4 SHORT HISTORY OF ESSEX FIELD CLUB. given was inadequate to pay the cost of hiring halls and other expenses, and so the scheme was soon abandoned. On January 8, 1881, the Council passed a Resolution of pro- test against the Great Eastern Railway Co.'s proposal to carry a line across Epping Forest, and copies of the Resolution were sent to the Ranger, the Verderers, the Epping Forest Committee of the City Corporation, and to Members of Parliament interested in the matter. It was further resolved to petition Parliament; and, with the co-operation of various other natural history societies, a Memorial was forwarded to the Home Secretary in February, 1881, petitioning against the proposed railway. In the following March it was reported that the railway company had withdrawn the clauses relating to the proposed extension across Epping Forest from its Bill then before Parliament. A renewed attempt two years later (in 1883) to carry a railway to Highbeach was also most vigorously opposed by the Club, which organised a Deputation to the Members of Parliament for West Essex, at a cost of nearly £30 from its funds, on its own initiative and in opposition to the Conservators of Epping Forest them- selves, who were inclined to favour the scheme. The railway company's proposal was rejected by the House of Commons, on its Second Reading on March 12th, by 230 votes against 82, a majority of 148 ; and this notwithstanding the scornful allusion of the mover, Lord Claude Hamilton, who described objectors to the Bill as "several professors, a great many butterfly fanciers, and gentlemen who visited the Forest in pursuit of the insect tribe!" In 1881 the Club successfully opposed a proposal to run tramways through the Forest along the Ranger's Road. On February 25, 1881, Mr. J. Spiller, F.C.S., was chosen to be the first Delegate from the Club to the Conference of Societies at the annual meeting of the British Association ; when, in 1883, the class of "Corresponding Societies" was established by the Association, the Club at once became one of these. In the spring of this year, 1881, the investigation of Ambres- bury Banks, the ancient camp in Epping Forest, was undertaken, subscriptions having been gathered from members and the consent of the Forest Conservators obtained. The results of the investigation were duly published in a detailed report. In the following year, the neighbouring Loughton Camp was