1s。　　Can　this　be　done？　　I　think　it　can；　and　done　to　pay　the　railway　companies；　otherwise　there　is　no　ground　to　hope　for　this　part　of　my　Scheme　ever　being　realised。　　But　I　think　that　this　great　boon　can　be　granted　to　the　poor　people　without　the　dividends　being　sensibly　affected。　　I　am　told　that　the　cost　of　haulage　for　an　ordinary　passenger　train；　carrying　from　five　hundred　to　a　thousand　persons；　is　2s。　7d。　per　mile；　a　railway　company　could　take　six　hundred　passengers　seventy　miles　there；　and　bring　them　seventy　miles　back；　at　a　cost　of　#18　1s。　8d。　　Six　hundred　passengers　at　a　shilling　is　#30；　so　that　there　would　be　a　clear　profit　to　the　company　of　nearly　#12　on　the　haulage；　towards　the　payment　of　interest　on　the　capital；　wear　and　tear　of　line；　&c。　　But　I　reckon；　at　a　very　moderate　computation；　that　two　hundred　thousand　persons　would　travel　to　and　fro　every　season。　An　addition　of　#10；000　to　the　exchequer　of　a　railway　company　is　not　to　be　despised　and　this　would　be　a　mere　bagatelle　to　the　indirect　profits　which　would　follow　the　establishment　of　a　settlement　which　must　in　due　course　necessarily　become　very　speedily　a　large　and　active　community。
  This　it　would　be　necessary　to　bring　home　to　the　railway　companies；　and　for　the　execution　of　this　part　of　my　Scheme　I　must　wait　till　I　get　some　manager　sufficiently　public…spirited　to　try　the　experiment。　　When　such　a　man　is　found；　I　purpose　to　set　at　once　about　my　Sea…Side　Establishment。　This　will　present　the　following　special　advantages；　which　I　am　quite　certain　will　be　duly　appreciated　by　the　very　poorest　of　the　London　population：
  An　estate　of　some　three　hundred　acres　would　be　purchased　on　which　buildings　would　be　erected；　calculated　to　meet　the　wants　of　this　class　of　excursionists。
  Refreshments　would　be　provided　at　rates　very　similar　to　those　charged　at　our　London　Food　Depots。　　There　would；　of　course；　be　greater　facilities　in　the　way　of　rooms　and　accommodation　generally。
  Lodgings　for　invalids；　children；　and　those　requiring　to　make　a　short　stay　in　the　place　would　be　supplied　at　the　lowest　prices。　　Beds　for　single　men　and　single　women　could　be　charged　at　the　low　rate　of　sixpence　a　night；　and　children　in　proportion；　while　accommodation　of　a　suitable　character；　on　very　moderate　terms；　could　be　arranged　for　married　people。
  No　public…houses　would　be　allowed　within　the　precincts　of　the　settlement。
  A　park；　playground；　music；　boats；　covered　conveniences　for　bathing；　without　the　expense　of　hiring　a　machine；　and　other　arrangements　for　the　comfort　and　enjoyment　of　the　people　would　be　provided。
  The　estate　would　form　one　of　the　Colonies　of　the　general　enterprise；　and　on　it　would　be　grown　fruit；　vegetables；　flowers；　and　other　produce　for　the　use　of　the　visitors；　and　sold　at　the　lowest　remunerative　rates。　One　of　the　first　provisions　for　the　comfort　of　the　excursionists　would　be　the　erection　of　a　large　hall；　affording　ample　shelter　in　case　of　unfavourable　weather；　and　in　this　and　other　parts　of　the　place　there　would　be　the　fullest　opportunity　for　ministers　of　all　denominations　to　hold　religious　services　in　connection　with　any　excursionists　they　might　bring　with　them。
  There　would　be　shops　for　tradesmen；　houses　for　residets；　a　museum　with　a　panorama　and　stuffed　whale；　boats　would　be　let　out　at　moderate　prices；　and　a　steamer　to　carry　people　so　many　miles　out　to　sea；　and　so　many　miles　back　for　a　penny；　with　a　possible　bout　of　sickness；　for　which　no　extra　charge　would　be　made。
  In　fact　the　railway　fares　and　refreshment　arrangements　would　be　on　such　a　scale；　that　a　husband　and　wife　could　have　a　70…mile　ride　through　the　green　fields；　the　new…mown　hay；　the　waving　grain　or　fruit　laden　orchards；　could　wander　for　hours　on　the　seashore；　have　comforting　and　nourishing　refreshment；　and　be　landed　back　at　home　sober；　cheered　and　invigorated　for　the　small　sum　of　3s。　　A　couple　of　children　under　12　might　be　added　at　1s。　6d。nay；　a　whole　family；　husband；　wife　and　four　children；　supposing　one　is　in　arms；　could　have　a　day　at　the　seaside；　without　obligation　or　charity；　for　5s。
  The　gaunt；　hungry　inhabitants　of　the　Slums　would　save　up　their　halfpence；　and　come　by　thousands；　clergymen　would　find　it　possible　to　bring　half　the　poor　and　needy　occupants　of　their　parishes；　schools；　mothers'　meetings；　and　philanthropic　societies　of　all　descriptions　would　come　down　wholesale；　in　short；　what　Brighton　is　to　the　West　End　and　middle　classes；　this　place　would　be　to　the　East　End　poor；　nay；　to　the　poor　of　the　Metropolis　generally；　a　Whitechapel…by…the…Sea。
  Now　this　ought　to　be　done　apart　from　my　Scheme　altogether。　　The　rich　corporations　which　have　the　charge　of　the　affairs　of　this　great　City；　and　the　millionaires；　who　would　never　have　amassed　their　fortunes　but　by　the　assistance　of　the　masses；　ought　to　say　it　shall　be　done。　Suppose　the　Railway　Companies　refused　to　lend　the　great　highways　of　which　they　have　become　the　monopolists　for　such　an　undertaking　without　a　subvention；　then　the　necessary　subvention　should　be　forthcoming。　If　it　could　be　made　possible　for　the　joyless　toilers　to　come　out　of　the　sweater's　den；　or　the　stifling　factory；　if　the　seamstress　could　leave　her　needle；　and　the　mother　get　away　from　the　weary　round　of　babydom　and　household　drudgery　for　a　day　now　and　then；　to　the　cooling；　invigorating；　heart…stirring　influences　of　the　sea；　it　should　be　done；　even　if　it　did　cost　a　few　paltry　thousands。　　Let　the　men　and　women　who　spend　a　little　fortune　every　year　in　Continental　tours；　Alpine　climbings；　yacht　excursions；　and　many　another　form　of　luxurious　wanderings；　come　forward　and　say　that　it　shall　be　possible　for　these　crowds　of　their　less　fortunate　brethren　to　have　the　opportunity　of　spending　one　day　at　least　in　the　year　by　the　sea。
  CHAPTER　VII。
  CAN　IT　BE　DONE；　AND　HOW？
  SECTION　1。THE　CREDENTIALS　OF　THE　SALVATION　ARMY。
  Can　this　great　work　be　done？　　I　believe　it　can。　　And　I　believe　that　it　can　be　done　by　the　Salvation　Army；　because　it　has　ready　to　hand　an　organisation　of　men　and　women；　numerous　enough　and　zealous　enough　to　grapple　with　the　enormous　undertaking。　　The　work　may　prove　beyond　our　powers。　　But　this　is　not　so　manifest　as　to　preclude　us　from　wishing　to　make　the　attempt。　　That　in　itself　is　a　qualification　which　is　shared　by　no　other　organisationat　present。　　If　we　can　do　it　we　have　the　field　entirely　to　ourselves。　　The　wealthy　churches　show　no　inclination　to　compete　for　the　onerous　privilege　of　making　the　experiment　in　this　definite　and　practical　form。　　Whether　we　have　the　power　or　not；　we　have；　at　least；　the　will；　the　ambition　to　do　this　great　thing　for　the　sake　of　our　brethren；　and　therein　lies　our　first　credential　for　being　entrusted　with　the　enterprise。
  The　second　credential　is　the　fact　that；　while　using　all　material　means；　our　reliance　is　on　the　co…working　power　of　God。　　We　keep　our　powder　dry；　but　we　trust　in　Jehovah。　　We　go　not　forth　in　our　own　strength　to　this　battle；　our　dependence　is　upon　Him　who　can　influence　the　heart　of　man。　　There　is　no　doubt　that　the　most　satisfactory　method　of　raising　a　man　must　be　to　effect　such　a　change　in　his　views　and　feelings　that　he　shall　voluntarily　abandon　his　evil　ways；　give　himself　to　industry　and　goodness　in　the　midst　of　the　very　temptations　and　companionships　that　before　led　him　astray；　and　live　a　Christian　life；　an　example　in　himself　of　what　can　be　done　by　the　power　of　God　in　the　very　face　of　the　most　impossible　circumstances。
  But　herein　lies　the　great　difficulty　again　and　again　referred　to；　men　have　not　that　force　of　character　which　will　constrain　them　to　avail　themselves　of　the　methods　of　deliverance。　　Now　our　Scheme　is　based　on　the　necessity　of　helping　such。
  Our　third　credential　is　the　fact　that　we　have　already　out　of　practically　nothing　achieved　so　great　a　measure　of　success　that　we　think　we　may　reasonably　be　entrusted　with　this　further　duty。　The　ordinary　operations　of　the　Army　have　already　effected　most　wonderful　changes　in　the　conditions　of　the　poorest　and　worst。　Multitudes　of　slaves　of　vice　in　every　form　have　been　delivered　not　only　from　these　habits；　but　from　the　destitution　and　misery　which　they　even　produce。　　Instances　have　been　given。　　Any　number　more　can　be　produced。　Our　experience；　which　has　been　almost　world…wide；　has　ever　shown　that　not　only　does　the　criminal　become　honest；　the　drunkard　sober；　the　harlot　chaste；　but　that　poverty　of　the　most　abject　and　helpless　type　vanishes　away。　　Our　fourth　credential　is　that　our　Organisation　alone　of　England's　religious　bodies　is　founded　upon　the　principle　of　implicit　obedience。
  For　Discipline　I　can　answer。　　The　Salvation　Army；　largely　recruited　from　among　the　poorest　of　the　poor；　is　often　reproached　by　its　enemies　on　account　of　the　severity　of　its　rule。　　It　is　the　only　religious　body　founded　in　our　time　that　is　based　upon　the　principle　of　voluntary　subjection　to　an　absolute　authority。　　No　one　is　bound　to　remain　in　the　Army　a　day　longer　than　he　pleases。　　While　he　remains　there　he　is　bound　by　the　conditions　of　the　Service。　　The　first　condition　of　that　Service　is　implicit；　unquestioning　obedience。　　The　Salvationist　is　taught　to　obey　as　is　the　soldier　on　the　field　of　battle。
  From　the　time　when　the　Salvation　Army　began　to　acquire　strength　and　to　grow　from　the　grain　of　mustard　seed　until　now；　wh