Alfred Russel Wallace 



witnessing the introduction of many inventions. He used to 

 enjoy recalling many of the discussions between intelligent 

 mechanics which he heard of in his early days regarding the 

 introduction of the steam-engine. One and another declared 

 that the grip of the engine on the rails would not be sufficient 

 to draw heavy trucks or carriages ; that the wheels, in fact, 

 Avould whiz round instead of going on, and that it would 

 be necessary to sprinkle sand in front of the wheels, or 

 make the tyres rough like files. About this time, too, there 

 arose a keen debate upon the relative merits of the new 

 railroads and the old canals. Many thought that the 

 former could never compete with the latter in carrying 

 heavy goods; but facts soon proved otherwise, for in one 

 district alone the traffic of the canal, within two years of 

 the coming of the railway, decreased by 1,000,000 tons. 



It was during these years, and when he and his brother 

 were making a survey for the enclosure of some common 

 lands near Llandrindod Wells, that Wallace finally became 

 aware of the injustice towards the labouring classes of the 

 General Enclosure Act. 



In this particular locality the land to be enclosed con- 

 sisted of a large extent of moor, and mountain which, with 

 other common rights, had for many years enabled the occu- 

 pants of the scattered cottages around to keep a horse, cow, 

 or a few sheep, and thus make a fairly comfortable living. 

 Under the Act, the whole of this open land was divided 

 among the adjacent landowners- of the parish or manor, in 

 proportion to the size or value of their estates. Thus, to 

 those who actually possessed much, much was given ; whilst 

 to those who only nominally owned a little land, even that 

 was taken away in return for a small compensation which 

 was by no means as valuable to them as the right to graze 

 their cattle. In spite of the statement set forth in the 

 General Enclosure Act — ** Whereas it is expedient to facili- 



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