COMMISSIONERS ON WIXDSOB. FOREST. 15 



country, it is remarkable that records of equal antiquity prefeut themfclves of 



depredations committed in the Forefts. And even at a remote period, when timber 



is fuppofed moft to have abounded in this country, and of courfe to be of leaf! value, Cart, de anno rc-ni 



a remarkable inftance occurs of the Crown commuting, on terms obvioufly extra- ' Itl! - JH. 4^. in -2. 



vagant, a fmall annual claim upon the Woods in Dean Forefl; which may be fairly To the Abbey of 



prefumed not a fingle inftance of a fimilar tranfaction, becaufe of the enormous Flaxley. 



depredations to which the exercii'e of the claim gave occafion. Thefe, and all 



other depredations, with every kind of intriifion and encroachment on this Foreft 



of'Windfor, theCommiffioners muft apprize your Lordmips will daily gain ground, 



as long as this Foreft, in common with all the other Forefts, remains, as your Lord-* 



mips mud be convinced they are, almoft out of the protection of any law. It 



is upon the various confiderations that arife on this view of the^Foreft, that the 



Commiflioners would urge your Lordlhips to refort to the firft principles of our 



civil policy, to correft the lawlefs habits of the intruders in the Foreft, who, by be,- 



coming ftich, have placed themfelves fo far at your Lordlhips difpofal ; and their 



removal into collected habitations, under all the circumliances of the neighbouring 



country, will neither be inconvenient, expenfive or difficult. 



It will be neceflary to give a large and full diferetion to the perfons who ar* 

 intruded with this duty, coniiftently with fome general principle that mould be 

 laid down for their guidance ; and alfo fubjeft to the controul and approbation of 

 the' Lords of the Treafury, in all cafes of alienation or compenfation to be made 

 beyond a certain amount. The Encroachments are fo numerous, moil of them 

 fo fmall, and the peculiar circumftances of each form fuch a number of various 

 confiderations, that it is difficult to make any general regulations refpecting 

 them. 



The fame perfons might alfo be authorized to treat and agree with fuch perfons 

 whofe rights now ftand in the way of future improvement, for an exchange or 

 waiver of thofe rights, for other advantages to be derived in another lhape, that 

 may be more beneficial to them. 



As theCommiffioners, from the befl confideration they have been able to give 

 the fubjcci, have formed expectations very favourable to the Plan they have pointed 

 out, that it will be attended with great public benefit, and bring no expence with 

 it but what may be derived from the Forefl itfelf ; they very ilrongly recommend 

 that the expences of carrying it into execution may be clearly afcertained, and for 

 that purpofe, that an exnft, and fep'arate account may be kept of the monies that 

 may be derived from the Foreft by the various means beforementioned, by fetting a 

 value on all Timber employed in inclofures or other purpofes, bringing to account 

 all monies received for Timber or Wafte Lands, and paying thereout all expences 

 of planting, or in any wife relating thereto ; that all fuch monies mould be brought 

 into one fund, and received and paid under the controul of fuch one or more 

 Officers of Government as mall be thought proper, and exaft accounts thereof 

 kept, and tranfmitted at ftated times to the Lords of the Treafury, or oftener if 

 required by them ; that no Timber mould be cut without their Warrant, as is 

 now the cafe, and that, not without fome previous report by fome Officer of the 

 Crown, that the fame is proper, and expreffing the purpofes to which it is to be 

 applied. 



It will be impoffible, as has been before obferved, to point out every regulation 

 that may be neceflary to fuch a plan of improvement. One great object will be, to 

 have a judicious perfon to take the active execution of it, and to fubjeft his conduft 

 to continual obfervations and controul by fome perfon or perfons near the place 

 where the duty is to be performed ; and by the fame controuling power to prevent 

 as much as poffible every kind of impofition and abufe, and enforce continued 

 attention to the execution of the plan. 



To this extent the Commiflioners are enabled to report to your Lordmips the 

 inquiries they have purfued, and the refult of the attention they have given to 

 what they have conceived the duties of their Commiffion. 



As far as they have niggefted any plan for improving or managing this Foreft, 

 they beg to be undcrftood in a qualified rather than pofitive fenfe, inafmuch as 

 their wimes lead them ftrongly to conceive, that the meafures your Lordmips will 

 recommend, and Parliament will adopt with refpecl to this Wafte of 24,600 acres, 

 may afford a field for improvement by Timber cultivation, which may render it 

 neceflary to fuggeft a morecomprehenfive plan of management than the one which 

 they have chiefly had in view in this Report. 



C Tht 



