7. It would tend to augment the number of steady respectable women, who are anxious to keep a good moral and require a good business character, whose aim it is to do their duty, to give satisfaction to their superiors, to keep their places in the same hospital, and eventually to end their days out of the workhouse. 8. It would tend to diminish the number of ill-conducted women, who wander from hospital to hospital; whose wages go in drink or finery, or both; who would be disgusted at the idea of regularly laying by for their future support, and who would resent strict investigation into character. 9. It would tend to induce the intermediate class of women, who hesitate between good and bad companions, to incline to the former, and to break off from the latter, by the favourable result of provident and economical habits on their actual conduct; and by the effect which the prospect of a decent support in their age, dependent upon these habits, would produce. III. OF WHAT NATURE? 1. With regard to kind? 2. ″ persons? 3. ″ objects? [Sidenote: Kinds of possible assistance, three.] 1. With regard to kind. There are three kinds of possible assistance. [Sidenote: Pensions.] First. Granting free pensions to efficient and well-conducted sisters and nurses, under fixed regulations. [Sidenote: Facilities for Saving.] Second. Providing sisters and nurses with a secure channel of investing their savings; giving them thus the important assistance of saving their time, trouble, and expense, in obtaining information as to such secure investment. [Sidenote: Additions to Savings.] Third. Combining, with the second, a certain proportion of pecuniary aid. As to the first. It would be wise economy if the endowed hospitals, who alone could do it, were to grant such pensions; but whether they are likely to do more than they do now I am quite ignorant. Whether our labours in this field should take the direction of the second or third, is one of the most difficult questions with reference to a thing which is rife with difficulties. Towards solving it, I submit that it would be expedient to employ an able and honest man of business to procure-- [Sidenote: Information and Advice to be procured on the Subject.] I. The rules, working, and results so far of the Servants’ Provident Society. II. Of several of the various partly self-supporting and partly assisted provident societies of the different trades’ and city unions. III. Of some dozen benefit societies in large towns. IV. Of Guy’s Hospital Superannuation Fund. V. To take the practical opinion of two experienced actuaries. VI. Also of the Treasurer and Matron of St. Bartholomew’s; Of the Treasurer, Resident Medical Officer, and Matron of St. Thomas’s; Of the Treasurer and Matron of Guy’s Hospital; Of the Chairman of the House-Committee, House-Governor, and Matron of the London Hospital;