THE unusually fine weather of the last three months has been most favourable to Life-boat Saturday demonstrations throughout the country, and hardly a Saturday has passed without one or more of such functions being held. The popu- larity of the movement seems to grow, and wherever a Life-boat Saturday pro- cession has been marshalled or a special collection made, the local enthusiasm has been great. All classes of society have "lent a hand," and the claims of the cause would seem to have found an extraordinary and unusually gratifying response amongst the Trades and Friendly Societies. The recent action of the Institution in deciding to grant pensions or retiring allowances to deserving Life- boat coxswains, bowmen and signalmen of long service and good behaviour, has given great satisfaction to the working classes generally as well as to those directly interested, and there is every reason to believe that the increased ex- penditure incurred by the Life-boat Institution, as a result of the pension scheme, will be made good by increased contributions from the " million.'' In connection with every undertaking, however good the object may be and however admirable may be the manage- ment, there are always to be found a few jealous, carping souls or mischievous busybodies endeavouring to obstruct and damage, and the Life-boat Saturday movement has not been without its " chip in porridge," but the unreasoning and unreasonable opposition which it has met with in a few isolated cases, whilst it may have done harm, has been the means of affording special opportunities to the friends of the cause to appeal for help and support.

We are glad to note that the en- thusiasm of Ireland has been fired by the good example set by England and Scotland, and that steps have been or are being taken, to hold important demon- strations for the Fund in Belfast (for the second time), Dublin and other important centres.