" Thousands of women, in every part, of the United Kingdom, rich or poor, high and, low, have shown that they are moved by the same spirit of mercy and helpfulness as actuated Grace Darling. In their own way, they have rendered magnificent service to the Life-boat Cause. Without them it would have been almost impossible to organise successfully those appeals, especially in the shape of Life-boat Day efforts, which bring the claims of the Institution to the sympathetic attention of the million. I feel sure that you and they will welcome the Institution's decision to form a bond of union among all these women in the establishment of the Ladies' Life-boat Guild." —H.R.H THE PRINCE OF WALES, E.G.

THE Institution has owed in the past, and still owes, so much to the generous and devoted service of women, that the Committee have long thought that it would be most desirable to form a Ladies' Lifeboat Guild. Their idea has been that in this way they could best show their sense of the value of the services of women to the Institution, and at the same time give the many h o u s a n d s of women who act as the missionaries of the Life - boat Cause, and help itto raise its indispensable funds,'5' a greater feeling of personal fellowship in their work. With this end in view, the Guild has been formed ; the Duchess of Portland, who has long been an active worker for the Cause, has consented to act as President of the Guild, and its formation was announced by the Prince of Wales at the Annual Meeting with his cordial approval and support.

The constitution of the Guild is very simple, and it is not intended to alter in any way the excellent organisation of the Ladies' Auxiliaries which already exist in connexion with many of the larger Branches of the Institution.

All women will be eligible for member- ship, and all Presidents, Honorary Treasurers, Honorary Secretaries andworking members of the present Ladies' Auxiliaries or Committees will automatically become original members of the Guild.

A badge of membership, in the form of a brooch, with a bar and ribbon for office - holders, has been specially designed, and also a card of membership signed by the President, which sets out that the object of the Guild is " to continue and extend the work of helping the Institution." The one qualification for membership is a readiness to help the Guild's taskof interesting and educating the public in the work of the Life-boat Service, and of raising the funds to maintain it.

The Guild has been formed at a time when the Institution is in more urgent need of the generous help of its workers, and of the generous support of the public, than at any previous time in its history. For it not only has to meet the enormous increase in the cost of all labour and commodities caused by the war, but is carrying out the greatest developments in the work of saving life } from shipwreck, which have been made I since the Institution was founded, nearly a hundred years ago.

The Committee of Management very earnestly hope that the Guild will not only prove a pleasure and a newencouragement to all those ladies who are already doing such splendid work for the Life-boat Cause, but a means of bringing many thousands more to the ranks of the Institution's workers.

They look forward, indeed, to seeing the number of existing workers doubled, and the Guild established everywhere throughout the United Kingdom by 1924, when the Institution will celebrate its Centenary.

The Duchess of Portland, in a personal letter which she has sent to all the Branches, has written: "I think it will be an immense satisfaction and incen- tive to us all, in our Work for this great Cause, to feel that we are united in a single body, and to know that, where- ever we may go, we shall find new friends who are members of the Guild, ind who have with us a common interest, duty and pleasure in its work." If everywhere the Guild is received in this spirit, its success will be assured, and it should become an organisation of the greatest value to the Life-boat Cause.

NOTE. — The Duchess of Portland will hold a meeting at Claridge's Hotel at 3.30 P.M. on the 21st June, to inaugurate the Guild in London. , All Presidents and Hon. Secretaries in Greater London will receive personal invitations. It is hoped that this meeting will be followed by others throughout the and that the Presidents of country, Ladies' Auxiliaries and Ladies' Com- mittees will kindly call their ladies together for the purpose of carrying out the union of all women workers under the Ladies' Life-boat Guild..