[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR.1
suppose I must reply to the suggestion of" Seneschal" (Spectator, February 25th). He is "ancient," as his name implies, and not "up to date." Expression of assent from the
Verderers, with or without conditions, is the last thing which the local Crown authorities desire to get. They wish to act without it. In the case of the Rifle Butt, to which I alluded, the Crown informed the Colonel that if he dared to ask for our assent (although it was well known that we were willing to give it for a time) he would lose the license of the Crown. Like a wise man, he elected to shout with the stronger. So it has been in other cases. We were powerless, because not backed up by the other commoners, who are liable now and then to be blind to their permanent interests. I take it that legally we might, as individual commoners, have borrowed picks and shovels, and ourselves proceeded in state to demolish it! But our dignity (such as it is) would have suffered, the work would have been very badly done, and the other commoners would have condemned as. So we left it alone,—wisely ! The existing Verderers' Court is a statutory, and not a Manor, Court. Any such presentment as" Seneschal" describes would be met by the plea that a license had been given by the Crown (Lord of the Manor), and that therefore the Verderers could not as a Court entertain the matter at all. I do not say that this plea might not be fought, but it would be a long and expensive job.—I am, Sir, 8cc.,
[We entirely agree with "A Resident" that in the Forest the paramount right is that of the whole nation, and not of any locality within the Forest. This correspondence must now close.—En. Spectator.]
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