DURING the autumn of 1924 two films with a special Life-boat interest i were released to the Cinemas. One o f ' them, " Down to the Sea in Ships," is; the cruise of a whaler. Among its scenes are the wreck of one of the boats by a whale and the eating of one of her crew by a shark. The film ends with the wreck of the whaler herself. The other film is " Women who Give," part of the scene of which is a Life-boat Station on the coast of the United States, and there is not only a shipwreck but a Life-boat rescue.

The Institution wrote to the Cinemas at which these two films were to be shown, asking if they would allow collections to be made on behalf of the Lifeboat Service, and offering to collaborate with them in interesting the public in the films by lending them one of the Institution's own films to show during the same week, or the week before, and, where possible, models, posters and Lifeboat gear for decorating their entrance halls.The response to this has been very satisfactory. Not only has it been made clear that the Cinemas are prepared to help the Institution when they are showing films of the sea, but also that they feel that collaboration with the Institution is a real help to them. It interests people in their films who would not otherwise come. In a word, they both help a fine cause and do good business for themselves.

In London the first Cinema at which these collections were made was the Marlborough Theatre in Holloway. The Institution, in this case, was able to send one of the Reserve Boats from the Storeyard, and this was stationed out- side the Cinema during the whole week l in which " Down to the Sea in Ships " was shown. The theatre staff gave the Institution every help that they could, and over £108 was collected. Altogether collections have been made at thirteen London Cinemas at which this film has :been shown, amounting altogether to over £221. an average of £17 a Cinema.The chief contributories have been the Hampstead Picture Playhouse, which collected £26 in six days, the Central Hall, Catford, and the Lion Cinema, Botherhithe, with £12 each, and the Leyton Picture House with nearly £11, all collected in three days. Arrange- ments have been made for collections at another six Cinemas where this film will be shown later on.

The scheme has been equally success- ful in the North of England, where there were eight collections at " Down to the Sea in Ships " and sixteen at " Women who Give," giving a total of £248 and an average of £15 10s. Od. a Cinema. The Bradford Theatre Royal collected nearly £30 at a special matinee, the Manchester Theatre Royal Cinema £28 during the week, the Newcastle-on-Tyne Picture House £23 in three days, the Doncaster Picture House nearly £20 in three days, the Empire Theatre, Maryport, £19 in the week, the Keighley Picture House nearly £17, the Whitley Bay Coliseum £12, and the Oxford Picture House, Workington, £10, each in three days.

In Scotland £30 was collected at the Palace Picture House, Perth, in two days during " Women who Give." An appeal was made during the perform- ance and a choir of 100 fisher girls sang songs.

The Arcadia Picture House, Bridge- ton, Glasgow, collected over £19, and the Ayr Picture House £14. Altogether in Scotland nearly £73 has been collected at five Cinemas showing this film, an average of over £14 10s., and arrange- ments have been made for collections at several more Cinemas.

In the Midlands and Wales collections have been made at five Cinemas during " Women who Give," realizing over £22, an average of £4 10,s.

In the south of England the chief successes have been at the Andrews Picture House, Plymouth, where about £65 was collected, and the Super Theatre, Oxford, with £45, and one of the Brigh- ton Cinemas with £20 during "Down to the Sea in Ships." At the Cinema, Newbury, nearly £16 was collected dur- ing " Women who Give." Altogether, nearly £216 have been collected at fifteen Cinemas, an average of over £14. Col- lections have also been arranged at a number of other Cinemas.

Altogether collections so far have been made at sixty-one Cinemas which have realized over £776. As these two films will continue to be shown for some months to come, and as other sea films will no doubt follow them, we have given these details of what has already been done so that Honorary Secretaries and other Life-boat workers may realize how valuable this co-operation with Cinemas may be, not only in obtaining publicity for the work of the Service, but in the actual raising of funds.

Appeals by a Music Hall Artist.

In this connexion we should also like to make grateful reference to the help which the Institution has received from Mr. Shaun Glenville, the music-hall artist, who last summer offered to give the Institution every help that he could by speaking for it from the stage. At a number of music halls appeals from the stage, for whatever object, are not allowed, but at several places Mr. Glen- ville was able to make speeches, notably at the Empire, Newport (Mon.), at the Empire, Newcastle-on-Tyne, and at the Palace, Huddersfield, where he spoke each night of his week's visit, and nearly £27 was collected.