festival of the Railway Guards' Universal
Friendly Society, held at Willis's Rooms, July 5th, 1884, the Prince of
Wales presided. A large number of directors and leading men connected
with the railway companies were among the company. In giving or
responding to the usual loyal toasts, His Royal Highness, in a very
grateful and gracious way, took the opportunity of expressing his warm
sense of the uniform attention shown to the Queen, and also to himself
and the Princess of Wales, during their very frequent journeys, by the
directors and all the officials and servants of the various railway
companies. Everything was done for their safety and comfort, and he
wished thus publicly to acknowledge his appreciation of what was done.

In giving the toast of the evening, "Prosperity to the Railway Guards'
Universal Friendly Society," the Prince said:--

"We are to-day celebrating the ninth triennial festival of this
Society, in aid of the 'Permanent Sick and Injured, and Widows
and Orphans' Fund,' and I think all will agree with me that
there is no charity which better deserves the attention and
support of the public than this one. That it has already
received such support is apparent to us from the length of time
it has existed, but like all other great institutions of the
kind in our country, the money which is required is, also,
greatly in excess of that which is at their disposal to meet the
actual necessities which arise.

"No public servants, I think, more deserve our sincere sympathy
and support than the guards of our railway trains. It is obvious
to all of us who have to travel constantly on railways how much
our safety depends on their industry, their vigilance, their
sobriety, and their discipline; and it is very gratifying to
know that we may confidently rely on finding these qualities in
them. Knowing what they have to go through, their exposure to
all weathers and to risks of all kinds; remembering how much
they have to be away from their homes and their families, it
seems to me that we have hardly the right to expect to obtain
from them their valuable services unless we in some measure
mitigate their sufferings in sickness and from accident, and
unless in case of death we do something for the maintenance of
their widows and orphans. The Society was founded in June, 1849,
and is one of the oldest societies in exis