Morning journal and courier., 1888-06-18

| they used to put ten men on an elephan and in that way go long distances. He thought the alteration in the form of the ! sword was very desirable, as sometimes men l would ride through the enemy without doing any damage, whereas thrusts were very dan gerous. He hoped that the authorities would
 not give up their heavy transport yet, be- cause he did not think they would be able, under all circumstances. to depend upon rail ways.
 Col. Hozier, in reply, said he preferred brown to gray uniform.
 The Lord and Commoners About to Join Issues for the Control of che Field.
 From the London Times.1 On Thursday last deputation from the
 commoners of Epson Manor waited upon the lord at his manor court and presented me-
 morial, signed by Lord Rosebery, several well-known trainers and most of the lead- Ing residents, complaining of the growing eucroschments on Epson Downs in connee- tion withAthe race meetings. The memorial ists (who were accompanied by Nr. Birkett, the solicitor of the Commons Preservation society,", urged the lord, under whose author, ,ity these eencroachmentsar are made, to put stop to them, and thus avoid the necessity of liti- gation.
 It will probably startle many persons to learn that the Derby race course is the sub ject of litigation. Epson Downs are in fact ordinary common land, and as Eueh are noGl exempt from those conflicts between compe- ting rights with which the public have be- come familiar. It might have been thought that festival deemed to be of sufficient na- tional importance to justify an adjournment of the legislature would be held on the ground the property of the nation. But such expectations in relation to English hab- it's and customs are wont to be disappointed
 Epson Downs are waste of the manor of Eb-
 bisham or Epson; the soil is owned by the lord of the manor, 8 private gentleman, and
 the commoners of the manor are entitled to the ordinary rights of common over the Downs. a.RSa ai5 F siaszsis5 Ese = The use of the Downs for racing purposes has prevented those attempts to enclose which have been made in the case of many other London commons. But an impress sion which has recently got abroad that an endeayor would shortly be made on the lords part to alter the celebrated course has brought matters to 8 head, and led to the various steps to which we have already referred.
 On the Derby day, and at other race meetings, a chain is now carried across the Downs from starting point to winning post
 and toll is levied on all who pass within the
 horseshoe thus inelosed. A new stand has
 been erected, as we have said, posts and rails apparently indicating new course. The object of this change is not difficult to guess. The bend of the Derby course, the curve of the horseshoe, lies in another manor, the manor of Walton, and large sum is paid yearly to the lord of this manor for the priv ilege of galloping few hundred yards over his turf If this necessity could be avoided larger profits would be made by those inter- ested in the Epson portion of the Derby course. But there would be an ugly turn at Tottenham corner and the course would be seriously impaired. That such @ change should be even threatened shows how unsat- isfactory are the local conditions under which the great race of the year takes place.
 It is not in the interests of the Derby that one man should have control over the site of the race, or that large profits should be made by private speculators. Sooner or later ex- travagant demands are likely to be made and great inconvenience and embarrassment may result. The proper remedy is to place the Downs under the management of suita- ble board, upon which lord, commoners and public may be represented. So long as the Derby remain national event some security of tenure on the part of the nation should
 be provided for, and the charges levied for special privileges to view the race should be put on proper footing. The profit arising might be devoted at least in part to the inn pKOVcIUoub OI Gu0 DOWuS 9lu taS ObuoE WSSl0 lands of the manor. Epson common is a tract of great beauty, close to Epson town, and invaluable to London as an open space. In 1865 it was proposed to enclose it, and it
 is amusing to read the arguments of the en- closure commissioners in support of their recommendation. They admitted that leading feature of the neighborhood would
 be destroyed and Epson seriously injured as place of residence, but they deemed these considerations as nothing compared with the importance of bringing those hundred acres of waste land under cultivation.
 The House of Commons of that day, how ever, refused to sanction the application. It would be most desirable that both the Downs and the common should now be def- nitely secured to the public and placed un- der proper management Machinery for &C., complaining these ends always exists, but should it prove in any way defective Parlia- ment might be trusted to render its aid. Now that the attention of the public has been drawn to the anomalous legal condition of the world-famed race course, no pains should be spared to effect an equitable, satis- factory and permanent arrangement.