ok at the list before me I must say it is indeed a sad
one; but at the same time it must be a gratification to us, who
wish well to the Institution, to see that from the 16th of
November, 1871, to the 16th of November last as many as 1067
cases were relieved out of the casualty fund. I may also mention
that the officers of the railway companies subscribe half a
guinea and the servants 8_s._ a year. In fact, I may say that
the railway companies give this Institution in every way their
official support, and they may indeed well do so, because there
is no institution which more heartily deserves our support than
this.

"There is, however, one curious fact which I should like to
mention. I believe I am correct in saying that the number of
officers and servants employed on railways in the United Kingdom
amounts to something like 300,000, but only 35,000 of them are
subscribers; and in Ireland there is not a single subscriber. I
am sorry to have to make this fact known; but all the more
reason is there that we this evening should be liberal with our
purses, as I am sure we shall all be when we consider how often
we travel by railway. Not a day goes by but most of you travel
once--probably twice. In stepping into a railway carriage, do
you not think of the risks you may run? An accident may happen
to anybody, though every possible security and guarantee may be
given that no accident shall occur.

"Well, if we as passengers run risks, how much more so the
officers and servants of the companies; and that not every day,
but every hour and minute of their lives? We may be sure it is
the earnest desire of the managers and directors--many of whom
are here this evening--to do all in their power to guarantee the
safety of the passengers and of those to whom are entrusted the
care and management of the trains. I feel sure I cannot impress
on them too strongly the necessity for their still using every
effort in their power to prevent accidents, which are,
unfortunately, too frequent. It is not for me in the presence of
so many great railway authorities to say what plan may be best
devised to lessen accidents--whether it may be that there are
too many railways, whether the immense network which exists in
this country comes too closely together at different stations,
or the trains follo