THE NEW FOREST. 241 



pressure of opinion in the House, somewhat reluctantly 

 assented to it. In 1875, when a change of Government 

 had taken place, it was intimated to the residents in the 

 Forest that this resolution of the House of Commons 

 could not be considered as binding for an indefinite 

 time, and that some steps must be taken to bring the 

 subject to an issue. Thereupon Lord Henry Scott (now 

 Lord Montagu, and then member for the division of 

 Hampshire in which the Forest was situate) moved for 

 a Select Committee "to inquire into and report upon 

 the condition of the New Forest, into the operation of 

 the Deer liemoval Act of 1851, and particularly into 

 the exercise and effect of the powers of inclosure given 

 by that Act." 



The case of the Commoners and of the public was 

 presented before this Committee by Mr. Robert Hunter, 

 on behalf of the New Forest Association, a body repre- 

 sentative of the Commoners, and of the Commons 

 Society ; and among others Mr. Fawcett gave evidence 

 as to the disastrous effect of the Act of 1851, if further 

 enforced, in destroying the beauties of the Forest. 

 Many also of the smaller Commoners appeared, and 

 much impressed the Committee with the strength of 

 their case, and with their conviction that the Act 

 would result in their ultimate ruin and extirpation. 

 Meanwhile, the attention of the public was aroused 

 to the subject of the Forest by an exhibition of 

 pictures and sketches of scenery in the district, pro- 

 jected by Mr. Briscoe Eyre and Mr. George Mor- 

 rison, and the expression of opinion these evoked was 

 Q 



