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had withdrawn the clauses relating to the proposed extension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