THE NEW FOREST. 245 



Later, in 1S91, it came to the ears of the Verderers 

 of the New Forest that the War Department proposed 

 to establish a rifle range in the Forest under the recent 

 Act, and to drive the Commoners off 800 acres, and 

 to cut them off completely from a large part of the 

 Forest. The Forest district was in arms directly the 

 fact became public, and from all parts of the country 

 the aid of the Commons Society was invoked to protect 

 " the National Playground." 



The Government was eventually compelled to 

 promise a local inquiry in the Forest, as to the 

 expediency of the proposed rifle range. 



The Commissioner appointed for this purpose, Mr. 

 Pelham, ultimately reported that the range would cause 

 substantial interference with the Commoners' rights, and 

 that it would be extremely difficult to ascertain who 

 should be compensated ; that the range as proposed 

 would deprive the public of the enjoyment of a very 

 beautiful part of the Forest ; and that if another site 

 could be found elsewhere, the proposed site should 

 certainly not be taken. 



In the meantime, the Secretary of State for War, in 

 pursuance of a promise which he had given, introduced 

 a Military Lands Consolidation Bill. This measure was 

 referred to a Select Committee on which the writer of 

 this book took an active part. After much discussion, 

 a clause was inserted making it obligatory on the War 

 Department to proceed by way of Provisional Order 

 before acquiring any common land for the purpose of 

 rifle ranges. By this measure, therefore, all Commons 



