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commission was to ascertain the boundaries of the
Forest, and to enquire into the rights of common,
and having made all such enquires as would enable
them to report, they were " to settle a scheme for the
preservation and management of the waste lands
thereof," being (the very words of the Act 34 and 35
Vict. c. 93 are used), "all lands situate within the boun-
" daries of Epping Forest as ascertained by the Com-
" missioners, which have not heen lawfully enclosed,
" or over which the Crown was entitled to exercise
" forestal rights." It will be seen that so far from
preserving the waste lands of the Forest they have
presented to Parliament a scheme which is entirely
ulta vires, for it proposes, not to preserve, but to retain
as enclosures no less than 740 acres, which have not
been lawfully enclosed, or nearly one-eighth of the
entire Forest. In short, the Commission of the Com-
missioners being to preserve Epping Forest, they have
not preserved a yard of it, for all that has been
preserved has heen secured by the Law Courts set in
motion by the Corporation of London, and what was
within the power of the Commissioners to preserve,
they recommend should be kept enclosed !
As the House of Commons has again and again
shewn that it does not intend to be baulked in its re-
solves concerning Epping Forest, it remains to be seen
whether it will allow this Commission to interfere
with its determination,