THE COMMITTEE ON COMMONS. 33 
than submit to unabated evils. It was found that some 
of the Commons, such as Wandsworth, Mitcham, and 
Barnes, had been intersected by railways, which greatly 
interfered with their beauty and value. The Railway 
Companies apparently had discovered that it was cheaper 
to engineer their lines through such open spaces, than 
through private property. There was no authority whose 
duty it was to secure that, in the consideration of such 
schemes, the interest of the public in the maintenance 
of Commons should be properly regarded. 
Confining themselves to the cases of Commons 
within fifteen miles of London, the Committee reported 
as to the supreme necessity of preserving all that still 
remained open, for the health and recreation of the 
people and for the training of volunteer corps. With 
respect to the proper method of preserving these open 
spaces, there was great difference of opinion. The 
Lords of Manors, through their agents and lawyers, 
contended that they were practically masters of the 
position ; that the rights of Commoners were so few in 
number and so limited in value, that they might be 
disregarded; that most of these mghts had lapsed 
through non-user; and that under the Statute of Mer- 
ton or under customs of their Manors, they could 
inclose without regard to the interests of the public, to 
whom they denied any right, no matter how long or 
how extensive and long-continued had been the user 
for recreation. 
* On the other hand, it was contended with equal 
confidence, on behalf of the commoners and residents 
D 
