THE Central Committee of the LIFE-BOAT SATURDAY FUND and their officers, as well as the District and Local Life-boat Satur- day Committees throughout the country, are to be heartily congratulated on the success of their efforts during the past year. Whilst the Central Committee have been able to report au increase in the receipts, and in many cases a very con- siderable increase, all along the line, they have been able at the same time to show a decrease in the working expenditure.

Nothing could be more satisfactory.

Their third Annual Report, which is HOW being issued, states that the good certificate of character and for management which the Fund received in 1897 from the Select Committee of the House of Com- mons has had au excellent effect in restoring public confidence, the charges which had been made against the Fund having been found to be " unfounded and untrue." It appears that some few persons have since been diligent in Man- chester in their efforts to discredit the Report of the Parliamentary Committee, but the general consensus of opinion in the country evidently is that the opinion of a strong Committee of members of the Legislature, who have carefully examined the matter and have no personal ends to meet is worth just a trifle more than that of a few private individuals who, in differing, may perchance have personal reasons for their view! The gross receipts of the Central Com- mittee in 1898 were 19.714Z. 4s. 9d., as against 13,8152. 13s. 9d. in the previous year, and their expenditure for the year 4,411?. 16s. 5d., whereas in 1897 it amounted to 4,499Z. Is. Id. The Central Committee of the Fund have therefore been able to hand over to the Committee of Management of the NATIONAL LIFE- BOAT INSTITUTION the handsome sum of 15,3021. 8s. id. to enable them as far as possible to meet the payments which they always make to the widows and orphans of Life-boat men and others who have lost their lives in the service, to men injured in the service, to coxswains, bowmen, and signalmen of long and meri- torious service in pensions and retiring allowances, and to coxswains and crews, &c., for services rendered, special rewards and regulations, &c. In 1898 Life-boat Saturday Demonstrations or well-orga- nised collections were made in 119 cities and towns, being 37 more than in 1897.

The Committee of the LONDON LIFE- BOAT SATUBDAY FUND have also issued within the last few days their third Annual Report; and they too are to be cordially congratulated on their good success during the past year. London is probably the most difficult city in the world for a committee to work up to a pitch of even a mild enthusiasm for any particular charitable or benevolent object; but the London Life-boat Saturday Com- mittee have made a plucky effort and they have been rewarded, the nett amount paid over by them to the Central Com- mittee of the Fund as the result of last year's work being 3,732?. 19s. 9d., an increase of 1,724Z. 2s. Id. on the corre- sponding amount for 1897. This is most encouraging. The Ladies' Auxiliaries, both in London and throughout the country have worked admirably as might be expected, and we wish them, as well as the Central and the other Committees of the LIFE-BOAT SATUEDAY FUND, increased success in their generous and benevolent efforts during the coming year.