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tended before the Master of the Eolis, contended before
the Commissioners and contends to this day, that as
these acres are either still in their "wild forestal state,
or are merely arable or pasture land, they must be
restored to the Forest from which they have been
filched. Practically this is the main question now
open. There were many contentions before the
Epping Forest Commissioners as to the government
of the Forest and as to the details of their scheme,
but there is but one point to which public attention
need be directed, the future of these 760 acres.
Upon this point the recommendations of the Com-
missioners to Parliament are first, that the owners of
the land in question shall be at liberty, upon pay-
ment of nine-tenths of their agricultural value to
the Corporation, as the conservators of the Forest,
to remain in possession of them, and have their titles
quieted, and secondly, that, if the Corporation desires
to repurchase those lands for the purpose of throwing
them into the Forest, it must first obtain the con-
sent of the First Commissioner of Her Majesty's
Works, and then pay for them at their full value.
The effect of these recommendations practically is, that
these 760 acres of land, the greater portion, if not the
whole of which, is absolutely necessary for the en-
joyment of the Forest, will remain enclosed for ever,
and be turned without delay into building land.*
* The exact quantity is reduced to 740 acres; as to the other 20, the Cor-
poration have either come to an agreement with the owners, or have as-
certained that they have a Parliamentary title to them.