12 THE NEW FOREST 



deer, under the impression that they would get 

 for their cattle all the pasturage absorbed by 

 them. The Treasury, from motives of economy, 

 lent a willing ear to the proposal. It was gene- 

 rally felt, from a practical point of view, that a 

 better use could be made of that part of this 

 great national property which consisted of timber 

 growing soil than was the case at that time ; and 

 after the fullest possible inquiry into the matter 

 by Parliament the Deer Removal Act was passed 

 in the year 1851, and the palmy days of the 

 beautiful old Forest came to an end. 



The main points of the Act were (1) that 

 the deer should be removed within two years. 

 (2) That a Register of Common Rights should 

 be compiled, deciding once and for ever what 

 common rights should attach to the various 

 plots of land concerned. This was a most costly 

 volume to prepare ; it absorbed about six years 

 of time, and cost some 6000, but it was of 

 great value to the commoners as well as the 

 Crown, by securing all their rights against pos- 

 sible intrusion by any outside parties. 



The Crown was to be compensated for the 

 surrender of the right to stock the Forest with 

 deer to the absolute limit of the animals it could 

 maintain by being given a right to enclose land 

 for the growth of timber as against the com- 



