88 USEFULNESS OF CATS. 



At the office of The Morning Advertiser^ I am informed 

 by my old friend Mr. Charles Williams, they boast of 

 a race of cats bred there for nearly half a century. In 

 colour these are mostly tortoiseshell, and some are very 

 handsome. 



The Government, mindful also of their utility, pay certain 

 sums, which are regularly passed through the account 

 quarterly, for the purpose of providing and keeping cats in 

 our public offices^ dockyards, stores, shipping, etc., thereby 

 proving, if proof were wanting, their acknowledged worth. 



In Vienna four cats are employed by the town magistrates 

 to catch mice on the premises of the municipality. A regular 

 allowance is voted for their keep, and, after a limited period 

 of active service, they are placed on the " retired list," with a 

 comfortable pension. 



There are also a number of cats in the service of the 

 United States Post Office. These cats are distributed over 

 the different offices to protect the bags from being eaten by 

 rats and mice, and the cost of providing for them is duly 

 inscribed in the accounts. When a birth takes place, the 

 local postmaster informs the district superintendent of the 

 fact, and obtains an addition to his rations. 



A short time ago, the budget of the Imperial Printing 

 Office in France, amongst other items, contained one for 

 cats, which caused some merriment in the legislative cham- 

 ber during its discussion. According to the Fays these 

 cats are kept for the purpose of destroying the numerous 

 rats and mice which infest the premises, and cause con- 

 siderable damage to the large stock of paper which is 

 always stored there. This feline staff is fed twice a day, and 

 a man is employed to look after them ; so that for cats' meat 

 and the keeper's salary no little expense is annually in- 

 curred ; sufficient, in fact, to form a special item in the 

 national expenditure. 



Mr. W. M. Acworth, in his excellent book, ''The Rail- 

 ways of England," gives a very interesting account of the 



