in fact, this has been aptly termed the iron age. What should we do now without railroads? The question is by far too gigantic and speculative to go into to-night, and had therefore better be deferred and looked into this day six months, as the Parliamentary people say. In the meantime, we will admit the fact of the railway, and of its directors and officers, whose health I am about to propose to you. This town is not only very fortunate in having a good and efficient railway, with able directors, but it has also civil and obliging officers, who are at all times ready and willing to meet any question that may arise as to public or private convenience. Of course, there always were, and ever will be, a host of grumblers, who are always complaining about the railway not doing this or that, or not putting on a train to So-and-so just at the identical time that they, the grumblers, deem the proper time, and so forth. But I am happy to state that I have always found the officers of our railway ever ready and willing to listen to any want felt to be required for the general public convenience. In doing business with a railway official you must have a real grievance-not an imaginary one. Call at his place of business in business hours, transact your business in a business-like manner, then go about your business, to enable the railway man of business to transact his portion of business in a business-like

manner.

It does not take a very old man to remember when the outside passengers, and even the gentlemen inside an ordinary stage-coach, were occasionally requested to get down and walk up a mile or two of hill, or several miles ankle-deep in sand. It is quite certain that the general public will be eager for increased accommodation in whatever form it may present itself. The general public is Utopian in its ideas, and thinks it allowable to anticipate a Millennium as far as art can do it. Any Londoner, of course, would like to get over fifty, sixty, or even a hundred miles well within the hour. He would like never to lose more than a quarter of an hour by accidentally missing a train. He would like to be able to go the whole way, or half, or a quarter of the way, at the same speed. He would like to go early or late. He would like to have all this done for him at an imperceptible cost. He would not at all object to vary the route occasionally, just for a change of ideas. Are these wishes all so utterly unreasonable? It is barely forty years since a committee of the House of Commons laughed in the face of an engineer who thought it possible passengers might one day be carried twenty miles an hour, and asked what would become of them if a cow strayed on the rails. Even now, it must be admitted, that what are called the "omnibus trains" on the suburban lines are very trying to the temper of a man whose time is worth something. However, it avails not either to censure or to apologize for the public. It has its wants, and it will have its way if it can. It finds ready caterers, or, at least, very large promisers, in the speculative class. It has only to avow

any craving at all within the bounds of possibility, and there are those who will satisfy it, at any cost, if they can only saddle that cost upon others. All this is only part of our social system and our national character. We must be taken as we are, with all our faults, and without warranty.

Railways afford us many opportunities of visiting distant parts at a very moderate cost; and, whether looked at from a business point of view, or from one of pleasure, are a great boon to a numerous class of persons.

Railways annihilate space; it is no longer, How many miles is it to So-and-so?—but it is, How many hours or minutes is it? Persons residing at any distance from the great metropolis can have their newspapers and letters on their breakfast-tables, where formerly they had to wait until the next day before they could have them delivered to them.

Railways enable many hundreds of persons to reside in the country, and come to the town during the business hours of the day. Such an arrangement is conducive to health and recreation. It is a Season Ticket v. The Doctor. In short, from whatever point you view railways, the public have and will continue to derive, from time to time, many real advantages from them.

are much indebted to the
of the
is much respected by

The town and inhabitants of indefatigable zeal at all times displayed by Mr. department. As a station-master, Mr. all persons having business or seeking pleasure on the line. Gentlemen,-During my two years of office as Mayor, I was several times in communication with the railway authorities, and can state that they assisted me most materially in all that pertained to the benefit of the town, especially in obtaining the I can also say that many of the officers assist our local charities from their private purse, independently of the Company. Gentlemen,-I beg to propose "The Directors and Officers of Railway," coupling that toast with the name of Mr. Department.

the
of the

"THE

Toast by a Tradesman.

RAILWAY AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS."

MR. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN,-The "Town and Trade" has been given and responded to, but what, I ask you, would either be without the Railway? I will not speak of the identical interests of a town and its railway-they are patent and understood by all; and every one has for a long time looked upon the discovery of steam as a propelling power to be the great civilizer of the worldthe medium of communication between the antipodes-the annihilator of space, as the electric telegraph is the annihilator of time. I will not, I say, dwell upon these. But what would all these great benefits be without proper management? I can safely say that there is no better conducted line in the kingdom than the Railway; therefore our thanks are justly due to the Board of Direc tors and their Officers. As " good wine needs no bush," I at once call upon you, gentlemen, to drink their healths in bumpers.

Toast. "THE DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS OF THE

RAILWAY."

GENTLEMEN,-The next toast I shall present to your notice will be "The Directors and Officers of the Railway," and in so doing I can but allude to the great progress which the Railway has made during the last few years. The Company are now building almost a new terminus, entirely, I believe, for the convenience of the people of this town. Whenever anything arose which would be an advantage to the town, the Railway Company always contributed most liberally.

Response.

GENTLEMEN,-I believe there is a very cordial feeling of respect and confidence between the town of and the Railway Company. I have had the pleasure of attending these meetings for some years, and it has generally been admitted as a fact that the interests of the Railway and of the town are identical. No doubt that it is so, and it should follow that the town and the railway should at all times concur in promoting those interests.

GENTLEMEN,-In the absence of I beg to thank you for the very handsome manner in which the last toast was responded to. Such a recognition of our services is the more gracious because we are but servants of the public, whose interests the Board make a point of studying; for whatever benefits the one results to the advantage of the other. I hope I can also say, without being deemed egotistical, that they possess a staff of officials second to none in efficiency, a fact which is attributable to the liberality received at the hands of their employers.

I'll put a girdle round about the earth
In forty minutes.

GENTLEMEN,-Again I must ask you to join me in another toast, and this time to a body of men who have rendered, and still are rendering, essential service to the country-I mean the Constabulary. It has been said there is no good without its relative evil; but this much may be said of the Constabulary

they do not create the evil, but strive to suppress it. It is true that if no evil existed in the world, the office of a police constable would be the truest exposition of a sinecure; but we know evil does exist, and, in order to keep this evil somewhat under control, no better means have yet been devised than the Police Force; and to that body in general, and the Constabulary of in particular, are

we indebted for the quiet and safety in which we live. It is with feelings of pleasure, then, I propose to you "The Constabulary of

"

Quoth Hudibras, "Friend Ralph, thou hast
Out-run the constable at last."

Toast.-By the Chairman.

"THE CONSTABULARY FORCE OF

GENTLEMEN,-The Army and Navy and Volunteers have received full justice at your hands, and they deserve all that has been said of them; but there is another force which does not at all times have the compliment paid them at such gatherings as this-I mean the Constabulary Force; and I can with truth say that our own is composed of men who perform their duties with the greatest satisfaction to all classes but one-I mean those vultures of society who prey upon the property of their neighbours. The Constabulary Force, the civil arm of the law, is as much entitled to our thanks as the Military or Naval. Their deeds may not be so brilliant, because of a different character; but they are at times exposed to much danger, and endure great hardships, especially in the winter months of the year, when they not only run the risk of the deadly blow from the burglar or garotter-species of the genus homo from which this

tion has been conceded to me in entrusting me with that toast. 1 sincerely hope that prosperity will attend the Town and Trade of In former years I was in the habit of visiting the town of and with the greatest possible delight and pleasure, as I was always sure of meeting my old friends of this place; --kind and true friends many-very many, I am happy to say-have proved themselves to be,

"A generous friendship no cold medium knows,

Burns with one love, with one resentment glows;
One should our interests and our passions be,
My friend must hate the man that injures me."

I have travelled in the most beautiful parts of the world, but I have always returned to this town with the utmost amount of pleasure. I have had a great deal to do with the tradesmen of and I have always found them the most upright men I ever had business transactions with in my life. This town is visited by everybody. There can never be another owing to its close proximity to the metropolis, and affording, as it does, such ample accommodation for a large number of visitors. I have always said that, if it should please Providence to place me in easy circumstances, would be the place I should select for my permanent residence. And I am happy to say that fortune has smiled upon me, and I was only too happy to reside among you and to be of any service I could in your local government. I cannot forbear to allude to the excellent set of men I find at the Board of Guardians, a member of which Board the Vestry have done me the honour of electing me to since my final retirement from actual business pursuits. The members of that Board are equal to any set of men in the kingdom. I say that in all sincerity. This town has many real natural advantages, and I trust that it will continue to prosper, that it will keep pace with the modern improvements of the age, and never be found to be a day's march behind. Gentlemen, for your patient hearing I thank you, and will conclude my remarks by giving you, "The Town and Trade of

"

Town and Trade of

Response.

MR. CHAIRMAN,-I rise to respond to the toast, and I beg to thank Mr. for the handsome manner he has spoken of the I may say that, as far as the trade of is concerned, we endeavour to uphold that straightforward position to which Mr. has alluded. I may say that I have much to be thankful for to the Town of ; I commenced my business life in the town, and success has crowned my exertions, therefore I thank you all heartily and most sincerely; Mr. for proposing the toast, and the company generally for the manner in which they have drunk to the success of "The Town and Trade of

"