64 THE MANAGEMENT OF EPPING FOREST.
They were swept away now. (Hear, hear.) Was that preserving the natural
aspect of the Forest ? (Cheers.) Coming to Queen Elizabeth's Lodge, they
saw Battersea Park to the left of them. (Laughter.) That was arranged for
the enjoyment of the people, but it was quite enough of it. (Cheers.) Leave
the rest to nature. Looking south, they would see the trunks of two grand old
oak trees which had been cut at ten feet high, and pitch put on the top of them.
(Hear, hear.) See the clearing at the Rising Sun, and see Whipps Cross
perfectly bare. (Hear, hear.) Wanstead Flats, covered, as they all knew; with
splendid fibrous turf, had been turned over with the spade, and asphalted. (Oh.)
A great clearance had been made in Lord's Bushes, and it had in no respect
improved it. Great quantities of underwood had been taken away. (Cheers, and
cries of "no.") Trunks of trees had been left cut off three or four feet abort the
ground. It had been stated in the Press repeatedly and never contradicted that up
to the end of 1891 a hundred thousand trees had been cut down in the Forest;and
since then ten thousand more had been cut. If this sort of thing was not stopped
they were justified in saying that the Forest was in danger, (Professor Boulger :
No, no.) He recollected when that Club stood up and manfully resisted the
Great Eastern Railway. Some members of the Council argued that it should do
nothing in the matter—that it should confine itself to toadstools—(laughter)—
and not resist the railway company in its grand desire to benefit the Forest and
take a great deal of it. (Laughter.) He then referred to the visit of the experts
to Hawk Wood, and said that they were asked there to bless the action of the
Conservators, but stayed to curse it. 
Mr. Buxton: I must protest, sir; that statement is absolutely without
authority, It is absolutely untrue, Mr. Chairman. I am sure Mr. Smith would
not say what is intentionally untrue, but I ask you to call upon him to recall that
most damaging and untrue statement.
Mr. Smith : I should be sorry to say anything that is not founded upon fact.
I am expressing the view that these gentlemen were taken there to bless the
intentions of the Conservators, and they have cursed them.
Mr. Salmon (Chairman of Epping Forest Committee) : They say that the
trees should not be cut this season because they are in leaf; but what shall be the
future of those trees we have not heard. Mr. Smith's statement is that these
gentlemen were brought to bless our work. Nothing of the kind. I did not take
any part in the selection of these gentlemen without referring to Sir Joseph
Hooker, These gentlemen are not in the pay of the Corporation. Their
legitimate expenses must, of course, be paid ; but to say that they were brought
down to bless our work is an absolute falsehood, and Mr. Smith knows it.
Mr. Smith : Is it not a fact that the six hundred oak trees marked are already
sold ? I would like to ask Mr. Salmon that question.
Mr. Buxton : Mr. Chairman, I hope you will call upon Mr. Smith to with-
draw his statement, which I characterise as a most offensive statement, that these
gentlemen were brought to bless us. Then he says they curse our work. They
have expressed no opinion. I call upon you to call upon that gentleman to with-
draw that expression, grossly untrue, grossly offensive.
At this point Prof. Meldola read out the provisional report of the experts as
given in "The Times" after their visit to Hawkwood, on Wednesday, April 25th.
It was as follows :—"After a careful examination of Hawkwood, we are of opinion
that the trees as now marked in it should not be cut for the present season;
Other questions as to the general management of the Forest so as to secure the
object the committee have in view are best determined after we have seen the