The number, size, and arrangement of waiting-rooms and other offices for the public at a large station will depend upon the amount and description of traffic to be dealt with at the particular station under consideration. Where the passenger traffic is to a large extent of a local or short distance character, a moderate amount of waiting-room space may be sufficient, as these local passengers regulate their arrival so as to avoid waiting any great length of time for the trains. An enormous suburban passenger traffic is carried on in many places with a very limited waiting-room accommodation, the frequency of the trains and the routine of the travellers reducing the necessity of such rooms to a minimum. A more ample waiting-room space will be necessary when providing for a large, long journey, or through traffic, and for stations at seaports, as the intending passengers, particularly those landing from steamers, generally reach the station a considerable time before the departure of the trains to take them 260 forward. For this class of traffic it will also be necessary to provide suitable refreshment-rooms. At large terminal stations it is frequently found more convenient for the working of the traffic to have two or more sets of waiting-rooms, etc., separating the local and long-journey passengers, and placing the rooms alongside the corresponding platforms. Lavatories and conveniences at large stations should be provided on a liberal scale, and fitted up in the most substantial and efficient manner. Not only should they be thoroughly well ventilated, but they should have abundance of light. Nothing tends so much to ensure order and cleanliness in these places as plenty of light. It will frequently be found that at many of the large important stations there are local surroundings and circumstances of level and foundations, which will to a great extent influence the arrangement of the rooms and offices to be devoted to the public service. No fixed or standard type could be adopted for all cases. Each one will have to be studied out to suit the locality, and the grouping must be made to work in with the best facilities obtainable. In all such cases one of the principal points is to select a convenient position for the booking-hall, easy of access to all persons entering the station premises. On no account should the ticket-office be placed in a position tending to block the thoroughfare on to the platforms. A large number of intending passengers may already be in possession of tickets, and the station arrangements should enable these passengers to proceed at once to the platforms without having to struggle or force their way through crowds of other passengers gathered round the ticket windows. In some instances it is found expedient to provide auxiliary booking-offices for excursion traffic, to be used only on special occasions, thus restricting the principal booking-offices to the ordinary main-line booking.