[TO THE EDITOR 07 THE "SPECTATOR,"]
Sin,—" Non-Resident," in your issue of February 25th, states that whereas the New Forest was ninety thousand acres in ex- tent some three hundred years ago, twenty-four thousand acres have since then become private property, pegged out like "claims" all over the Forest. The truth is that these private properties, with the exception possibly of Beaulieu, which was granted as a manor in the reign of King John, were in existence before the New Forest was created by William I. They were only included in the perambulation of the Forest alluded to by your correspondent because they were subject to the then forest laws as regarded the preserva- tion of deer, &c. I may mention that at present there are nearly five thousand acres unenclosed of the sixteen thousand which the Crown can enclose under the Act of 1877.-1 am,
[Though we have closed this controversy, we publish the above letter, as it contains a material correction of fact and is of great historical interest. If the Crown has still the power to enclose five thousand acres now nnenclosed, the sooner such power is surrendered the better.—En. Spectator.]
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