April 14th, 1908.
To a Friend Offering Help.
I am glad your houses in South London are doing well. We are having a depressing time as to workmen’s houses in London; one wonders how things will go in the future. I do hope, better.
You ask about our longed-for bit of ground. It is on the range of hills on which Sevenoaks is, but further west; the hills are a range between the North Downs and the Ashdown Forest range. The exact hill is called Mariners’ Hill, and is about equidistant from Eden Bridge, Oxted and Westerham. I was there on Sunday, and the view was quite magnificent. The ground was a mass of primroses in full flower; and all the wild hyacinth leaves were coming up. There is a great deal of brushwood, through which we shall cut paths; but there are a few good oak trees; and, if all be well, I shall plant some more, and some beeches, where they will not hide the view; and the upland meadow we shall keep quite clear.
We still want £336 to complete the purchase; but we have achieved getting the land into friendly hands; so that we secure time to try to raise the balance. This is a great mercy, especially as I am so very busy that it is difficult to take steps for making the need more known. Till we got the land into safe hands, I dared not mention where it was, lest the vendors should raise the price.
190 Marylebone Road,
November, 1908.
To Lord George Hamilton.
I feel it so important that as many of us as possible should be able to sign the report without reservations, that I trouble you with a letter.
I have always desired an “ad hoc” body; but I am too ignorant about these statutory committees, absolutely to object to them. But it seems to me that, as at present drafted, the report provides no safeguards against two dangers, namely, the overtaxing of the strength of the county councillors; and the possibility of the nominations (on the Minor authority) being in untrustworthy hands.