IT is with profound regret that we have to record the death, on the 30th March, of Sir John Cameron Lamb, C.B., C.M.G., V.P., the late Deputy-Chairman of the Institution. At the annual meeting in 1914 the Chairman, Lord Selborne, referred to Sir John's absence through illness, and expressed the concern, of the Committee of Management at learning that his indisposition seemed to be of a somewhat grave character.

Unfortunately events fully confirmed these fears. For, although Sir John successfully underwent a serious operation, it only served to stave off a malady which, after a long illness, terminated fatally.

The late Deputy-Chairman had a distinguished career in the public service.

Entering the Post Office in 1864, his assiduous work and exceptional abilities earned for him rapid promotion.

He became Assistant Secretary in 1889, Third Secretary in 1896, and Second Secretary in 1897, holding that position until 1905. His knowledge of the system of telegraphy, and of its progress and development, marked him out as British representative at several of the most important of the International Conferences. Thus, he was British Delegate to the International Conference for Protection of Submarine Cables in Paris in 1886, and filled a similar post in connexion with the International Telegraph Conference in, 1890. He was appointed to the Royal Commission on Electrical Communication with Lightships (1892-1897); was First British Delegate at the International Telegraph Conference at Budapest in 1896, and President of the Commission on Tariffs ; President of the International Telegraph Conference of London in 1903, and Senior British Delegate to Conference on Wireless Telegraphy at Berlin in 1903.

In 1910 he was Chairman of the Council of the Royal Society of Arts.

He received the C.M.G. in 1890 and the C.B. iu 1895, being made a knight in 1905.

It would be difficult to convey to those who had not the privilege of personal acquaintance with Sir Joha Cameron Lamb an adequate impression of his character and ability. Imbued with a very high sense of duty and a keen spirit of public service, his marked abilities, wide experience of technical and administrative work, and an exceptionally retentive memory, made him an ideal public servant. All these gifts he devoted unstintingly to the advancement of the interests of the Institution. As Chairman of the Society of Arts he delivered an address on " The Life-boat and its' "Work," which was subsequently published in book form, and gives an admirable history of the progress and development of the Life-boat. His time and his energies were always at the disposal of the Institution, and, during the long illness of the late Secretary, he practically took upon himself the larger and most responsible part of his duties.

The services thus indicated were deeply appreciated by the Committee of Management, and at their meeting on the 15th April it was resolved, on the proposal of the Chairman, Lord Waldegrave, P.C., seconded by Sir Godfrey Baring, Bart., M.P., and carried unanimously, that the following minute be placed on record :—• " The Committee of Management of the Royal National Life-Boat Institution have received with sorrow the news of the death of their late Deputy-Chairman, Sir John Cameron Lamb, C.B., C.M.G., yice-President of the Institution. His invaluable services, rendered with whole-hearted devotion for eleven years, as Member of Committee and Deputy-Chairman, have left an ineffaceable impression on the Life-boat service; and his kindness of heart and unselfish consideration for others will not cease to be borne in affectionate remembrance by all who knew him." The above is a plain record of Sir John Cameron Lamb's official connexion with the Institution. But this notice would be incomplete without a reference to the singular charm of character and the perfect courtesy which made it a pleasure to work with and for a distinguished man who was, in the full and true sense of the word, a fine citizen and a perfect Christian gentleman..