Journal of Proceedings. vii
should be looked upon. It is quite true that the Company proposes only
to go through or to take, as I understand, nine acres of actual Forest
land, but from the fact of the road having to be carried on an embank-
ment will cut off a very large portion of the Forest, these would be grave
objections to the scheme from the point of view of interfering with the
pleasure ground, even if we leave out of sight the more material and
real objection of interfering with the object and intention of the Epping
Forest Act. [Loud cheers.] I am quite aware that this is an attempt—
at least I think it is an attempt—to go far beyond what is present before
us. The railway when extended to High Beach cannot possibly stop
there. [Hear, hear.] We shall be having the same arguments used for
allowing the public to go by railway or tramway to Ambresbury Banks, and
to a variety of other equally interesting and equally beautiful portions
of the Forest; and in a very little time, if once this principle of cutting
up the Forest is admitted, we shall have it merely sectionally divided
according to the interests and conveniences of Railway and other Com-
panies, and according to the moneyed conveniences of the Corporation
of the City of London. [Laughter and cheers.] I propose to say a few
words myself on Monday in the spirit in which I have addressed you to-
day. [Cheers.] I speak now, and I shall speak then to the House of
Commons, simply as one who has had something to do in the original
intentions of the Act of 1878, having known the intentions with which
that Act was carried through the House, and the intentions which
justified—as they thought—the House in taking away a very consider-
able number of so-called rights from individuals. Such an Act, passed
in the way it was, with the sacrifices that were made for it, should not
be lightly interfered with. [Cheers.] You may depend, gentlemen, upon
my doing my best at all events to prevent the carrying out of the present
scheme, and to preserve as far as I am able—not only as a local man
well acquainted with this country, but as a public man having some con-
nection with the work that has been done in the throwing of it open to
the public—in preserving the Forest for the future in the state in which
I think it was intended, and in which I think it ought, to be kept.
[Cheers.] I should like to say only one word more, and that is, that
from my own personal knowledge—and I have taken some trouble in the
matter from being a resident not very far from the Forest—I can quite
endorse all that has been said about what I think are the evils entailed
upon the Forest by the excursionists that come down to Chingford, not
for the legitimate purpose of enjoyment in the Forest, but simply for a
day spent round the public-houses in the neighbourhood, and for enjoy-
ments, legitimate enough in themselves, if you please, but still in direct
opposition, I think, to the intention and spirit in which the Act of 1878
was passed, and the Forest directed to be preserved for the true and
healthful recreation of the people. [Loud cheers.]
Lord Eustace Cecil said—Mr. President and gentlemen,—I cannot add
anything to the information which my colleague has given you, for he is