It will take much thought to decide whether the Matrons should all be paid alike, or whether climate and size of Hospital enter into this. On the one hand they undertake a service, of which almost the first regulation very properly is, that they undertake to go to all parts of the world as soon as sent; on the other hand, certainly some climates wear health and life much quicker than at home. The Matrons out of the three kingdoms have increased responsibility, and can do more mischief, if incompetent or untrustworthy. If the Matron has increased pay abroad, it would not do not to augment that of the Nurses. This is an important matter; and as it is on all accounts necessary that Matrons and Nurses should on their engagement thoroughly understand the nature of the service they undertake and, of course, a serious part of the service is that it involves sudden and long removals, it would be necessary to define upon what terms they go abroad. Yet it never would do, for reasons which will readily be perceived, to make the foreign stations objects of desire to Matrons and Nurses. These stations will always be so far the most anxious, that they will always be the most removed from the Superintendent-General’s inspection and immediate rectification of anything that goes wrong. They will also be, in various ways, the most trying to Nurses. The rules once settled, every Matron and Nurse refusing to go abroad when ordered, ought at once to be discharged, and to forfeit all re-admittance into the service and all pensions. On the whole, I think the Matrons should all be paid alike. But inasmuch as foreign service necessitates more wear and tear to the constitution, one year should count as equal to two years of service for pension, in case of disability. The same should be made applicable to the Nurses. As the advantage is distant, it would, in a great measure, do away with any desire for foreign service. Volunteering for foreign or war-service must be the exception--careful selection the rule. The “adventurers” will be generally ready to volunteer, and it would be too much to hope that we shall always, perhaps ever, be entirely free from that tribe; the most we can hope is soon to discover and get rid of them. Foreign stations will never do for an untried Matron or Nurse. At the same time it is most desirable not to change the Executive officers of any Hospital more than can be avoided. But let there not be too many rules at first; see how things work, and take one step at a time. The selection of exclusively middle-class Matrons seems to be important.[10] Their order will disarm one source of opposition and jealousy; plenty more will remain, inseparable from the work; but it is good to get this out of the way.