SIR,—May I thank you, on behalf of all those who
have taken part in the movement for preserving Hindhead, for the sympathetic and picturesque article on the subject which appeared in the Spectator of November 4th P And may I take the opportunity of correcting a misapprehension which seems to exist in some minds P It is, I understand, suggested in some quarters that it is waste of money to purchase Hind- head, because it is common land, and cannot therefore be enclosed. It is wholesome doctrine that a common cannot be enclosed. But those who have had the largest experience of preventing enclosure by means of common rights know best how many difficulties beset that process, and how desirable it is to obtain the manorial interest in a common (that is, the soil), wherever land in the neighbourhood has acquired a value for building. The lord of a manor is in such cases under great temptation to acquire and extinguish the common rights ; and though he is happily seldom completely successful in carrying out such a design, an expensive law. would be rash to say how many thousands it cost to prevent suit may be necessary to convince him of his mistake. It the ,enclosure of Banstead Downs. But apart from the risk of attempts to enclose, and consequent costly litigation, there are abundant reasons for placing the public in the position of lord of the manor. The lord can sweep every tree off the common ; in the ease of Hindhead he could destroy the hollies, which are one of its features of beauty. He can dig eand and stone to an almost unlimited extent, and he can allow nuisances which go far to spoil the enjoyment of the common. The power of control is worth a great deal in the case of any common in a frequented district, and it is just this power of control which is acquired when the interest of the lord of the manor is purchased. I hope no one will be deterred from contributing towards the cost of buying Hindhead by any suspicion that the purchase was unneces- sary. The Commons Preservation Society, which knows something of these matters, warmly advocated the purchase.
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