FRANCE--Premiums to drivers and firemen are allowed for economy of fuel, regularity of service, and lodging expenses. Guards receive lodging money when they have to sleep out and a percentage on the excess fares collected, amounting together to about £4 15s. a year. Sums varying from £2 to £10 per annum are allowed to the inferior grades of staff who have to reside in Paris and other large towns where living is dear. GERMANY--The staff are classified into 5 divisions, all of which (except Class 1, which includes Ministers, Presidents, &c., who do not receive allowances), in addition to their fixed wages, receive allowances for house rent, which vary according to the town in which they reside. The towns are also classified into six divisions as under:-- ---------------+----+---------+-------+-------+-------+----- | A | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 ---------------+----+---------+-------+-------+-------+----- Staff in Class | £ | £ s. d.| £ s.| £ s.| £ s.| £ Do. 2 | 60 | 45 0 0 | 36 0 | 30 0 | 27 0 | 27 Do. 3 | 45 | 33 0 0 | 27 0 | 24 0 | 21 0 | 18 Do. 4 | 27 | 21 12 0 | 18 0 | 15 0 | 10 16 | 9 Do. 5 | 12 | 9 0 0 | 7 4 | 5 8 | 3 12 | 3 ---------------+----+---------+-------+-------+-------+----- Head guards are in the 4th Class, under guards 5th, 1st Class Signalmen 4th, and Porters and shunters 5th. Engine drivers, firemen and guards are allowed expenses when away from home. Porters are not paid by the railway companies, but are allowed to charge the passengers fixed fees. BELGIUM--Engine Drivers and firemen are allowed premiums for economy of fuel and regularity of working, amounting to as much as £20 a year for drivers and £10 for firemen. Guards are also allowed bonuses for regularity of working. HOLLAND--Enginemen and firemen are allowed premiums for economy in fuel, varying from 3d. to 2/-per day; and a mileage allowance in addition. Guards also receive an allowance over a certain number of miles travelled. Porters are not employed by the companies; but in return for the privilege of being allowed on the stations, they clean windows, sweep offices, &c., and perform other services for the companies. The amount paid per person by the English railway companies, whose lines comprise 11,538 miles, a gross revenue of £52,904,920, and the total aggregate expenses of which amount to £27,731,876, would probably be too high an average for the United Kingdom. Assuming, however, the difference in the amount per person paid in England as compared with the other countries to be an average of only £10, and that the cost of wages in this country could be reduced to that extent, there would be a saving of about £3,500,000 per annum.[78]