26 THE NEW FOREST 



and most valuable history of the Forest, the 

 Report in 1789 of the Committee appointed to 

 inquire into all the Woods, Forests, and Land 

 Revenue of the Crown. 



No one who desires to master all the 

 disputes and discussions of the last 120 years 

 should fail to study this most excellent and 

 comprehensive report, which deals in measured 

 judicial language with the troubles arising from 

 the various conflicting interests, which were just 

 the same in those days as they are now. A 

 first-rate map, on a large scale, known as 

 " Driver's Survey," formed one of the appendices 

 to the Act. 



One factor only is left out the new one, 

 viz., the great and increasing interest now taken 

 in the amenities of the New Forest by the 

 public at large. It is this new point in the 

 argument that will ultimately nay even now 

 has become the dominant feature of the whole 

 question. 



While I had plenty to read up, and all the 

 regular business of the office to transact, I had 

 also to learn to find my way about the Forest, 

 and to see for myself all that was going on. 

 To this end I imported a couple of thorough- 

 bred four-year-olds likely to make hunters, and 

 set to work with a pocket map to find my way 



