BY the death, which took place on the- 23rd June last, of the late Admiral WARD „ in his 77th year, the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION has lost a good friend and a devoted officer. From the time he joined the Committee in February 1852 until his death lie worked hard in the Society's best interests, and at all times and in all circumstances used his talents, which were of no mean order, to promote its welfare, and for the advancement of its noble mission to save life. The most amiable of men, quite innocent of seeking in any degree his own personal advantage or aggrandizement, a sincere and faithful friend, endowed with considerable literary, artistic and poetic talent, he has passed away, beloved by his many friends and respected by all who had dealings with him. The following outline of his useful career will be interesting to many, if not to all the readers of the Life-boat Journal. The gallant Admiral was born on the 3rd August, 1813, and was the second son of the late Vice-Admiral WILLIAM WARD, an officer well known early in the century, and one who saw plenty of active service at a time when Britannia was more actively engaged in ruling the waves than in later years. He entered the Royal Naval College on the 3rd November, 1826, and passed his examination for lieutenant in 1833, gaining a silver medal—the 1st mathematical prize-—and thereby obtaining two years seniority. He received his first lieutenant's commission on the 10th January, 1835, and his succeeding appointments were as follows:—6th April, 1835, to the Tweed, 20, Captain the Hon. F, T. PELHAM, on the Lisbon station, whence he returned at the close of 1838—6th May, 1839, and the 27th October, 1840, respectively, to the Impregnable, 104, and the Caledonia, 120, as flag-lieutenant to Sir GRAHAM MOORE, Commander-in-Chief at Plymouth, under whom he served for three years in the same capacity. 18th October, 1842, as senior to the Belvidera, 38, Captain the Hon. GEORGE GRAY, in the Mediterranean.

Soon after this ship had been paid off he was advanced, on the 24th March, 1845, to the rank of Commander. On the 28th September, 1846, he received an appointment in the Coastguard, and was employed on coast duty for the four following years.

In 1851 he was engaged by ALGERNON, the fourth DUKE or NORTHUMBERLAND— the sailor Bake, as he was called—to try experiments with Life-boats on the coast of Northumberland, and on the 5th February, 1852, he was elected a member of the Committee of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION. In the following August he was appointed Inspector of Life-boats, and in November of the same year was awarded the silver medal of the Institution in consideration of the serious risks he had incurred while carrying out experimental trials with new life-boats during rough weather on the north-east coast. About the same time he was granted the silver medal of the ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY for having, at great personal risk, saved, on a dark night, the life of a woman—a would-be suicide—at Stockton-on-Tees. In 1854 he invented the life-belt now used in the service, and in November of that year it was supplied to all the Institution's Life-boat crews, the Institution subsequently bringing out a modified "seamen's" life-belt on his plan and at his suggestion. On the 5th February, 1858, he proceeded to the rank of Captain. In February, 1864, the Committee voted him a model life-boat and transporting carriage, as a slight recognition of his valuable services, more particularly in-aiding to perfect the selfrighting life-boat, and for his invention of the life-belt and of the transporting carriage. In 1865, on his recommendation, the Committee built several safety fishing-boats from designs submitted by him. These were placed as model boats on different parts of the coast, the object being to induce the fishermen of those parts to adopt boats of this special character, and so to diminish the loss of life which annually resulted from the use of undecked boats. The highly satisfactory outcome of this step was that the type of boat then introduced is at the present time chiefly employed on the east coast by the Scotch fishermen, and the annual loss of life has been, as the natural consequence, very considerably reduced.

In the same year (1865) the Empress EUGENIE conferred on Admiral WARD the gold medal of the French Life-Saving Society in recognition of his. important services, and for similar services he subsequently received a handsome presentation in silver and crystal from the present Empress of Russia—then the Czarina.

On the 11th December, 1875, he obtained the rank of Rear-Admiral (retired list), and that of Vice-Admiral (retired list) on the 20th January, 1880, becoming a full Admiral on the 1st July, 1885. In 1883, in his 70th year, he retired from the post of Chief Inspector of Life-boats, after upwards of 30 years' service, when the Committee awarded him the Institution's gold medal and their thanks specially inscribed on vellum. From that date until his death, which occurred after a very short illness, he was regular in his attendance at all the Committee meetings, and continued to take the deepest interest in the affairs of the Society. He was " laid to rest" at Kensington Cemetery, Hanwell, on the 28th June. It has been a matter for surprise to many that in these days when honours are conferred so freely a man like Admiral WARD, who had so conspicuously served his day and generation, should never have received any recognition or distinction from the State.

Give honour to the virtuous dead, Who, through their whole career on earth, By honour's guiding star were led; Whose acts portrayed their striking worth.

Who ever felt that man was made To live not for himself alone, And, ever by high motives swayed, Base selfishness had long outgrown.

Give them the need which virtue claims For those who follow her behests; Whose ardent bosoms she inflames, On whom her guiding spirit rests.* * From the late Admiral WARD'S "Lyric Poems and Thoughts in Verse," published in 1874.