, Mr. Ayrton 

 again tried his hand at legislation for Epping Forest. 

 He now proposed a measure for the appointment of 

 a Commission of enquiry into the condition of Epping 

 Forest, and as to the respective rights of the Crown, 

 of the Lords of Manors, and of the Commoners, with 

 directions for the preparation of a scheme for the 

 preservation of the open land of the Forest. This 

 measure passed through Parliament without opposition. 

 A week before it received the Eoyal assent, the Cor- 

 poration of London commenced its great suit against the 

 Lords of the Manors and other inclosers of the Forest. 



In the following year an attempt was made to get 

 rid of the Corporation suit. It was found necessary 

 to amend the Epping Forest Act, and it was proposed in 

 the Bill for this purpose to stay all the legal proceedings 



