All　we　have　said　applies　equally　to　orphans　and　friendless　people　generally。　　Nothing；　however；　short　of　a　national　institution　could　meet　the　necessities　of　all　such　cases。　　But　we　can　do　something；　and　in　matters　already　referred　to；　such　as　involve　loss　of　property；　malicious　prosecution；　criminal　and　otherwise；　we　can　render　substantial　assistance。
  In　carrying　out　this　purpose　it　will　be　no　part　of　our　plan　to　encourage　legal　proceedings　in　others；　or　to　have　recourse　to　them　ourselves。　　All　resort　to　law　would　be　avoided　either　in　counsel　or　practice；　unless　absolutely　necessary。　　But　where　manifest　injustice　and　wrong　are　perpetrated；　and　every　other　method　of　obtaining　reparation　fails；　we　shall　avail　ourselves　of　the　assistance　the　Law　affords。
  Our　great　hope　of　usefulness；　however；　in　this　Department　lies　in　prevention；　The　knowledge　that　the　oppressed　poor　have　in　us　a　friend　able　to　speak　for　them　will　often　prevent　the　injustice　which　cowardly　and　avaricious　persons　might　otherwise　inflict；　and　the　same　considerations　may　induce　them　to　accord　without　compulsion　the　right　of　the　weak　and　friendless。
  I　also　calculate　upon　a　wide　sphere　of　usefulness　in　the　direction　of　friendly　arbitration　and　intervention。　　There　will　be　at　least　one　disinterested　tribunal；　however　humble；　to　which　business；　domestic；　or　any　other　questions　of　a　contentious　and　litigious　nature　can　be　referred　without　involving　any　serious　costs。
  The　following　incidents　have　been　gathered　from　operations　already　undertaken　in　this　direction；　and　will　explain　and　illustrate　the　kind　of　work　we　contemplate；　and　some　of　the　benefits　that　may　be　expected　to　follow　from　it。
  About　four　years　ago　a　young　and　delicate　girl；　the　daughter　of　a　pilot；　came　to　us　in　great　distress。　　Her　story　was　that　of　thousands　of　others。　　She　had　been　betrayed　by　a　man　in　a　good　position　in　the　West　End；　and　was　now　the　mother　of　an　infant　child。
  Just　before　her　confinement　her　seducer　had　taken　her　to　his　solicitors　and　made　her　sign　and　swear　an　affidavit　to　the　effect　that　he　was　not　the　father　of　the　then　expected　child。　　Upon　this　he　gave　her　a　few　pounds　in　settlement　of　all　claims　upon　him。　　The　poor　thing　was　in　great　poverty　and　distress。　　Through　our　solicitors；　we　immediately　opened　communications　with　the　man；　and　after　negotiations；　he；　to　avoid　further　proceedings；　was　compelled　to　secure　by　a　deed　a　proper　allowance　to　his　unfortunate　victim　for　the　maintenance　of　her　child。
  SHADOWED　AND　CAUGHT。
  A　was　induced　to　leave　a　comfortable　home　to　become　the　governess　of　the　motherless　children　of　Mr。　G；　whom　she　found　to　be　a　kind　and　considerate　employer。　　After　she　had　been　in　his　service　some　little　time　he　proposed　that　she　should　take　a　trip　to　London。　　To　this　she　very　gladly　consented；　all　the　more　so　when　he　offered　to　take　her　himself　to　a　good　appointment　he　had　secured　for　her。　　In　London　he　seduced　her；　and　kept　her　as　his　mistress　until；　tired　of　her；　he　told　her　to　go　and　do　as　〃other　women　did。〃
  Instead　of　descending　to　this　infamy；　she　procured　work；　and　so　supported　herself　and　child　in　some　degree　of　comfort；　when　he　sought　her　out　and　again　dragged　her　down。　　Another　child　was　born；　and　a　second　time　he　threw　her　up　and　left　her　to　starve。　　It　was　then　she　applied　to　our　people。　　We　hunted　up　the　man；　followed　him　to　the　country；　threatened　him　with　public　exposure；　and　forced　from　him　the　payment　to　his　victim　of　#60　down；　an　allowance　of　#1　a　week；　and　an　Insurance　Policy　on　his　life　for　#450　in　her　favour。
  #60　FROM　ITALY。
  C。　was　seduced　by　a　young　Italian　of　good　position　in　society；　who　promised　to　marry　her；　but　a　short　time　before　the　day　fixed　for　the　ceremony　he　told　her　urgent　business　called　him　abroad。　　He　assured　her　he　would　return　in　two　years　and　make　her　his　wife。　　He　wrote　occasionally；　and　at　last　broke　her　heart　by　sending　the　news　of　his　marriage　to　another；　adding　insult　to　injury　by　suggesting　that　she　should　come　and　live　with　his　wife　as　her　maid；　offering　at　the　same　time　to　pay　for　the　maintenance　of　the　child　till　it　was　old　enough　to　be　placed　in　charge　of　the　captain　of　one　of　the　vessels　belonging　to　his　firm。
  None　of　these　promises　were　fulfilled；　and　C。；　with　her　mother's　assistance；　for　a　time　managed　to　support　herself　and　child；　but　the　mother；　worn　out　by　age　and　trouble；　could　help　her　no　longer；　and　the　poor　girl　was　driven　to　despair。　　Her　case　was　brought　before　us；　and　we　at　once　set　to　work　to　assist　her。　　The　Consul　of　the　town　where　the　seducer　lived　in　style　was　communicated　with。　　Approaches　were　made　to　the　young　man's　father；　who；　to　save　the　dishonour　that　would　follow　exposure；　paid　over　#60。　　This　helps　to　maintain　the　child；　and　the　girl　is　in　domestic　service　and　doing　well。
  THE　HIRE　SYSTEM。
  The　most　cruel　wrongs　are　frequently　inflicted　on　the　very　poorest　persons；　in　connection　with　this　method　of　obtaining　Furniture；　Sewing　Machines；　Mangles；　or　other　articles。　　Caught　by　the　lure　of　misleading　advertisements；　the　poor　are　induced　to　purchase　articles　to　be　paid　for　by　weekly　or　monthly　instalments。　　They　struggle　through　half　the　amount　perhaps；　at　all　manner　of　sacrifice；　when　some　delay　in　the　payment　is　made　the　occasion　not　only　for　seizing　the　goods；　which　they　have　come　to　regard　as　their　own；　and　on　which　their　very　existence　depends；　but　by　availing　themselves　of　some　technical　clause　in　the　agreement；　for　robbing　them　in　addition。　　In　such　circumstances　the　poor　things；　being　utterly　friendless；　have　to　submit　to　these　infamous　extortions　without　remedy。　　Our　Bureau　will　be　open　to　all　such。
  TALLYMEN；　MONEY　LENDERS；　AND　BILLS…OF…SALEMONGERS。
  Here　again　we　have　a　class　who　prey　upon　the　poverty　of　the　people；　inducing　them　to　purchase　things　for　which　they　have　often　no　immediate　useanyway　for　which　there　is　no　real　necessityby　all　manner　of　specious　promises　as　to　easy　terms　of　repayment。　And　once　having　got　their　dupes　into　their　power　they　drag　them　down　to　misery；　and　very　often　utter　temporal　ruin；　once　in　their　net　escape　is　exceedingly　difficult；　if　not　impossible。　　We　propose　　to　help　the　poor　victims　by　this　Scheme；　as　far　as　possible。
  Our　Bureau；　we　expect　will　be　of　immense　service　to　Clergymen　Ministers　of　all　denominations；　District　Visitors；　Missionaries；　and　others　who　freely　mix　among　the　poor；　seeing　that　they　must　be　frequently　appealed　to　for　legal　advice；　which　they　are　quite　unable　to　give；　and　equally　at　a　loss　to　obtain。　　We　shall　always　be　very　glad　to　assist　such。
  THE　DEFENCE　OF　UNDEFENDED　PERSONS。
  The　conviction　is　gradually　fixing　itself　upon　the　public　mind　that　a　not　inconsiderable　number　of　innocent　persons　are　from　time　to　time　convicted　of　crimes　and　offences；　the　reason　for　which　often　is　the　mere　inability　to　secure　an　efficient　defence。　　Although　there　are　several　societies　in　London　and　the　country　dealing　with　the　criminal　classes；　and　more　particularly　with　discharged　prisoners；　yet　there　does　not　appear　to　be　one　for　the　purpose　of　assisting　unconvicted　prisoners。　　This　work　we　propose　boldly　to　take　up。
  By　this　and　many　other　ways　we　shall　help　those　charged　with　criminal　offences；　who；　on　a　most　careful　enquiry；　might　reasonably　be　supposed　to　be　innocent；　but　who；　through　want　of　means；　are　unable　to　obtain　the　legal　assistance；　and　produce　the　evidence　necessary　for　an　efficient　defence。
  We　shall　not　pretend　authoritatively　to　judge　as　to　who　is　innocent　or　who　is　guilty；　but　if　after　full　explanation　and　enquiry　the　person　charged　may　reasonably　be　supposed　to　be　innocent；　and　is　not　in　a　position　to　defend　himself；　then　we　should　feel　free　to　advise　such　a　case；　hoping　thereby　to　save　such　person　and　his　family　and　friends　from　much　misery；　and　possibly　from　utter　ruin。　　Mr。　Justice　Field　recently　remarked：
  〃For　a　man　to　assist　another　man　who　was　under　a　criminal　charge　was　a　highly　laudable　and　praiseworthy　act。　　If　a　man　was　without　friends；　and　an　Englishman　came　forward　and　legitimately；　and　for　the　purpose　of　honestly　assisting　him　with　means　to　put　before　the　Court　his　case；　that　was　a　highly　laudable　and　praiseworthy　act；　and　he　should　be　the　last　man　in　the　country　to　complain　of　any　man　for　so　doing。〃
  These　remarks　are　endorsed　by　most　Judges　and　Magistrates；　and　our　Advice　Bureau　will　give　practical　effect　to　them。
  In　every　case　an　attempt　will　be　made　to　secure；　not　only　the　outward　reformation；　but　the　actual　regeneration　of　all　whom　we　assist。　Special　attention；　as　has　been　described　under　the　〃Criminal　Reform　Department；〃　will　be　paid　to　first　offenders。
  We　shall　endeavour　also　to　assist；　as　far　as　we　have　ability；　the　Wives　and　Children　of　persons　who　are　undergoing　sentences；　by　endeavouring　to　obtain　for　them　employment；　or　otherwise　rendering　them　help。　Hundreds　of　this　class　fall　into　the　deepest　distress　and　demoralisation　through　want　of　friendly　aid　in　the　forlorn　circumstances　in　which　they　find　themselves　on　the　conviction　of　relatives　on　whom　they　have　been　dependent　for　a　livelihood；　or　for　protection　and　direction　in　the　ordinary　affairs　of　life。
  This　Department　will　also　be　responsible　for　gathering　intelligence；　spreading　information；　and　th