ON the outbreak of War last year many Branch Committees felt that the arrangements which they had in prospect for the benefit of the Institution should be abandoned and their labours devoted to the many War Funds which immediately sprang up.

This was only to be expected, but the result was a very serious decrease in the Institution's receipts.

It is pleasant to record the fact that, while many of the Institution's Officers and Staff are serving in one or other branch of His Majesty's service, District Organizing Secretaries, Branch Honorary Secretaries, Treasurers, and Local Committees have rendered, and indeed are rendering material service in the raising of funds for charity.

In one case the District Organizing Secretary gave up his " leave" for the purpose of carrying through an appeal on behalf of the Prince of Wales' Fund, and had the privilege of handing over some £3,000 ; in another the District Organizing Secretary devoted his time to securing many recruits; a third was responsible for the raising of a large sum of money for our Allies; while the Secretary of the Institution devoted his leave and his leisure to the duties of Honorary Secretary to the Central Committee for National Patriotic Organizations for the first five months of its existence.

This year, happily, it has been possible for Branch Committees to renew their whole-hearted and zealous efforts on behalf of the Institution with most encouraging results.

The heroic service of life-saving, and especially the assistance which the Institution has rendered to His Majesty's ships, etc., proved an irresistible appeal to its many friends, and—in spite of many claims upon their time and pockets — they cheerfully determined that "something should be attempted, something done," if only by way of showing their appreciation of the splendid work constantly performed by the Life- Boats round our rock-bound coasts.

The question then arose : how best could the call of the Life-boat be brought home to the residents of seaside and inland places alike? How best could the "man in the street" have an opportunity of contributing a trifle in a pleasant manner? These, and many other points, were the questions which exercised the minds of our local officers and committees.

Happily, the Committee of Management were able to suggest a simple scheme which met with immediate approval, and has proved the means of raising many thousands of pounds to enable us to carry on, with complete efficiency, the great life-saving work which has gone on since 1824. The " House Flag" of the Institution was reproduced in miniature, and, by a well-thought-out system, and the cooperation of countless workers, millions of our countrymen have, on given days, worn the little emblem of Britain's noblest Institution.

It may be interesting to give a brief account of the methods adopted, with so much success, by the Institution's friends in many parts of the country.

A Flag Day having been decided upon, steps are taken to ensure that full publicity shall be given to the effort; the Press shall render valuable service by the insertion of newspaper articles on the Institution's work; tramway authorities, tradespeople, etc., assist by exhibiting bills; places of amusement show lantern slides announcing the sale ; and so the public is prepared for the appearance on the streets of the Life- Boat Flag. A Central Depot is arranged—in many instances the Town Hall—where supplies of boxes, flags, etc., are held; the area is divided into Districts, a depot being arranged in each District, with one or more ladies in charge as Superintendents. These Superintendents proceed to enlist the aid of as many voluntary helpers as possible, all of whom must be over the age of sixteen, an old rule of the Institution, but one which has now received the sanction of the authorities, having been formally laid down by the Commissioner of Police for London in the new Regulations with regard to Street Collections.

Meetings of helpers are arranged for the Thursday evening prior to the Saturday Flag Day, and, thereat, a small district is allotted to each helper, together with the familiar Life-boat box, badge, and a supply of flags. On the Friday the warehouses, works, mills, etc., are visited, and on the Saturday the sale proper commences in the streets.

What enthusiasm is shown; what a kindly feeling is exhibited by the public ; what splendid results follow ! In the course of a little while it is difficult to find any one in the area not wearing a Life-boat Flag ! Observe the lady seller as a possible " client" approaches ! " Help the Life-boat, sir ?" "With pleasure; how much are you charging for the flags 1" " There's no charge, sir, for the little paper flags; just give what you like, but if you would like a silk flag, then our minimum price is threepence." A cheery word of encouragement, a pleasant pinning in of the flag in the purchaser's coat, a coin—very often a silver one—dropped into the Life-boat box, and the transaction is completed ! The flag-wearer passes on, content in his mind that he has done something to assist the Lifeboat cause, and happy in the knowledge that he has secured, by the wearing of the flag, immunity from further appeals during the day. Presently the Life-boat box becomes heavy, the stock of flags depleted, and our worker wends her way to the Dep6t, where the Superintendent welcomes her and proceeds to open the box, count the contents, enter the result on the flag sheet, and hand over a receipt with grateful acknowledgments.

At the end of the day the Branch Officials visit the Depot for the purpose of receiving the cash, which has been put into "copper" and "silver" bags, and paying it in to the local bankers.

All has been carefully arranged, nothing left to chance ! Unsold flags, boxes, etc., are returned to the Head Depdt, and the result is pleasing alike to sellers, officials, the city or town concerned, and to the Institution on whose behalf the effort has been made.

Of course the methods and scope of Life-boat work vary very much according to conditions, and what is suitable to a great city cannot be applied, without considerable modification, to large scattered areas. In such cases the inventiveness and organizing ability of the workers is put to a thorough test. It may, therefore, be well to give some indication of what was done in connexion with the very successful Flag Day held in the Isle of Wight on the 4th September.

The Island is, of course, a very scattered district, some of the towns being from 8 to 12 miles apart, and the total population being comparatively small for such a large area. The railway service is, too, of a very restricted kind.

Fortunately, the Hon. George Colville, a member of the Committee of Management, arranged an invitation meeting at his house, near Newport, a week before the date of the Flag Day, Lady Cynthia Colville issued invitations to all the leading people of the Island, and the meeting was honoured with the presence of Admiral Prince Louis and Princess Louis of Battenberg.

The meeting was most successful, and Prince Louis made a very eloquent appeal on behalf of the Institution; other important speeches being delivered by the Hon. George Colville, Sir Godfrey Baring, Bart., M.P., the Deputy Chairman of the Institution, and others.

The meeting, as might have been expected, acted as an excellent stimulus to the interest of the Island, and on the following Saturday the results of such interest were abundantly shown.

On that day the Deputy Chairman, the Hon. George Colville and Mr. A. L.

Watson, Acting Organizing Secretary for the South of England, made a tour by motor of every town and district where a collection was being made, covering 85 miles by road.

The presence of members of the Committee served as an encouragement to our many energetic workers, and Prince Louis and the Princess again gave proof of their keen interest in the Life-Boat service, by motoring to some of the chief towns, and conversing with the workers. All the Military Camps which are not fortified were visited ; the Naval Officer in charge of the transports at Cowes kindly placed a motor launch at the disposal of the collectors, and Messrs. J. S. White & Co. allowed collectors to enter their docks at Cowes.

A pretty feature of the day was a car lent by Lady Seely, in which the Hon.

George and Lady Cynthia ' Colville's two small boys were seated, dressed as miniature Life-boatmen, with cork belts and red caps. The rule against the collection of funds by persons under sixteen was, however, scrupulously observed. The whole function was a brilliant success, and produced a total of over £450.

Flag Sales, and other special efforts, have proved of great benefit to the Institution's funds, especially at the present difficult time. But we would again impress upon all Branch Honorary Secretaries the great importance of securing, wherever possible, an increase in the Annual Subscriptions.

They form the bed-rock of financial support, and that which enables the Committee of Management to go forward with their scheme of improvements in Life-boat construction and in the maintenance of that perfect efficiency in every branch which the national importance of the Life-boat service demands.

It also enables them adequately to reward the gallant men who form the crews of the Life-boats, and when, unfortunately, disaster befalls, to make proper provision for the widows and orphans of the men who lose their lives in their endeavours to save others.

The Institution has, alas, had to deplore the loss of 14 gallant men in the course of the last 18 months, and it has been able to make proper provision in each case.

We trust that the above account of the general working of Life-boat Flag Days will prove of service to those of our excellent Honorary Secretaries who have, this year, perhaps hesitated to undertake such a function through fear of not being able to carry it through successfully.

It will be seen that, granted the kindness, enthusiasm, and self-devotion on which we can always rely, success is practically a certainty.

oj tne " Southampton and /mmcc fwioruil." H.S.H. PRINCE LOUIS OF BATTENBERG, The Hon. GEORGE COLVILLE, and Sir GODFREY BARING, Bart., M.P., Deputy Chairman..