CONCLUSION. 363 
in progress there. Thus it came about that the battle, 
which was fought so largely in the Law Courts, owed 
its success in no small degree to efforts in Parliament 
and in the Press. 
The experience of the past thirty years has also 
abundantly vindicated the opinion of the Committee of 
1865, that the Commons within fifteen miles of London 
are none too large for the health and enjoyment of the 
ever-growing population of the district, and that the 
policy of the Metropolitan Board of Works, to sell 
portions of them in order to obtain full possession 
of the remainder, was both unwise and unnecessary. 
Not an acre of Common land has successfully been 
inclosed during this period. Much that was previously 
filched from Epping Forest has been restored to the 
public. So far from selling portions of Commons, the 
London authorities have found it necessary to add to 
the areas of several of them. Hampstead Heath, it 
has been already shown, has been more than doubled in 
size by the purchase of Parliament Hill; Bostall Heath 
has been also doubled by the acquisition of Bostall 
Wood. By the combined action of the London County 
Council, the Camberwell Vestry, and private subscribers, 
an addition of 49 acres has been made to Peckham 
Rye Common at a cost of £50,900. Even that portion 
of Epping Forest which is nearest to London, namely 
Wanstead Flats, has been increased by the purchase by 
the Corporation of London of Wanstead Park, consist- 
ing of 184 acres, and of Higham Park, of 30 acres. West 
Ham Park, of 80 acres, has also been purchased by the 
