FROM time to time special attention has been drawn in the LIFE-BOAT JOURNAL to the excellent work in life-saving done by means of Life-boats, etc., connected with the Life-boat services on the Continent and elsewhere, all of which have come into existence since the establish-ment of our own Institution in 1824. | No Life-boat services on the Continent are, perhaps, more interesting to us in | Great Britain than those of our good friends the French, the largest and most important of which is,that so admirably I and usefully managed by the Societe i Centrale de Sauvetage des Naufrages, which has its headquarters in Paris. ! This Society was founded by Decree | on the 17th November, 1865, to render assistance to shipwrecked persons and to the victims of the "evenements" of the sea on the coasts of France, Algeria and Tunis. Ever since the formation of the Society the officials have been in constant communication with the officials of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION, who have found it a pleasure and a privilege to give every possible aid and advice to their colleagues in France. Indeed, many years ago a Life-boat was built for Calais in England under the special supervision of our Institution. The great majority of the 107 Life-boats of the Societe Centrale are of the self-righting type, which was introduced originally into France after correspondence with the Institution, and most of them are provided with transporting carriages. As a general rule the crews of the Life-boats consist of twelve men—a coxswain, a second coxswain, and ten. others for the oars, another ten men being enrolled for service in case of need. The coxswains, as with us, receive an annual retaining fee, the rest being paid only on the occasions when they are employed either for service or exercise. The crews, composed principally of fishermen, go out for exercise quarterly.

The Society has recently added a steamer of 374 tons to its fleet at a cost of 3,OOOZ. She has been stationed at Royan, where she will at all times be ready to render assistance to any vessel in distress at the mouth of the Gironde. At upwards of 500 places on the coast the Society has placed the rocket apparatus, life-buoys, and other life-saving apparatus, and these are for the most part entrusted to the care of Custom House officials. The cost of establishing a Life-boat station in France ranges from l.OOOZ. to 1,200Z., and the average expenditure on upkeep is at least 60Z.

a year. The Society estimates the value of its property on the coast at about 120,000?. The total number of lives saved by the Societe Centrale, or for the saving of which it had granted rewards, since its foundation in 1865, was, on the 31st December, 1907, 16,382, and the total number of ships assisted was 1,349.

The Societe Centrale is supported by voluntary contributions, and the Committee appeal earnestly to the public for help, as we do on this side of the Channel. The expenditure of the Society in 1907 was 332,044/. 2.35c.

(13,281Z. 7s. 2d.). Although the French Government gives the Societe Centrale no regular financial assistance, it contributes to the establishment of each new station. Our readers will, we feel sure, wish the sister service in France a hearty " God-speed " and all possible success in its very important mission of mercy.